Hema Radhakrishnan
Associate Dean for Social Responsibility
Dr Hema Radhakrishnan was appointed Associate Dean for Social Responsibility in August 2016, continuing a role previously held within the former Faculty of Life Sciences since January 2015.
Hema oversees the environmental sustainability, diversity and inclusion agenda in the Faculty.
Hema completed her undergraduate degree and PhD in Optometry and was appointed as a lecturer in Manchester in 2005, before being promoted to senior lecturer in 2012. She has led the physiological optics research lab in Manchester since 2005.
She received the Neil Charman Medal (2015) and the Bernard Gilmartin OPO award (2009) from the College of Optometrists for her outstanding contribution to ophthalmic research.
Hema is a qualified optometrist and teaches clinical optometric skills to undergraduate students. She also holds a PGCE in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education, and is a fellow of the Higher Education Academy.
She has served as the Association of Optometrists Councillor, representing academics in optometry across the UK. She is also an editorial board member of the College of Optometrists’ continuing education journal, Optometry in Practice.
Hema has been involved in a range of social responsibility activities. She was the University’s lead for the Wellcome Trust Arts Fund sponsored Language of the Eye exhibition at the Waterside Arts Centre. Her work on promoting equality and diversity in the Faculty of Life Sciences was highly commended at the University’s Making a Difference Awards in 2016.
She is a member of the University’s Athena SWAN self-assessment team and is highly committed to addressing the attainment gap among undergraduate students.