I studied Electrical and Electronic Engineering at the University of Bath but I've never actually worked as an engineer. On graduation I joined the Science Museum in London where I had a wonderful time doing a wide range of jobs in the twenty years I worked there. Starting as a Trainee Library Assistant, I progressed through Assistant Curator (on the Computer Collection), Assistant Stores Manager, Project Coordinator (which included craning aircraft in and out of a third floor window), Head of Collections Storage and Access (managing storage and transport of exhibits), Project Developer and Executive Assistant to the Head of Museum. While I was there I also did an MSc in the History of Technology at Imperial College.
I never expected to leave, but a terrific job was advertised at the Victoria and Albert Museum just across the road, where I am currently Head of Technical Services, managing the teams who move, install, pack, transport, store, clean and make mounts for the exhibits.
During the few odd hours when I'm not at work, collecting architectural construction sets or sleeping, I like to visit art galleries and other museums, make things, potter around the house doing very little of importance, eat wonderful cheese (purchased from this shop), listen to terminally uncool music and laugh - a noise my partner describes as sounding "like coffin lids closing", whatever that means.
Since 2001 I have also been going to Burning Man every summer, which is an event impossible to describe but an experience I would recommend to almost anyone.
