The Executive Team
Sophie Preston
Head of External Outreach
Sophie Preston is currently studying towards her MSc in Biopharmaceutical Development at the University of Leeds and will be undertaking an industrial placement next year. She undertook her BSc in Biological Sciences at Imperial College London, where she discovered her enthusiasm for microbiology and applying scientific knowledge towards the discovery and development of innovative biopharmaceuticals (gene therapy, vaccines, monoclonal antibodies, etc.). She also has a keen interest in emerging artificial intelligence uses in healthcare and drug discovery.
She realised bioscience-related degrees contain a lot of variation and overlap between the different available courses and aims to help provide prospective students with a deeper understanding of their options through in2biochem. Outside of her career, she is an absolute foodie with a specific weakness for Asian food and is a horror movie enthusiast.
External Outreach Associate
Lily is a final-year BSc Biochemistry student at Imperial College London. She is fascinated by topics ranging from Immunology to Systems Neuroscience. Upon graduation, she will continue research in the field of Health Science. Ultimately, she hopes to transform laboratory findings from bench to bedside, developing tangible products for clinical use. She had little exposure to Biochemistry in high school, only discovering her still ever-growing interest through undergraduate courses. By joining StemSide, she hopes to introduce the variety of Life Sciences-based fields to prospective students, as well as anyone with a similar curiosity for Biochemistry and related disciplines, stimulating their perhaps otherwise unrecognised enthusiasm for STEM topics. Outside of academia, Lily loves listening to music and watching sunsets from different viewpoints in the world.
Julia Barret Joly
Chief Editor
Julia is a BSc Biochemistry student at Imperial College London. She is currently undertaking various side projects, such as being an academic mentor for students and curating knowledge to tutor IB chemistry students. She is personally interested in biotechnological applications of biochemistry, as well as protein engineering and synthetic biology.
Her plans for the upcoming year include gaining experience by partaking in laboratory research to embark on a Year in Research later on in her degree. Due to her interest in science, she is passionate about bringing about scientific knowledge to a broader audience and create a community based on a shared passion for biochemistry as part of the in2biochem team.
In her free time, Julia enjoys reading and watching TV shows as well as fencing and traveling around the world.
Emma McCarthy
Editor
Emma is a postgraduate student at the University of Manchester studying for an MSc in Health Data Science. She completed a BSc in Biomedical Sciences at Newcastle University where she discovered an enthusiasm for public health and working with healthcare-oriented data, which is what led her to pursue her current masters' degree.
Emma also enjoys being involved in science communication, and by being a part of StemSide she hopes to be able to share her love of science with others and to inspire students who may be thinking of pursuing a career in STEM.
In her free time, Emma likes watching sci-fi shows, reading fantasy novels and roller skating.
Zoe Cheah
Head of Publicity
Zoe Cheah is currently a final-year Biological Sciences student at Imperial College London. During her studies, she developed an interest in infectious disease epidemiology and public health and hopes to pursue a Masters in this field upon graduation.
Studying a STEM-related field has made her realise how hard it is for individuals to obtain access to scientific knowledge in their daily life. She joined StemSide as she hopes to alter this narrative in the future by contributing to science communication.
In her free time, Zoe enjoys reading, watching movies, and writing fictitious prose and poetry.
Emily Ng
Publicity Associate
Emily is a second year studying Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry at the University of Oxford. She is fascinated at the interplay of evolution and genetics, and how different molecular mechanisms are able to influence the fate of a cell. Hence her interests encompass the breath of all cellular processes including genetics, epigenetics and proteomics. She has always been aware of the opportunities that enabled her to pursue a degree in Biochemistry, and hopes that pursing an education in the STEM field will no longer be a privilege only enjoyed by the students from the top schools, but a passion shared with everyone!
As a brief escape from work, she enjoys cooking and baking all sorts of sweet and savoury treats. She especially enjoys hosting friends and family for good food and quality conversations!
Sophie Smith
Graphic Designer
Sophie Smith is a second-year BSc Biological Sciences undergraduate from Imperial College London. She has previously been an illustrator for Imperial’s student magazine, Broadsheet, and briefly worked with the student newspaper, Felix, before lockdown in March. Alongside her interests in art, Sophie enjoys biotechnology - specifically genome editing technologies such as CRISPR. This is a career pathway she hopes to enter, whilst keeping her creative side as a hobby.
Outside of academia, Sophie volunteers for Shooting Star Children’s Hospice, and enjoys travelling and ice skating. She also has her own website dedicated to exhibiting her artworks.