Episode 2: Questioning assumptions in life and the lab
In this episode of Faces of UCL, UCL President and Provost Dr Michael Spence chats with Dr Michael Sulu, UCL Associate Professor in Biochemical Engineering and UCL's Envoy for Race Equality.
Michael did his first degree at UCL and came back following a Master’s at York University and a PhD and post-doc at the University of Birmingham, after discovering a love for teaching during his PhD in using bacteria to produce hydrogen as a fuel. He combines biochemical engineering with brewing: UCL is building a new brewery and micro-distillery on its UCL East campus to support both teaching and community engagement.
Mike’s work as UCL’s Race Equality Envoy centres on listening and understanding diverse experiences. He's learned that even well-intentioned solutions don't always match the actual problems communities face. One key insight he’s observed: international students often want more opportunities to mix, but the institution isn't always creating the spaces and conditions for them to do that.
He notices how stereotypes affect confidence – women underselling their abilities, and Black British students internalising the belief they must "work twice as hard," which stops them asking for help. His message is: "You can ask for help, and it's okay to ask for help."
One of Mike's proudest achievements is a year-long programme supporting students from lower social classes and minoritised backgrounds into research careers. He gives them the skills to apply to do research and to make informed choices, rather than just “funnel them into doing PhDs”.
What keeps him at UCL? The people and the multidisciplinary environment where biochemical engineers can learn from social scientists and artists alike.
Credits
Presenter: Dr Michael Spence, UCL President & Provost
Guest: Dr Michael Sulu, UCL Associate Professor in Biochemical Engineering and UCL's Envoy for Race Equality.
Produced by UCL Communications and UCL Educational Media
Creators and Guests
Host
Dr Michael Spence
Dr Michael Spence has been UCL’s President and Provost since January 2021. He is a long-standing champion of universities as crucibles for debate and dialogue, and an established voice on fostering constructive discussion around challenging issues. Recognised internationally as a leader in the field of intellectual property theory, he holds a Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Oxford and has a BA with first-class honours in English, Italian and Law from the University of Sydney.
Guest
Michael Sulu
Michael is a Lecturer (Teaching) in the department of Biochemical Engineering, and a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA).
