Eva Smpokou
Meet Eva Smpokou, our Paediatrics Departmental Safety Officer & IDRM Laboratory Manager. Eva has a PhD in Occupational and Environmental Medicine and enjoyed a teaching Lab Technician role before moving towards Lab Management, where maintaining safe work environments is her one of her top priorities.
What does your role involve on a day-to-day basis?
I joined the Paediatrics Department and IDRM in January so at the moment I am still finding my feet. I am visiting and getting to know the different sites that Paediatrics have people in and introducing myself to key personnel. At the IDRM I am doing lab walk arounds, trying to spot anything that needs improvement to ensure a healthy and safe working environment for all. I am also trying to learn how to support the Institute from a Facilities perspective. For example, getting to know lab managers across our different research groups, reviewing and updating policies and procedures, and providing H&S advice, directing people towards appropriate resources and training courses.
How did you find your way to this position?
My PhD was in Occupational and Environmental Medicine so I’ve always had an interest in supporting people in the workplace. In my last role as a Lab Manager in a teaching lab, I had to juggle assisting with lab-based experiments alongside general lab management and health and safety responsibilities. I wanted to focus more on the safety side of things so started looking for positions that would take my career in that direction - a contact on my LinkedIn liked the post advertising this role, it popped into my feed and a few months later, here I am!
What's it like to work in the Facilities team?
It's learning every day! I felt part of the team before even being on site. It is fast paced and every day there is something new to learn.
Have you ever had to 'unlearn' something in your professional life? If so, what was it?
That it is okay to step back and think about things before giving your opinion, and most importantly, not being afraid to express my opinion. It's easy to be intimidated especially around people that are senior to you or that you think 'know more' than you, but chances are other people have the same questions as you or you might bring up something that no one else has even considered. The rest is all non stop learning!
What excites you most about your current role?
It excites me being part of the Facilities Team ensuring all areas are operational 24/7 so research activities can continue with no interruptions. I will be overseeing H&S across multiple sites so my biggest challenge will be bringing people together and implementing aligned policies to ensure messaging is clear and consistent. I'm also looking forward to helping nurture an environment where everyone feels comfortable to bring up any concerns or seek advice.
How do you like to relax and recharge away from the IDRM?
Watching true crime documentaries (I know, not very relaxing for most), reading books and poetry, and rock climbing.