MPLS Research Staff Forum
The MPLS Research Staff Forum (RSF) was set up in 2016. It is a committee that meets termly, and it aims to represent the needs of research staff at a divisional level.
The RSF discusses issues raised from a departmental level, and it contributes to debates on institutional and external research staff initiatives, such as eligibility for training, or the drafts of the Researcher Development Concordat.
The RSF also makes policy proposals to the Research Staff Consultative Group, MPLS ECR Forum, and Divisional Board. It shares good practice in establishing and running research staff societies at a departmental level, and acts as a conduit of information from division to research staff in departments.
Please click here to open the Researcher Representatives: Role, Values, and Commitments document for further information.
Please click here to open the Guidelines for the Selection of Research Staff Representatives document for further information.
The chart below indicates the structure of the RSF, and how it connects and functions within the University system.
A £500 annual allowance was introduced in 2024/25 as a two-year trial to support the professional and career development of departmental researcher representatives. The award recognises their contributions to research culture and can be used for career-related expenses, including conference travel or fees, training and subscriptions, subject to departmental approval. Researcher representatives should contact their departmental finance teams to claim the allowance by 31 May 2026.
To support the review of this pilot scheme and help make the case for future funding, researcher representatives will be invited to submit a short overview of the activities they have facilitated in their departments. Please click here to see the Researcher Representative Award Terms & Conditions.
The committee aims to have at least one research staff representative from each department in the division.
One of the co-chairs of MPLS RSF sits on the Divisional Board, the governing body of the division. The other co-chair sits on the MPLS Training and Development Steering Group. Both co-chairs sit on the Research Staff Consultative Group of the University. Issues discussed at meetings of MPLS RSF can then be raised at divisional and institutional levels. Two representatives from MPLS RSF (usually the co-chairs) sit on the MPLS ECR Forum.
Current Co-chairs: Muhammad aamir and Massimo Mariello
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Muhammad Aamir Muhammad Aamir is a Senior Postdoctoral Researcher at the department of computer science, contributing to an AI-driven project for wildlife conservation and global biodiversity monitoring. He took the position to represent postdoc at Oxford University because he believes that Postdoctoral researchers are crucial for universities and research. They act as the engine of innovation, bridging the gap between PhD students and faculty. By conducting specialized, high-level research, they significantly contribute to a university's output of publications and patents. Postdocs also mentor graduate students and bring fresh expertise and energy, which is vital for maintaining a dynamic and productive research environment. They are the future of academia, shaping the next generation of scholars |
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Massimo Mariello "Early-career researchers are the lifeblood of the university: they bring energy, innovation, and new perspectives, and supporting them is essential not only for individual careers but for the future strength and reputation of the entire research community.” Massimo Mariello is a Senior Postdoctoral Research Associate at Oxford’s Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Keble College. With a background in materials engineering and nanotechnology, his research spans bioelectronics, nanogenerators, and drug-delivery systems. As MPLS Enterprise and Innovation Fellow, Ideas2Impact Fellow and Teaching Tutor, he has contributed to enhance interdisciplinary training within the department, promoting collaboration between scientists and entrepreneurs, and spreading knowledge among students and researchers. Satisfying the needs of early-career researchers and enabling more targeted opportunities are the primary reasons why he decided to become a research staff representative. massimo.mariello@eng.ox.ac.uk |
Current MPLS Research Staff Forum committee members
| Laura Munoz-Baena |
Biology |
laura.munozbaena@biology.ox.ac.uk |
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Adam Mulkern |
Biology |
adam.mulkern@biology.ox.ac.uk |
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Davia Prichich |
Chemistry |
davia.prischich@chem.ox.ac.uk |
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Duhan Toparlak |
Chemistry |
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Computer Science |
leto.riebel@cs.ox.ac.uk | |
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Rita Kounoudis |
Earth Science |
rita.kounoudis@earth.ox.ac.uk |
| Tom Kettlety |
Earth Science |
tom.kettlety@earth.ox.ac.uk |
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Yvonne Lu |
Engineering |
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| Theodore Hobson |
Materials |
theodore.hobson@materials.ox.ac.uk |
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Chris Couzens |
Maths |
christopher.couzens@maths.ox.ac.uk |
| Giulia Celora |
Maths |
giulia.celora@maths.ox.ac.uk |
| Kai Shinbrough |
Physics |
kai.shinbrough@physics.ox.ac.uk |
| James Gillanders |
Physics |
james.gillanders@physics.ox.ac.uk |
| Ka Man (Ambrose) Yim |
Statistics |
ka.yim@stats.ox.ac.uk |
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Fergus Imrie |
Statistics |
*Updated May 2026
Profiles
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Adam MulkernAdam Mulkern is a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Biology, studying the within-host evolution of antimicrobial resistance, particularly in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Using high-throughput technologies and large-scale in-vitro evolution experiments, his work explores how genetic diversity shapes resistance development in clinical settings. He became a representative to advocate for postdocs and contribute to a supportive and inclusive research environment. |
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Rita KounoudisRita is a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Earth Sciences, interested in exploring the evolution of plate tectonics across space and time. Her research involves using seismology to image the internal structure of Earth’s tectonic plates and the deeper mantle.
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Tom KettletyTom Kettlety is a Research Fellow in Geological Carbon Storage in the Department of Earth Sciences and a core team member of Oxford Net Zero, an interdisciplinary research initiative based in the School of Geography and the Environment. His research focuses on geophysical monitoring methods for industrial activities, primarily using measurements of small earthquakes and ground vibrations. He combines field observations, geomechanical modelling, and statistical analysis to understand subsurface behaviour and mitigate risks associated with underground fluid injection and extraction. Applications of this include geological carbon dioxide storage, mining, and geothermal energy. Alongside this technical work, he conducts research and engagement on environmental regulation and certification, helping to ensure that industrial policy and regulation are informed by scientific evidence and principles.
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Chris CouzensChris is a departmental lecturer in Mathematical Physics based in the Department of Mathematics. His research is focussed on geometric aspects of string theory, black hole physics and holography. Chris lectures two General Relativity courses as part of the Part C/MSc programme within the Maths department. He has been involved within committees within the Maths department since starting his position in 2022 and is currently the chair of the ECR committee within the Maths department. He became a representative in order to encourage better representation of postdocs within the university and to contribute to a supportive and inclusive environment where postdocs can thrive. |
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Kai ShinbroughKai Shinbrough is a Postdoctoral Researcher in the Oxford Ion Trap Quantum Computing Group in the Department of Physics, where he works toward fast quantum gates and continuous variable quantum computing in the ion-trap platform. Kai has a wide range of experience organizing for DE&I service and labour rights for graduate students; in the RSF he aims to leverage this experience to benefit post-docs in MPLS. |
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James GillandersJames is a postdoctoral researcher based in the Department of Physics. Specifically, working in the Astrophysics sub-department, and his research focuses on finding, classifying, and observing some of the most extreme and energetic stellar explosions and mergers in the Universe. James has a particular interest in neutron star mergers, as observations of these can help to advance our understanding of the production mechanism for many of the heaviest elements (such as platinum and gold). He became a representative as he feels passionately about postdoctoral researchers being well-represented and supported during their time in Oxford. |
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Fergus ImrieFergus is a Florence Nightingale Bicentenary Fellow based in the Department of Statistics. His research is focused on developing machine learning methods and techniques for applications in medicine and drug discovery. Fergus runs The Network, a forum created to support and connect postdocs and research fellows in the Department of Statistics. He became a representative to support ECRs beyond Statistics and foster closer connections between departments. |
The Research Culture Facilitator, MPLS Division
Supports MPLS RSF by acting as a secretary to the committee, providing continuity, induction for new members and giving briefings on specific subjects.
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Dr Natia SopromadzeNatia supports initiatives that foster a healthy, inclusive and equitable research environment, where everyone feels empowered to thrive. As a former postdoctoral researcher, she brings first-hand insight into the challenges faced by early career researchers, from short-term contracts to sustainable career paths within and beyond academia. Natia collaborates with colleagues across the University to align divisional activity with Oxford’s wider research culture programme and the national Researcher Development Concordat commitments. She serves as secretary to the MPLS Research Staff Forum, Early Career Researcher Forum and Research Culture Working Group. Natia welcomes suggestions on ways to promote positive change in research culture and is keen to work together to address shared challenges. |
Commonly known as the Researcher Development Concordat, it is an agreement between stakeholders to improve the employment and support for researchers and researcher careers in higher education in the UK.
It sets out three clear principles of environment and culture, employment, and professional and career development. The principles are underpinned by obligations for the four key stakeholder groups, funders, institutions, researchers, and managers of researchers, to realise the aims of the concordat. The secretariat responsibility for the concordat is held by Universities UK.
Further information is available on the Concordat website.