Our Story

Dr Thomas Dale MacLaine (founder of Warwick Surgical MedTech) and Dr Charlotte Simms (founder of Warwick Student Athena SWAN) designed and co-ordinated four internships, protected for those from under-represented backgrounds.

The aim was to create opportunities to upskill ‘under-represented’ communities in clinical research, through mentored internships in healthcare technologies and healthcare innovation. By the summer of 2022, the first round of successful internships were completed – more about this success can be seen in our 2022 annual report.

With such resounding positivity and interest from students and staff alike, the founders (Dr Thomas Dale MacLaine and Dr Charlotte Simms, pictured below) and core team (Prof. Kirstie Haywood, Chloe Berg and Lauren Ketteridge) designed The Beacon Academy.

We at the Beacon Academy provide academic skills training, internship program support with mentoring, and conferences where best-practice is shared and interns can safely practice scientific communications.