Kemp Porter

About Benji

Hello! I’m Benji, the Warden on C15. Originally from the tiny European island of Malta, I have a background in Biology and Chemistry. I completed my PhD in Chemistry here at Imperial, and I’m now a Physical Chemistry Teaching Fellow in the Department of Chemistry. I’ve been a part of the Warden team at KP for a few years, and I’m dedicated to ensuring our community is welcoming and supportive for all residents. In my free time, you’ll likely find me enjoying a good book, sipping on a cup of tea, or heading out for a long hike—ideally all in the same day! 

About Sijia

Hi everyone and welcome to Kemp Porter Buildings, one of the biggest halls at Imperial! I am Sijia, one of your wardens here. Along with Benji and our assistant warden Nav, we oversee the wardening team and hall seniors to ensure a safe and inclusive environment. During your stay, the wardening team will try our best to provide you with support in not only social activities, but also in pastoral and welfare.   

This is my 13th year at Imperial. During the daytime, I do research ovarian cancer at the Department of Surgery and Cancer. When I am not working, I enjoy reading about history, watching movies and seal engraving – a type of traditional art originated from China. Looking forward to meeting you all and I am happy to have a chat with you, whether it’s about accommodation, work or anything you like!  

About Navraj

Hey everyone, I’m Navraj. Many congratulations on getting into Imperial and welcome to KP! I’ve been studying at Imperial for the past 8 years and clearly couldn’t bare the idea of leaving, so I’m now working as a researcher in the MechEng department. If you have any questions about Imperial or MechEng in general, I’d be happy to help. Outside of work, I’m a big Newcastle football fan (I was born there – I promise I’m not a glory supporter) and also enjoy going to the gym and hiking. See you all soon. 

About Katya

Hello everyone, congratulations on your place at Imperial! My name is Katya and I am a third year PhD candidate in Aeronautics, where I study the unsteady aerodynamics of flapping flight (think birds!). I have been the subwarden on C22 for almost 3 years now, and my favourite part of the job is planning all the fun events we have throughout the year for you guys . Like matter, I exist in three (or four?) stat es: running experiments in the wind tunnel , eating lunch in the sun out si de the Union, and planning (and going on) roadtrips . Pop by the Warden office and let me know your favourite travel destinations!  

About Shuwei

Hi, I’m Shuwei and I am originally from China. I am now a fourth -year PhD candidate in Chemistry and also a subwarden living on B6. When I’m not working, I enjoy making mu si c and exploring the city. Hope you have a fantastic year staying at Kemp Porter, and hope to see everyone of you soon at our events!  

About Hamish

Congratulations on getting into Imperial! My name is Avyay and I’m a sub-warden on C7. I just finished my MEng in De si gn Engineering at Imperial (if you ’re doing Des Eng and need any advice don’t he si tate to reach out 😊 ) and am now doing my PhD within the same department. My research is focused on biomining, where I am working with bacteria to extract copper from mine waste. I love to hike and recently started wood carving, so if you see me in Hyde Park picking up fallen branches, you know why!  

About Catherine

Hi, I’m Catherine and I’ll be the sub-warden on C26 this year. My PhD is within the Mechanical Engineering Department, and I research how lithium-ion batteries degrade in extreme cold temperatures. I also did my undergraduate in mechanical engineering at Imperial too. When I’m not putting batteries in a freezer, I enjoy dancing and baking. Looking forwards to getting to know you all and hope you have a wonderful year at KP. 

About Ella

Hello and welcome to KP! My name is Ella, and I am a sub-warden on C10 this year. I am originally from Aberdeen and proudly Scottish but have spent the last 6 years living in London. I am a third year PhD student in the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, and my current research is looking at how we can analyse wastewater surveillance of pathogens to predict outbreaks. After completing my BSc in Medical Biosciences at Imperial, I went to LSHTM to do an MSc in Control of Infectious Diseases. Outside of PhD life I enjoy running and rock climbing. If you see me around, please say hello! 

About Ricky

Hey everyone, and welcome to KP! I am Irea , a sub-warden at C4. I am finishing my PhD on materials de si gn at the Department of Materials. I love hiking and anything outdoors, as well as exploring London . Looking forward to meeting all of you and always happy to have a chat about life at KP and Imperial!    

About Marianna

Hey everyone! I am Marianna, one of the newest sub wardens in C block. I am currently doing a PhD on road safety at the department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. I love to uncover London’s hidden gems, so do tell me about any new discoveries you’ve made. I also enjoy going to the theatre and to comedy show. Hope you enjoy your year at KP. It’s gonna be a great one.

About Ben D.

Welcome to Kemp Porter and congratulations for getting into Imperial! I’m Ben, the subwarden on C12. This year will be my third as a PhD student, and my 7 th overall at Imperial. I study high energy den si ty phy si cs within the Plasma group of the Phy si cs department so if you’re studying Phy si cs this year or you are just interested, please feel free to ask me about it. Out si de of academics I like to go to the gym and play as much sport as pos si ble. Best of luck with the following year, I hope you enjoy it and let us know if there is anything we can do to help!  

About Ed

Hello, welcome to Kemp Porter! My name is Ed, and I’m one of the sub-wardens here at Kemp Porter. I’m currently in the third year of my PhD where I work on the theory of quantum optics. Out si de of my studies, I’m really pas si onate about sports, particularly triathlon. I hope your experience here is as enjoyable and fulfilling as pos si ble. Us wardens are here to support you , so don’t he s i tate to reach out if you need anything!  

About Ding

Hi everyone, I’m Ding Ding, the Sub Warden in B3. A warm welcome to KP! I completed my MSci in Chemistry at Imperial and am now a first-year PhD student studying crystal materials, focusing on light detection and conversion. I’m a huge fan of cooking and frequently go to the gym to stay balanced. I understand that starting a new journey can be challenging, so please feel free to say hello and let me know if there’s anything we can help with. I look forward to meeting you all at the events! 

About Helen

Hello! I’m Helen, a new sub-warden on B8. I’m a second year PhD student based in the Department of Brain Sciences over at White City. I’m from Vancouver, Canada and grew up in Hong Kong. I’ve been in London for the last six years after completing my undergraduate studies in Montréal. Dexterity is not my strength, so while I enjoy non-reaction time-based activities (e.g. yoga, spinning, dancing, or hiking), I do also really like games – so let me know if you’re ever wanting help planning a board game night or a murder mystery party. Best of luck with the upcoming academic year to you all, excited to hear how it’s going. 

Affiliations

Hi everyone, and a warm welcome to KP! I’m Sita, one of the new sub-wardens, living in C24. I’ve just begun my PhD in the Department of Aeronautics, focusing on turbulence modelling using machine learning and wind tunnel experiments. I also recently completed my MEng in Aeronautical Engineering here at Imperial.   

I love spending my free time in parks, dancing, cooking, and attending studio workout classes: all the ingredients for my picture-perfect day. I’m just as excited to start this journey at KP as you are! If you ever have any questions about Imperial, Aero Engineering, or need any support, don’t hesitate to reach out anytime! 😊