{"id":5897,"date":"2025-03-06T09:33:48","date_gmt":"2025-03-06T09:33:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.lboro.ac.uk\/life\/?p=5897"},"modified":"2025-03-06T09:33:48","modified_gmt":"2025-03-06T09:33:48","slug":"five-minutes-with-michael-dawson","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.lboro.ac.uk\/life\/five-minutes-with\/five-minutes-with-michael-dawson\/","title":{"rendered":"Five Minutes With: Michael Dawson"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.lboro.ac.uk\/life\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/24\/2025\/03\/20220720_131244_Michael-Dawson.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"748\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.lboro.ac.uk\/life\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/24\/2025\/03\/20220720_131244_Michael-Dawson-1024x748.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5898\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.lboro.ac.uk\/life\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/24\/2025\/03\/20220720_131244_Michael-Dawson-1024x748.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blog.lboro.ac.uk\/life\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/24\/2025\/03\/20220720_131244_Michael-Dawson-300x219.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blog.lboro.ac.uk\/life\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/24\/2025\/03\/20220720_131244_Michael-Dawson-768x561.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blog.lboro.ac.uk\/life\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/24\/2025\/03\/20220720_131244_Michael-Dawson-1536x1122.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/blog.lboro.ac.uk\/life\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/24\/2025\/03\/20220720_131244_Michael-Dawson.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>What\u2019s your job title and how long have you been at Loughborough?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Laboratory Technician (Department of Chemistry) and I have been here for 16 months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Tell us what a typical day in your job looks like?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Working in STEMLab, a typical day for me consists of preparing for and supporting in the delivery of taught laboratory practicals for a whole range of students. I may be mixing up chemicals, growing cells or helping with the operation of analytical equipment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>What\u2019s your favourite project you\u2019ve worked on?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Having recently completed my apprenticeship, I have had so many fantastic experiences. I loved training and developing confidence with a wide variety of analytical equipment and appreciate the time that so many people have put into sharing their knowledge. A personal favourite was helping to develop an Outreach experiment which I was then able to teach to visiting Year 13s, using some of these skills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>What is your proudest moment at Loughborough?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Definitely passing my apprenticeship. The assessment was thorough, with a long observation of practical skills, a structured interview and a test. I was able to do this and achieved a Distinction. I find it hard to believe that I only started working here in August 2023.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Tell us something you do outside of work that we might not know about?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Most of my close colleagues know this but I&#8217;m a keen walker and will regularly do 10+ mile walks at weekends and on holidays. I love being out in the fresh air, preferably by the coast whether in the UK or abroad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When I&#8217;m not hiking, I love DIY (although I could improve my skills) and babysitting my 16 month old granddaughter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>What is your favourite quote?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;It doesn&#8217;t stop being magic just because you know how it works.&#8221; Terry Pratchett, The Wee Free Men<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>If you would like to feature in \u20185 Minutes With\u2019, or you work with someone who you think would be great to include, please email Lilia Boukikova at L.Boukikova@lboro.ac.uk<\/strong><\/p>\n<!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on the_content --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on the_content -->","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What\u2019s your job title and how long have you been at Loughborough? Laboratory Technician (Department of Chemistry) and I have been here for 16 months. Tell us what a typical day in your job looks like? 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