Xameerah Malik MChem, 2005

Committee Specialist, Science and Technology Committee, House of Commons

Hi, I'm Xameerah and I studied MChem within Chemistry at the University of Southampton.

Having a chemistry degree has been incredibly useful in my policy career because it helped me develop analytical thinking and the ability to understand other scientific and engineering concepts more easily.

After studying chemistry at Southampton I worked for Syngenta for a year. I enjoyed lab work but wanted a more varied career so I took a one-year graduate internship at the Royal Society of Chemistry, where I gained experience in science communication and policy. I enjoyed policy work the most, so after the internship ended, I worked at the Royal Academy of Engineering for two years, managing various engineering policy projects.

Having widened my CV with both science and engineering policy, I now work at the House of Commons as a specialist for the Science and Technology Committee. My job includes doing research, writing policy reports and briefings and supporting the work of the MPs on the committee. Although I am not doing practical chemistry, I am pleased to still be connected with my science background.

Having a chemistry degree has been incredibly useful in my policy career because it helped me develop analytical thinking and the ability to understand other scientific and engineering concepts more easily. I have found that chemistry is a well-respected discipline in the policy world.