Chloë dropped in to say hello today – she’s been on maternity leave since the summer. There were so many introductions to make, so many new team members to meet! It’s prompted me to put together this post to welcome the amazing new people that have joined the Strategy and Communications team over the past couple of months.

In no particular order:

Aleks

Aleks is a designer with a background in medical illustration who is working alongside Tabea in the design lab. As you can see from Aleks’ picture, she’s a little camera shy. She’s anything but shy in real life, however, and if you hear an infectious laugh as you walk past our offices in the ATC, yes, that’s her.

Berta

Berta joins us as a science writer in the editorial team. She’s got a broad range of experience working in various science communications roles, including a stint at Scientific American in New York and helping to run the 2015 edition of the highly successful TEDxCERN.

Iulia

Iulia joined the design lab as a designer just a little after Aleks, in September. Her desk isn’t normally so untidy, but Iulia, Aleks, Tabea and Spencer just finished day 2 of the corporate design sprint and so we’ll cut her some slack today.

Steven

Steven joined us in the summer as cover for Chloë in the role of Internal Communications Manager. Steven, who has a background in internal communications within large corporations such as SAP, has quickly integrated into the research environment.

Iris

Iris is our new press officer, joining us from sunny Holland, where she was a press officer at Radboud University. In this photo she’s relaxing after running the first media relations sprint with Verena (right) and Oana (not pictured), developing journalist personas.

Verena

Verena joins us as our new local communications and outreach manager. She has a broad range of experience, including as a researcher at the DKFZ, field work in primate research and attending journalism school. She regularly supplies the team with homemade limoncello.

Kostas

Kostas joins us as a Strategy and Analysis manager alongside Maria Grazia. Kostas worked for the Singapore Agency for Science, Technology and Research, so this is his first winter in seven years!

Spilios

Spilios joins us as digital editor, keeping our websites alive and updated with fresh content. He spent his first month downloading Michael’s brain before Michael left. Spilios has a background in editorial work and journalism and he likes to drink coffee with a straw.

Sarah

Sarah joins us as a science writer, and has a broad, nomadic experience that includes science writing at Gothenburgh University in Sweden and an education that ranges from physics to creative writing.

Mark

Mark has just joined us as our digital communications team leader. One day after joining, Mark fell off his bike, breaking his wrist on one side and his thumb on the other. We don’t think it’s affected his brain too much.