Submitted by Susannah Cook on Wed, 2022-06-08 15:12
What does your position involve?
My role will involve facilitating change and will include carrying out consultation and engagement across the University and externally, developing policies and procedures, working with suppliers and seeking approval for new policies through the University’s committees. First priority is the implementation of the car park space booking software.
What is your (education/qualification) background and how did you get here?
Quite mixed! I spent over 10 years working for local software companies supporting clients with major projects, and got frustrated by the constant travelling especially having a young family. I was fortunate to spot a job at AstraZeneca that involved project management, technology and sustainable travel. Before real life got in the way, I was a drummer in a band and have toured all over the world and played major festivals such as Glastonbury.
What were you doing before joining the Sustainability Team?
I spent 4 years working in the Travel Team at AstraZeneca delivering a range of sustainable travel schemes around the Cambridge area, covering sites in the city centre to some in more rural areas. This included managing the pool bike, car share and shuttle schemes and being responsible for the travel data hub.
What are you looking forward to getting your teeth into in the coming year?
Getting to grips with how things are done at the University, meeting more new colleagues and getting my first projects underway.
Who is your inspirational figure (real or fictional)? With the way things are in the world and reading about how people are coping in very drastic situations, it feels like I get inspired by normal people almost every day.
Do you have any hobbies?
Cycling, food, music and coffee (and spending as much time with my family as I can of course!).
What do you think is the biggest environmental challenge?
Car journeys. There are many challenges to get people to consider how else they can travel, including dependencies on good outcomes for major infrastructure projects in the local area which if they go ahead will open up more sustainable travel options for many people.
What gets you out of bed (and into work) in the morning?
Knowing that the team is committed to delivering projects and initiatives that will really make a difference – playing a small part in that is really motivating.
What is your environment-related pet hate?
Short car journeys (i.e. those half a mile to the shops) really get me. Similarly, poorly considered public infrastructure in semi-rural areas resulting in no safe links to nearby travel hubs.
What is your proudest professional achievement?
One of the more recent ones would be when I was at AstraZeneca and the pandemic hit, I launched a travel support pack service for employees who had no choice but to travel to the workplace using public transport. The travel packs consisted of enough supplies of face masks, wipes, hand sanitizer to last a month, and a smaller bag to decant the items in to and even a door opener keyring! The scheme included the option to request new packs or replenishments of certain items.
What is your favourite green gadget?
Not really a gadget but my the bicycle has to be one of the best tools for being kinder to the environment ever invented. Quite lucky to have a few to choose from at home so from doing the school run & smaller shopping trips all the way up to road racing and multi-day bike packing trips, the bicycle ticks all the boxes.
First impressions of Cambridge?
I’m a Cambridge native but I still have to pinch myself sometimes when I’m out and about. Cambridge is a beautiful place and I feel very lucky to live here.