Speakers
Dr Yusra Siddiqui
Workshop
Awarding gaps and non-continuation remain persistent challenges in life and biomedical sciences, disproportionately affecting students from minority ethnic groups. While universities have established working groups and collected data to address these issues, translating insights into meaningful and effective action often proves difficult.
Dr Yusra Siddiqui is an Assistant Professor (Education) in the Department of Biomedical Sciences at the University of Birmingham. She has extensive experience across UK higher education, having previously served as a Lecturer and Deputy Programme Director at the University of Exeter and as a Lecturer in Biomedical Sciences at the University of Derby.
Yusra is a Fellow of Advance HE and a Member of the Royal Society of Biology. Her teaching and scholarship focus on inclusive and equitable education, curriculum decolonisation, sustainability in the curriculum, and assessment innovation in the biosciences. She has contributed to national pedagogical initiatives including the QAA Collaborative Enhancement Project on inclusive education and has led departmental initiatives to diversify the biosciences curriculum.
At the University of Birmingham, Yusra is actively involved in several initiatives aimed at enhancing student experience and inclusive education. She contributes to projects embedding sustainability within the biomedical sciences curriculum and supports research exploring the awarding gap and student attainment in bioscience programmes. She also leads initiatives supporting international students and widening participation in biomedical education.
Her disciplinary research background is in cancer biology, particularly the molecular mechanisms of prostate cancer progression. Alongside her biomedical research publications, she is engaged in educational research and scholarship in higher education. Yusra is also a strong advocate for equity, diversity and inclusion in science education and contributes to institutional initiatives focused on student support, racial equality and inclusive academic cultures.
Dr Bunmi Ibrahim is an Associate Professor of Biomedical Sciences at the University of Birmingham. She is widely recognised for advancing inclusive pedagogical practice and enriching the student experience, drawing on an interdisciplinary foundation in chemistry, food science, and biotechnology. As a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and a member of the Royal Society of Chemistry, Dr Ibrahim leads innovative teaching and research initiatives across higher education. She has designed and delivered programmes aimed at levelling the playing field for all students, expertly guiding them through validations, accreditations with professional bodies, and rigorous university reviews.
Dr Ibrahim currently leads projects focused on closing the awarding gap and improving student experience, developing strategies that empower diverse learners. Internationally, her efforts address the STEM ‘leaky pipeline’, working to retain and uplift underrepresented students. Her scientific research centres on repurposing food and pharmaceutical waste to devise sustainable solutions for metabolic diseases and antimicrobial resistance, including the use of in vitro gastric digestion models and novel protocols for antibiotic derivatisation. Notably, she explores anthocyanins from food waste for food fortification and amphotericin A as an alternative antimicrobial. Dr Ibrahim’s commitment to transformative education and sustainable science enables all life scientists to flourish.