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Spotlight on Dr Johanna Donovan, Lecturer (teaching) in the Department of Education

Each month we will interview a member of DoM Staff. This week we speak to Dr Jo Donovan, Lecturer, Department of Education

Jo Donovan Photo

1 September 2024

  • What is your current role, and what do you enjoy most about your job?

My current role is Lecturer (teaching) in the Department of Education – I am Deputy Director of the Integrated Medical Sciences programme and the BSc programmes in the Division of Medicine, with a focus on student wellbeing, and the Academic Lead for Year 3 Applied Medical Sciences. I lead modules in every year of the UG programme and also some MSc/MRes, on topics including biochemistry, renal physiology, advanced cell biology, lab skills and research projects. I am the safeguarding contact and a Mental Health First Aider.
What I most enjoy about my job is the variety and breadth of the work I get to do both in the department and wider faculty– from in-person teaching, tutoring and coaching, advising on education strategy, developing new wellbeing resources, student co-creation projects and sitting of various committees and working groups – there is always a new challenge to evolve and improve our educational delivery. I find it particularly rewarding to see students I have taught and supported throughout all their degree, grow, graduate and take on the next stage in their career with confidence.

  • What are you working on at the moment?

I’m working on a project with a student partner and UCL Student Success Fund looking at the awarding gap between students with different entry qualifications. I was also recently awarded a place on the UCL 2024-25 UKAT (UK Advising and tutoring) cohort and I’m currently working towards an accreditation in personal tutoring and advising. 
In the next academic year, I plan to run a project examining the effectiveness student wellbeing support in HE.
In addition to the usual preparations for next year I am working on various projects including strategy and planning around research projects and personal tutoring.

  • What is your background, and how did you find your job in this field?

I graduated with a BSc in Biochemistry, an MRes and PhD in Molecular Cell Biology, all from the University of Manchester. I joined UCL in 2009 as a post-doc in Prof David Abraham’s group working on molecular pathways in Systemic sclerosis, I then moved to Prof Jill Norman’s group working on profibrotic markers in Polycystic Kidney Disease. During this time found that I increasing enjoyed supporting teaching and students. I was able to gain more teaching experience co-developing and co-leading some Y2 UG lab classes, designing and delivering UG tutorials and assisting in PG assessments - leading to my being awarded an FHEA accreditation. I joined the Applied Medical Sciences programme in a full-time education role in 2017, lecturing and running modules. Since then my role, and our student numbers, have grown substantially.

  • What are your interests outside work?

I’m a keen (but very average) runner - years of running on Hampstead Health has given me a good sense of direction, no fear of hills and contributed enormously to my wellbeing.