Holly is currently a PhD student based at the Centre of Human Genetics, University of Oxford, where she is investigating how microbes in our guts can influence the risk of developing type 1 diabetes. She completed an integrated Master’s degree in Biochemistry, where her fourth year project focused on understanding the mechanism of X chromosome inactivation, an epigenetic mechanism to equalise the levels of X-linked gene expression in XX females relative to XY males. 

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Holly originally comes from Warrington, a town located in the North West, where her sixth form was linked to Pembroke’s Access programme. Having support from her teachers, and visiting Pembroke through the Access programme in Years 10 and 12, gave Holly the confidence to apply to the Biochemistry undergraduate course at Oxford. She has never looked back since and wishes to help and inspire future students to apply for courses in Higher Education. 

Thomas is an experimental physicist who has been in Oxford for over a decade having arrived as an undergraduate at Somerville to read Physics in 2011. Following a master’s in physics MPhys he was awarded a place at UCL’s Centre for Doctoral Training in Quantum Technologies. He completed a Masters of Research in Quantum Technologies and returned to Oxford for his doctoral studies. Thomas’ DPhil research was in atomic and laser physics and focused on Quantum Memories – an exciting technology with applications spanning quantum information and quantum communication. His current research remains within the realm of quantum technologies, on the exciting AION project. The Atom Interferometry Observatory and Network (AION) project uses laser cooled, ultracold atoms to perform interferometry as a means to both detect gravitational waves and investigate ultra-light dark matter candidates.

Thomas has been involved in increasing access and participation to higher education throughout his academic career from developing and delivering CPD for teachers, developing resources and talks for all age groups of students from primary schools up to 6th form and leading workshops and developing partnerships between universities and schools. As well as researcher, college lecturer and admissions tutor, Thomas is the representative for atomic and laser physics on the physics department’s access and engagement committee.

Richard is the OxNet English Seminar Series Coordinator based at Oldham Sixth Form College, where he is an Assistant Principal with responsibility for transition and progression. He is also the Careers Leader, with specific responsibility for the college’s Oxbridge Group and its programmes for Aspiring Medics and Aspiring Lawyers.

Richard has been teaching English Literature for over 30 years and has a particular enthusiasm for postcolonial literature, which is at the heart of the OxNet English Seminar Series. This series, first established in 2021, was awarded a runner up prize in Social Mobility at the Sixth Form College Association’s annual awards ceremony in June 2022. A month later, Richard was named the Aspire Teacher of the Year at the upReach Social Mobility Awards ceremony at the House of Lords.

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Richard studied for his first degree, in Philosophy and Politics, at Durham University, before completing an MA and PhD in Literature through the Open University.