Meet the Staff: Amali DeSilvai

Job title: HR Manager

By George Thirlway, Research Technician and Co-coordinator for Public Engagement.

George: What is your job?
Amali: I am the HR Manager for the Prion Unit, which means I deal with every aspect of an employee’s life cycle here and developing the workforce. For example, this can include the recruitment process, onboarding of new staff, career development and exiting when staff leave us. Alongside this, I am also the Inclusion Lead, supporting and championing Equality, Diversity and Inclusion goals.

George: How long have you worked here?
Amali: 2.5 years - since December 2019.

George: What was your previous job before this? How did you get here?
Amali: I started out in HR at the BBC through their graduate scheme and progressed from there to HR Advisor, then Manager and eventually Business Partner. From there I went on to work at Sky as a Strategic HR Business Partner and Change Management Lead.
I left Sky at the end of my maternity leave, after having my daughter. My priorities changed, and I wanted something that would enable me to better balance my work and personal life.
When looking for HR jobs, I came across my current position. Whilst it was technically a step back in terms of scale from my previous roles as HR Business Partner, I knew it would be a welcome change that would help me transition back into the work place after maternity leave and tick all my re-evaluated priorities; being able to connect with staff at all levels, working with those who are passionate about what they do, kinder working hours and friendly vibes!

George: Did you attend university and if so what did you study?
Amali: Yes, I studied Psychology at the University of Birmingham. After that I gained qualifications in teaching and foreign languages, with the intention of travelling to teach English but ended up teaching adults in London after my dad fell ill. I also studied for and completed my Chartered Institute of Personnel Development (CIPD) whilst working full time at the BBC, it was intense but taught me a lot about time management!
Like a lot of people I did not pursue a career in my degree subject. I think it is important that employers recognise skills and experience and not just focus on qualifications or what university you went to. Opening your mind and embracing people from different educational backgrounds is a great way of enhancing your workforce and bringing about diversity of thought and experience.

George: What does a typical day look like for you?
Amali: As with many people the day starts with going through emails. I then move between administrative tasks and strategising for various projects. I may have meetings, both online and in person, as well as being part of several committees which may require meetings too. I mostly work on site at the Courtauld. The office door is always open for staff to drop by.

George: What is your favourite thing about working at the Prion Unit?
Amali: I like that everyone is connected. We are a relatively small Institute; it’s nice that everyone knows each other; a friendly work family in a way. The role itself is quite varied, as I am the only HR person, I deal with all sorts of different things on a daily basis. It’s great to work somewhere that everyone is passionate about what they do and not just about making profit.

George: When was the first time you learnt what a prion was?
Amali: My dad has Parkinson’s so anything that relates to neuro-degenerative diseases has always caught my eye, but I didn’t know what a prion was until I applied for the role! I had not heard of them before then, but have since learned a lot through sitting in on job interviews, particularly for scientific roles as well as being part of committees and other meetings.

George: Best and worst parts of your role?
Amali: The best bits are the variety as well as the people I get to meet and work with.
The worst is that decisions and implementing change can take longer to embed as there are funding limitations. Whilst there are many benefits to being part of a wider UCL and MRC community, the processes and approvals required can also compound delays in making change happen.

George: When you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up? And how close is your current role?
Amali: I wanted to be a dancer, or in musical theatre, so pretty different to HR! I am an introvert by nature but on a stage my alter ego is let loose!

George: Do you have a favourite science fact?
Amali: A bit of a childish one I know, but you can’t physically burp when in space! It has something to do with the fact that gravity helps separate solid, liquid and gas, so without gravity burps come out as vomit as there is no separation!

George: What are your favourite memories or days working here?
Amali: Well my first week at the Unit was the Christmas party 2019. I didn’t really know anyone and was completely new, but everyone was so welcoming. Parmjit was kind to introduce me to a lot of names I had no chance of remembering! It was nerve wracking but a very good icebreaker.

George: If you weren't doing this job, what would you do instead? 
Amali: Something to incorporate my love of dance and the desire to help people; perhaps a Dance Therapist. Being able to help people use movement as a way to heal and process things better, both cognitively and emotionally.

George: What are some of your interests or hobbies outside of science?
Amali: I love dancing, I am trained as a ballet dancer but stopped in my 20s – I now try different styles like Street, Salsa and Ceroc to name a few. Dancing helps me to release stress – even if it’s just to go wild in the living room. I enjoy singing too, but I’m not good at that! I often get told to be quiet by my daughter.

George: And finally, do you have any pets? 
Amali: Well kind of, our neighbour has a ginger cat called Ginger who spends about as much time in our house as they do their own. Despite being a big fan of cats, Ginger prefers my husband (who does not like cats). I always joke that Ginger must be the reincarnation of a long lost relative of his – there’s no other explanation for the preferential treatment.

Thank you to Amali for sitting down with me to share her journey to joining us here at the MRC Prion Unit at UCL. We are very grateful to hear her story and experiences, especially from a unique perspective. We look forward to bringing you more insight into the great work we do here and the brilliant people behind it all.