Hey, it’s me,
Ribana.
School Rep of Social Science
A proud member of the Gene Editors of the Future community
a Westminster Dragon of Excellence
This page offers a window into my journey—the community-driven projects I’ve built, the pivotal moments that shaped my path, and the relentless enthusiasm that fuels my work.
Meaningful Change Starts With Us
Too often, effort and opportunity feel disconnected. Communication feels distant. Belonging feels assumed rather than built.
Meaningful change begins with structure. With listening. With transparent action.
If these values resonate with you, then this campaign is already ABOUT YOU.
This is not a call to vote for a person. It is a call to vote for:
Responsibility
Leadership that shows up, follows through, and owns outcomes.
Interdependence
We grow stronger when students, schools, and opportunities work in alignment.
Belonging
Ensuring the Union is a trusted space where students feel seen, supported, and respected.
Accountability
Open communication, measurable progress, and transparent reporting.
Navigation
Making opportunities easier to find, understand, and access.
Action
Turning ideas into visible results, not just conversations.
If these principles resonate with you, step into the frame and share what you stand for
My NeuroGenetic Studentjourney
How It All Started
In 2023, I made a decision that felt almost impossible at that time:
I chose to return to education after many years away — to begin again, not because it was easy, but because learning still mattered deeply to me.
I applied to several courses, and when the offers arrived, one path immediately felt right: Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience.
Why Westminster?
It’s difficult to explain purely logically.
It was more than a choice — it was a feeling of belonging.
From the very beginning, something unexpected happened:
Every time I heard the words “We Are Westminster,” I felt a quiet sense of pride… and yes, even goosebumps.
I still do.
I’ve learned so much from the mentors and experiences life has placed in my path.
Not as a master, but as a messenger — carrying those lessons forward.
When knowledge is shared, its impact multiplies.
That is the spirit behind everything I do: paying forward what I’ve been fortunate to receive.
“Imagination can take you everywhere.”
— Albert Einstein
The Genetics Spark— Istanbul, Summer 2025
In 2025, I attended a summer genetics course in Istanbul.
And after nearly four decades of not opening a genetics book, I felt something wake up instantly.
It was more than interest.
It was recognition.
This is my thing.
Especially when linked to neuroscience, human differences, and the future of personalised healthcare.
That moment reminded me: it’s never too late to discover what truly excites your mind.
Finding My Academic Direction
Back home, I searched everywhere for a way to deepen what I had discovered.
And then, to my surprise, I realised that my own university — my academic home — held something extraordinary:
Gene Editors of the Future, founded and led by Dr Kalpana Surendranath.
I signed up for updates, and when registration for Iteration 5 opened, I received an email from Dr Kalpana in my inbox.
That moment felt like a door opening.
What followed is .. history as they say ..
And if you’re curious to see what that journey became, you can explore it here:
Turning Ideas Into Action
One of the most encouraging moments in my journey was receiving early support through Westminster’s student innovation community.
Digital Career Lab was awarded:
£500 WeNetwork Funding
£500 Ignite Funding
These opportunities reminded me that student ideas deserve visibility, support, and space to grow.
They also helped make the launch possible — because turning ideas into reality requires not only effort, but the resources to build and sustain them.
Learning Through Insight and Community
Being part of the Insights Programme has helped me think more deeply about purpose, confidence, and how we shape our futures — not just academically, but personally and professionally.
Building Creative Community: Edible Artistry Society
Alongside my academic journey, I founded the Edible Artistry Society at Westminster — a student-led space where creativity, connection, and wellbeing come together.
We explore baking and decorating not simply as food-making, but as an art-therapy-inspired practice — using ingredients such as sugar, chocolate, and cereal to create safe modelling pastes, decorations, and expressive projects.
Sometimes we eat what we create.
Sometimes we simply create for the joy of it.
We also promote healthier and free-from approaches, supporting students and community members with allergies, medical conditions, or cultural and religious dietary needs.
As a charitable, student-led society, our aim is to bring creativity into spaces where it can truly make a difference — supporting children, adults, and communities who benefit from creative expression as a pathway to calm, confidence, and purpose.
Our workshops bring students from different courses and campuses into a relaxed environment where networking happens naturally — through shared laughter, creativity, and making something beautiful together.
Where creativity becomes community — and edible art becomes wellbeing.
Getting Involved at Westminster
As a School Rep, I’m grateful to be involved in different university activities and student-led initiatives.
University is built from moments — learning, laughter, teamwork, and shared purpose.
I’m also proud to have completed the Westminster Award (Platinum level), which supported my development through extracurricular engagement and reflection
An Invitation to Make Your Journey Visible
This profile page is not just about me.
It’s not here to show off.
It’s here to show what becomes possible when you give your journey a visible space.
Every student collects meaningful things along the way:
- a project you’re proud of,
- a skill you worked hard for,
- a moment of courage,
- an opportunity you said yes to.
But so often, these achievements get scattered — lost in forgotten folders, old emails, or memories that never get shared.
A digital profile helps you bring them together.
Not for perfection.
But for clarity.
So you can say: this is what matters to me, and this is what I’m building.
And if you’re thinking, “I wouldn’t even know where to start…” — don’t worry.
I didn’t either.
But step by step, it becomes easier than you imagine.
If you’re an undergraduate student and want help building your digital profile, I’d love to support you.
Next Steps
One exciting milestone ahead is that my research abstract has been accepted, and I will be presenting at BCUR 2026 in Glasgow this April.
I share this not as a finish line, but as a reminder:
I’m still a student. Still learning. Still building. And I don’t plan to stop.
Because that’s the spirit of university life — always becoming.
A journey doesn’t pause after a milestone.
Thank you for visiting this space.
I hope it reminded you that your journey deserves to be seen — and that it’s never too early (or too late) to begin building.
Until next time…
With the same empowering shiver down my spine, I say:
#WeAreWestminster 
Some of the content on this page contains some music by: Bensound
License code: PPPHNUBZMXCDD6BA
Artist: : Benjamin Tissot
