Graduate Centre Key Contacts

This list is by no means exhaustive, but will hopefully contain some of the most important people during your time in Oxford. They are all happy to help in whatever way they can, so please feel free to get in touch.

In addition to the people listed here, the College's welfare team is also available to help during your studies. You can also meet the current MCR Committee here.

All emails are @balliol.ox.ac.uk

Mara Kelly
President

Email: mara.kelly

As President, I'm responsible for the overall operation of the MCR. My primary role is to think about the strategic direction of the MCR and represent our interests within College. I also liaise with bodies outside of college, such as OUSU, to represent Balliol MCR at a university-wide level. In reality, I am focused on making sure that your time as a member of Balliol MCR is as happy and fulfilling as it can be and I intend to do whatever is necessary to make that happen. So please do get in touch if you have any queries, concerns, or suggestions for how things could be done differently inside the MCR.

Outside of my presidential duties, you can find me running along the Oxford canals or procrastinating by cooking an over-elaborate weeknight dinner. As a big-city convert, I also have thoroughly enjoyed exploring London and am a particular fan of the excursions organized by our fabulous Arts Officer, Chris. I worked in US politics in my past-life, so I'm always down for a bit of Washington gossip or a friendly debate.

Liam Smith
Assistant Dean

Email: hmdean

Liam works in the Impact & Shock Mechanics Lab within Engineering at Oxford. After finishing his DPhil early in 2023, he now develops computational models of material behaviour under extreme conditions. Alongside the Porters and Junior Deans, and with guidance from the Praefectus and Dean, he is tasked with maintaining a safe and welcoming environment within the Graduate Centre. Before taking up his position here, Liam held similar decanal/welfare positions at Imperial College London in undergraduate halls.

Should you have any questions about graduate life, generally or at Balliol specifically, you can email him (hmdean@balliol.ox…), or keep an eye out for him typing away with a coffee in the common rooms at Holywell Manor.

Ahmed Shalaby
Junior Dean

Hello! I am Ahmed, a third-year DPhil student in Clinical Neurosciences. I come from a clinical background; I worked as a junior doctor for 2 years in Oxford before I start my DPhil. When I'm not in front of my laptop juggling whole-genome sequencing or proteomics data you will find me also in front of my laptop watching a light comedy show. I love cycling and swimming, so you will find me doing one or the other around Oxfordshire, probably with other Balliol friends! I lived, studied and worked in three different continents with very different cultures, and I learned to embrace the beauty of each. I will be working closely with the Praefectus, Assistant Dean of the Graduate Centre, the welfare team and the MCR committee to ensure a safe and a welcoming environment for our community. I live at the Holywell Manor and I have regular out-of-hours duties so please feel free to get in touch if there are any emergency or welfare issues I can help with, or simply for a chat!