The Council for At Risk Academics (CARA) recently hosted a reception and presentations at the Royal Society of Medicine.
Lord Neuberger gave the keynote address followed by presentations by Cara Fellows sharing harrowing stories of escape from threats of violence or arrest and their successful new academic careers supported by Cara’s work.
In attendance was Dr Sami Bissasu (Cara Fellow, Honorary Lecturer, Institute of Dentistry), who was Queen Mary’s first at-risk Syrian-Palestinian academic hosted in 2016 by Dr Mike Cattell (inset, Reader in Dental Technology and Biomaterials, IOD) and Professor Farida Fortune (Head of Clinical and Diagnostic Oral Sciences, IOD). During his successful fellowship Sami gained the PG Cert. in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, the Licence in Dental Surgery (Royal College of Surgeons, London) and conducted research leading to a high quality publication. QM academics/ staff interested in supporting the excellent work of Cara should log on to https://www.cara.ngo/ where the ‘10 x 20’ Fundraising Appeal and video can be accessed.