The Faculty of Natural Sciences aims to coordinate activities, share best practice and build upon strategic aims across its teams and departments via a number of Faculty-led committees. These committees are led by senior members of our staffing community and feed into our Faculty Management Committee, chaired by the Dean.
Our Faculty committees work in tandem with our departments, who in turn have their own committee and governance structures. More information regarding departmental committees throughout FoNS can be found on each department's webpages.
Our committees this academic year:
- Faculty Management Committee (FMC)
- Natural Sciences Operations Committee (NSOC)
- Natural Sciences Education Committee (NSEC)
- Faculty Research Committee (FRC)
- FoNS Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Committee
- FoNS Sustainability Committee
- FoNS Enterprise Group
- FoNS Honours and Awards Committee
- NSEC Subcommittee: Faculty Student-Staff Committees (SSCs) (UG, PGT, PGR)
- NSEC Subcommittee: Digital Learning Group (DLG)
- NSEC Subcommittee: Mitigating Circumstances Forum
- NSEC Subcommittee: Senior Tutor Forum
Chair: Richard Craster, Dean
Summary: FMC has oversight over Faculty strategic efforts, including: approving Faculty-wide initiatives; ensuring that effective management and legal compliance structures are in place within the Faculty; overseeing Faculty committees and receive recommendations for approval; and ensuring effective internal and external communication of activities taking place within the Faculty; as well as providing a platform from which the faculty can lobby at a central level.
Frequency and membership: The committee is made up of the Dean, Vice and Associate Deans, Heads of Department and Consuls, as well as other key Faculty senior management staff. The Committee meets monthly between September and June.
Contact: Sorina Damsa via s.damsa@imperial.ac.uk.
Chair: Graeme Rae, FCOO
Summary: NSOC supports effective communication, aligns cross-Faculty projects, and makes recommendations to the Faculty Management Committee (FMC) where appropriate. The Committee provides a forum for discussion and the sharing of best practice across key Faculty and Dept operational contacts. NSOC considers and advises on matters including: strategic and operational change initiatives; process improvements and administrative efficiency; and the implementation of College-wide policies and systems within the Faculty
Frequency and membership: NSOC is chaired by the Faculty Chief Operating Officer (FCOO) and its membership is made up of Faculty operational directors and department Directors of Operations, and other relevant faculty-level staff. The committee meets monthly between September and June.
Contact: Hannah Cline via h.cline@imperial.ac.uk
Chair: Mike Tennant, Vice Dean of Education
Summary: The Natural Sciences Education Committee (NSEC) oversees academic policy and quality assurance for education across the Faculty. It advises on curriculum development, evaluates policy impacts, and ensures alignment with university strategy. The committee, amongst a range of other roles and responsibilities, monitors student experience, reviews annual and external reports, promotes best practice, and is an approval point for new programmes and changes to programmes. Full details can be found on NSEC's dedicated webpage.
Frequency and membership: The committee meets six times per year. Its membership consists of key education representatives from departments (DUGS and DPGTS), key Faculty staff, and other representatives from across the university.
Contact: Chris Kerr via fonsedusupport@imperial.ac.uk
Chair: Ramon Vilar Compte, Vice-Dean (Research)
Summary: The FoNS Faculty Research Committee reviews and advises the Dean and Vice-Dean on research strategy and promotes excellence across the Faculty. It supports departmental research initiatives, fosters multidisciplinary collaborations across Departments and Faculties, and helps identify funding and strategic partners. The committee also reviews research infrastructure, evaluates internal funding applications, and strengthens engagement with industry, donors, and College-wide research policy development. Additionally, it ensures effective communication of research policies and opportunities across FoNS.
Frequency and membership: The committee meets once per month from September to July. Membership is comprised of Faculty Research leadership, including the Vice Dean for Research; Director of Research Strategy and Development; and departmental Directors of Research; alongside other key senior staff in FoNS.
Contact: Dr Giuliana Mastropietro via giuliana.mastropietro-garcia15@imperial.ac.uk
Chair: Bernadette Byrne, Associate Dean (EDI)
Summary: The EDI Committee’s core aim is to identify and address barriers to equity, promote diversity, and embed inclusive practices across all aspects of Faculty life. Through strategic initiatives, departmental coordination and the sharing of best practice, the committee works to make FoNS a more open, flexible, and welcoming place to work and study. More details on the committee can be found on our dedicated EDI webpages.
Frequency and membership: The group meets once per term for two hours. Its membership includes the Associate Dean (Chair), representatives from each FoNS Department, the Imperial Athena SWAN Coordinator, FoNS HR reps, the FoNS Education and EDI Coordinator, Imperial’s Head of POD, the PGR AWO, and the FoNS Administrative Assistant.
Contact: Ava Chiu via suet-wai.chiu@imperial.ac.uk
Chair: Jem Woods, Sustainability Chair
Summary: The Sustainability Committee’s objectives are to improve the sustainability of Faculty operations and processes, to coordinate and lead efforts towards sustainability across departments, and ensure alignment with the overall College’s sustainability transition.
Frequency and membership: The group meets once per term for 90 minutes. The committee consists of departmental sustainability representatives as well as key Faculty-level staff.
Contact: Ava Chiu via suet-wai.chiu@imperial.ac.uk
Chair: David Klug, Associate Dean (Enterprise)
Summary: The FoNS Enterprise Group aims to enhance and support attainment of FoNS and Imperial’s aims and objectives with respect to industrial partnerships and commercialisation (licensing and spin outs) by coordinating activities, communications and best practice across departments. This includes maximising the socio-economic impact of Imperial’s research portfolio and activities.
Frequency and membership: The group meets monthly for one hour. Membership comprises the FoNS Associate Dean for Enterprise, Vice Dean for Research, departmental enterprise leads as appointed by HODs and the FoNS administrative assistant
Contact: Ava Chiu via suet-wai.chiu@imperial.ac.uk
FoNS Enterprise Sub-Group
Chair: David Klug, Associate Dean (Enterprise)
Summary: This sub-group was convened to initiate and launch the FoNS Entrepreneurial course, with support from the Business School.
Frequency and membership: The group meets monthly for one hour. Members include the FoNS Associate Dean for Enterprise, Vice Dean for Research, Chemistry, Physics and Life Sciences departmental enterprise leads, the Business School Associate Dean for Enterprise, the Director of Entrepreneurship, and the FoNS administrative assistant
Contact: Ava Chiu via suet-wai.chiu@imperial.ac.uk
Chair: Steve Matthews
Summary: The FoNS Honours and Awards Committee is responsible for identifying potential candidates and, where appropriate, generating nominations for the College’s own honours and awards as well as agreeing nominations for specific external awards. The committee feeds in to – and responds to deadlines set by – the College’s central Honours and Awards Committee.
Frequency and membership: The Committee meets three times a year. The Committee’s membership comprises representatives from each Department in the Faculty and the Faculty Chief Operations Officer, as well as the EA to the Dean who acts as secretary.
Contact: Sorina Damsa via s.damsa@imperial.ac.uk
Chair: Becky Middleton, Director of Education and Student Experience; UG RCSU VPs, PGT AWO, PGR AWO
Summary: The Faculty Student-Staff Committees (SSCs) for Undergraduate, Postgraduate Taught, and Postgraduate Research students meet once per term to provide a collaborative forum where student representatives share feedback with staff in a constructive setting. These committees address cross-departmental academic and non-academic issues, promote good practice, and explore ways to enhance the student experience. Actions from meetings are followed up by relevant staff, and the SSCs report to the Faculty Education Committee, which feeds into broader university governance structures. Full details can be found on our Student Staff Committees webpages.
Frequency and membership: Each committee meets once per term, with key staff from departments and the Faculty, along with department-level student representatives, attending.
Contact: Chris Kerr via fonsedusupport@imperial.ac.uk
Chair: Moira Sarsfield, Director of the FoNS EdTech Lab
Summary: The Faculty of Natural Sciences Digital Learning Group (FoNS DLG) meets termly to address strategic and operational aspects of digital learning across the Faculty. It supports the development, delivery, and quality of digital education in line with Imperial’s Learning and Teaching Strategy, sharing best practices and setting priorities for new initiatives. The group acts as a bridge between departments and the FoNS EdTech Lab, with updates reported to the Faculty Education Committee (NSEC). Departmental Digital Learning and Inclusive Pedagogy Champions help ensure effective communication and implementation at the departmental level.
Frequency and membership: The group meets three times per year, with key Faculty education staff, EdTech staff, and department Digital Learning Champions and Inclusive Pedagogy Champions.
Contact: Chris Kerr via fonsedusupport@imperial.ac.uk
Chair: Ingo Mueller-Wodarg, Senior Tutor
Summary: The Faculty Mitigating Circumstances Forum is held in September each year, where key members of staff will be invited to share best practice, trends experienced in their departments, as well as the opportunity to hear from colleagues from across the university about important areas of work and policy relevant to mitigating circumstances.
Frequency and membership: Annually in September. The attendance involves key members of Faculty education staff, departmental staff involved in mitigating circumstances, and representatives from various areas of the university.
Contact: Chris Kerr via fonsedusupport@imperial.ac.uk
Chair: Ingo Mueller-Wodarg, FoNS Senior Tutor
Summary: The Faculty’s Senior Tutor Forum is a space, chaired by the Faculty Senior Tutor, where senior tutors receive updates, hear from invited speakers, and discuss any pertinent issues relating to their role.
Frequency and membership: The group meets four times per year. It consists of key Faculty education staff, senior tutors and deputy senior tutors.
Contact: Chris Kerr via fonsedusupport@imperial.ac.uk