MrAl McCartney

I'm Head of Communications and Engagement at Imperial's Faculty of Medicine.

Based in the Faculty of Medicine Centre office, I lead a team that delivers a wide range of communications and stakeholder engagement activities for Imperial's largest academic faculty. This team includes:

• Lou Lee: Communications Officer
• Meesha Patel: Communications Manager for the Department of Infectious Disease and Department of Immunology and Inflammation
• Dr Eliza Kania: Communications and Marketing Manager for the Department of Brain Sciences
  
  

Imperial As One Media Academy

• I am a founding committee member of the Imperial As One Media Academy, an award-winning training programme providing expert communications and engagement training for minority ethnic researchers who remain underrepresented in the media and wider public sphere.

Awards

• 2024 Imperial President's Award for for Excellence in Culture and Community (Team award)
• 2022 Imperial President’s Award for Excellence in Research Support
• 2021 Imperial President’s Award for Excellence in Societal Engagement (Team award)

Experience and qualifications

• I earned a Level 7 Award in Strategic Management and Leadership Practice from the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) and hold CMI Chartered Fellow Status (CMgr FCMI).
• I completed an undergraduate degree in Biological Sciences (Zoology BSc Hons) at the University of Bristol and have since also worked for Wildscreen, Icon Films, and Wellcome Trust.

Mental Health First Aid

I've been a Mental Health First Aider at Imperial since 2017. MHFAiders are trained to listen, reassure and respond, even in a crisis – and can potentially help stop a crisis from happening. They can do this by recognising warning signs, and they have the skills and confidence to approach and support someone experiencing mental ill-health.