Who are we?

Hello, we are Quadram Student Forum or QSF for short! We’re a group of postgraduate students dedicated to representing and supporting the student community at the Quadram Institute.

At QSF, we organise a mix of fun social events and engaging scientific discussions. We work closely with other student groups on the Norwich Research Park and collaborate with the Quadram Science Voice (QSV) to strengthen our research community. It’s all about building connections, making friends, and enhancing the students’ experience here.

Our mission is to create a vibrant student community by hosting events that bring us together, both socially and academically. We believe in creating a positive research culture and encouraging collaboration among our peers.

We also represent Quadram students to the Graduate School Executive (GSE), making sure our voices are heard when decisions are being made. Alongside our Postgraduate Research Director, Dr Paul Kroon, we advocate for the welfare of students and strive to provide the best possible postgraduate experience.

Meet the team

Josh Horton – Chair

Hiya, I’m Josh, a first-year PhD student looking into the formation of biofilm communities in food-borne pathogens E. coli and Salmonella. I’m really excited to be involved in the QSF as I really enjoyed the events put on by the previous committee and wanted to contribute to the student life at the institute.

As the Chair of the QSF, I lead the committee in organising various social and academic events that help bring together the student community at the Quadram Institute. My role also involves making sure the student voice is heard by the Institute and University executives, by advocating on behalf of the students.

One of the things I’m most looking forward to being involved in this year is leading the planning for the Student Science Showcase, where we get to show off the amazing research students are doing at the Quadram Institute with various talks and posters (and have a good chat about all the science over lunch and a coffee!). Overall, it has so far been a rewarding role that has let me help shape both the social and academic lives of students at the institute.

Elin Smith – Vice-Chair & Admin and Finance Officer

Hi! I’m Elin and I’m a first-year PhD student researching the interactions between probiotic and pathogenic bacteria within the human gut. I wanted to be part of the QSF committee to engage with students and help to develop a strong community atmosphere within the student body.

In my role as the Vice-Chair of the QSF committee, I am responsible for supporting the Chair and other committee members in their roles to help organise all of the social and academic events that occur within the Quadram student community. Additionally, as acting Admin and Finance Officer, I am responsible for managing QSF’s budget and performing administrative tasks to ensure that all QSF meetings and events can run smoothly.

I am also the representative of QSF to the GSE and this is an aspect of my role that I have particularly enjoyed doing. I have the opportunity to meet regularly with Paul Kroon and the other members of the GSE committee and ensure that the voices of the Quadram students are heard.! One part of the QSF that I love being involved in is our monthly coffee mornings – and not just because of my love for a good coffee! Having the opportunity to chat and relax with other students and learn more about them is something I really enjoy doing.

Heloise Vinette – Events and welfare officer

Bonjour! I am Heloise, a first-year PhD student working on the interaction between the gut microbiome and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. I joined the QSF back in February 2024 as I wanted to join a vibrant community of students.

My role as an Events and Welfare Officer is to organise fun activities for students to relax and have fun, hopefully creating a safe environment for all students to meet each other, communicate, and bond. Like the rest of the team, I also step up to fill in for other committee members whenever needed, to help us achieve the QSF’s goals.

Being part of the QSF helps me improve my communication and teamwork skills. It also encourages me to be more creative when thinking about events and activities. I love working with the other members of QSF as we are all working towards the same goals and always supporting each other.

Raphael Hans Lwesya – Engagement officer

Habari! I’m Raphael, and like the rest of the committee, I’m a first-year PhD student. My research focuses on studying bacteriophage communities in the ageing human gut. I’m passionate about science communication and active in social activities, which is why I joined QSF as an Engagement Officer.

In this role, I primarily liaise with the Quadram Institute communications team, particularly when we want to share information outside the institute, like with this blog post. I also assist in organising events, creating posters, and much more.

Being part of the QSF team provides many learning opportunities, especially for those looking to develop communication skills and personal confidence. One of the things I appreciate most about QSF is the supportive, close-knit team. The rest of the committee are always ready to help, whether it’s taking on tasks or guiding you through challenges—even if you’re new to them.

While QSF does add more responsibilities, it also helps alleviate the stress of “PHDoing” by offering fun activities and opportunities to connect with fellow students to plan and execute these events.

Our events so far

We love organising regular events like coffee mornings, where we mix things up each time—either by inviting someone to share useful information with students or just having a student-alone “chat time”, or teaming up with other communities. For example, we recently collaborated with the NBI LGBTQ+ Working Group , that work to represent the LGBTQ+ community across the research park. We’ve also hosted unique “one-off” events such as pottery painting and a picnic with the other student groups.

More to come

We’ve got many more fun activities in the works! On our list are plans for the Student Science Showcase , where students share their research and findings, roller skating, a Christmas meal, and last but not least, our epic annual student retreat.