Staff Profiles.

Managing Director and Academic Consultant (Humanities and Social Sciences):

Dr Lewis Owens was awarded a PhD from Cambridge University (Queens' College) and subsequently taught and supervised undergraduate students in the Faculties of Philosophy and Theology. He is a previous University Lecturer where he also worked as First Year Personal Tutor to over 50 undergraduate students as well as teaching the International Baccalaureate (Theory of Knowledge) at a leading International Sixth Form College in the UK.

Lewis was recently Director of Higher Education at a large independent Sixth Form College in Cambridge, where he was responsible for all aspects of University advice and applications. He has published widely and spoken nationally and internationally (including being interviewed on BBC Radio 3 and BBC Radio 4's Today Programme) on Higher Education, Philosophy, Literature, Music and the Arts and is the Founder and President of the UK Shostakovich Society, which is based at Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge University. He recently spoke on 'Access to Higher Education' at the annual COBISEC (Council of British Independent Schools in the European Communities) Conference in London.

Lewis is also UK University Consultant for leading educational consultancies in New York and London. He is currently writing a book on UK Higher Education and is the previous author of Creative Destruction: Nikos Kazantzakis and the Literature of Responsibility (2002) and the Writer and Producer of the documentary The Unknown Shostakovich, recently premiered in London, USA, Portugal, Denmark and Sweden and shown on SKY Television. He is an Honorary Member of the Centre for Russian Music in London and a previous recipient of a British Academy Research Award for work on the life and art of Spanish writer Eugenio F. Granell.

Project Manager:

Ms Rachel Foulds attained BMus Music (Hons) from City University, London where she graduated the recipient of the Worshipful Company of Carmen Prize. She was then awarded MMus with distinction in Russian Music Studies, having pursued postgraduate studies at Goldsmiths College. She is now working towards her PhD at the same institution seeing her work presented and published internationally.

Rachel has teaching, directing and administrating experience as she has worked in the various areas of musical education: Tutor-in-Charge at Borough Music School, administrator of the London Symphony Orchestra, Music Co-ordinator at Transcend-in-London (a charity for children with learning disabilities). Further to this, she has teaching experience in various summer-school schemes including at the music department of Ranelagh School’s ‘Summer School for the Gifted’ (Berkshire). This varied exposure to music education has cultivated her avid interest in understanding the cultural and sociological consequence of music in the context of educational and managerial activities.

Having pursued advanced performance at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in association with City University, Rachel has also been involved with recording and broadcasting projects as a vocalist, as well as frequenting the national and international stage, both in choirs and as a soloist.

Please contact Rachel for all general enquiries via 'Contact Us' tag

Academic Consultant (Medicine and Physical Sciences):

Dr Ilya Eigenbrot is an internationally renowned scientist and a previous Director of the International Office at Imperial College, London, where he assisted students from all over the world.

Ilya studied Chemistry at the University of Heidelberg and was awarded his PhD and DIC at Imperial College after holding a Unilever Studentship. His scientific research has seen Ilya presented with several prestigious awards including SASOL SciFest “Best Presentation: Scientific Content” Award, a Royal Society Millennium Award, a British Association Exhibition Award and two COPUS Awards.

Ilya has published widely on diverse subjects such as laser-induced fluorescence and cell suspensions, as well as the child and adolescent psychiatric services in the Sverdlovsk region of Russia. Ilya has held a post as a lecturer at the Institute of Physics Tyndall, Institute of Electrical Engineers Faraday, and the Institute of Physics Schools and Colleges. He has advised as a consultant during the preparation of several major international exhibitions and demonstrations, including those at the London Science Museum, the Hong Kong Science Museum, the Imperial College, Mannheim Science Fest, the Royal Institute of Great Britain and with BBC Science.  

Ilya is fluent in English, Russian, German and French and has organised and carried out three humanitarian aid ventures to Russia.  His extensive travels have resulted in the publication of a travel guide to Belarus and developed his interest as a writer and translator of Russian prose. 

Academic Consultant (Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences)

Dr Mo Al-Qaisi is a Senior Research Fellow and Academic Radiologist at the Chelsea & Westminster Hospital, the flagship university facility of Imperial College School of Medicine. He is a graduate of the most competitive courses and colleges at the leading universities in Europe.

Mo has graduated as an undergraduate and postgraduate from Cambridge, Oxford, Imperial, and King's College Medical schools and has an accomplished teaching and research portfolio, with a Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy.

Mo has a specialist interest in medical/dental/bio-sciences university applications, interview technique, and careers advisory. He has been an Oxbridge Entrance Advisor and Careers Representative at several leading public schools in the UK and overseas. Over the years, he has run numerous workshops and has mentored many students for undergraduate and postgraduate entry, helping to secure and supervise the all-essential work experience placements.

Mo is encyclopaedic in comparative medical licensing regulation across the English-speaking world and the EU, able to direct students to the very best in education and training opportunities in his discipline.

Academic Consultant (Humanities and Social Sciences):

Dr Thomas Dixon is a Lecturer in History at Queen Mary, University of London, where he teaches nineteenth-century British history.   His first degree was in Theology and Religious Studies (King's College, Cambridge). He has an MSc in the History and Philosophy of Science from Imperial College, London, and his PhD (King's College, Cambridge) was a study of the history of psychology.

Between 2000 and 2003, Thomas held a British Academy Postdoctoral Fellowship in Cambridge, where he was also Director of Studies for Theology at Churchill College, and from 2004 to 2007 he was a Lecturer in History and an Admissions Tutor at Lancaster University. He joined Queen Mary in September 2007.  

Thomas has pursued three related strands of research in modern intellectual history: the history of theories of passions and emotions; the history of debates about ‘altruism’, especially in Victorian Britain; and, more generally, the history of relationships between science and religion (a subject on which he recently organised an international conference and has written a Very Short Introduction, which will be published in 2008). He has also written a book on study skills and making the transition from school to university entitled How to Get a First (Routledge, 2004). 

Academic Consultant (Humanities and Social Sciences):

Dr Mike Alsford was awarded a PhD from Durham University and has worked in the British University system for 20 years. During this time he has taught at all undergraduate levels as well as supervising postgraduate work at both MA and PhD level. He has published widely in the fields of philosophy, religion and contemporary culture - his last book being published in 2006. Mike has been interviewed on BBC television and radio as well as London radio stations in connection with his work.  Alongside his academic duties and role as Senior Tutor with the School of Humanities, Mike has had responsibility for the running of open days in the School of Humanities at Greenwich University London.

Academic Consultant (Business Management):

Phil Moss has worked in the UK university sector since November 1990 and was Student Recruitment Manager (UK/Europe) at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), October 1999 - April 2007.

During his time at LSE, Phil advised thousands of students regarding their university options through one-to-one sessions, presentations and regular visits to countries including Belgium, Denmark, France, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland.

Since he left LSE, Phil has continued to advise individual students and deliver presentations at numerous schools and colleges, together with project managing a £2m scheme for The Sutton Trust to encourage students from under-represented backgrounds to consider law as a career.

Academic Consultant (Mathematics, Economics, Accounting and Business Finance):

Dr Satish Ragavhan graduated with a high Honours Degree in Mathematics from Cambridge University (Christ’s College). During the first three years he gained a thorough knowledge and understanding in various areas of the subject.  In his final year he took on the challenge of Part III of the tripos (generally acknowledged to be the hardest taught mathematics course in the world) specializing in pure mathematics and was successfully awarded the Certificate of Advanced Studies in Mathematics. He was attracted in particular to the fascinating and mysterious world of number theory.

His interest in Fermat’s last theorem led him to study elliptic curves and modular forms in detail. Satish went on to carry out research for his PhD in algebraic number theory at UMIST, under the supervision of Professor Martin Taylor, a former President of the Royal Society.  Satish developed a strong interest in the learning process and in analyzing why and how mathematical concepts can present difficulties. He has taught maths privately and at a leading Cambridge Sixth Form College for three years. During this time he was also an A-level examiner for Edexcel. Satish is currently an auditor for Deloitte and Touche and is working towards the ACA qualification. 

Academic Consultant (Modern Languages and Literature):

Dr Emily Butterworth is a Lecturer in French, and Admissions Tutor, at King’s College, London. She is a graduate of University College London (French Language and Literature) and the University of Cambridge (MPhil, European Literature; PhD, late Renaissance Literature). After completing her PhD, Emily took up a Junior Research Fellowship at Churchill College, Cambridge. She then moved to the University of Sheffield for four years before joining King’s in 2006.  

Academic Consultant (Art and Design):

Kevin Hart is a previous Senior Lecturer at the highly respected Central St Martin's School of Art and Design. Kevin has contributed to more than fifeteen Art and Design technical instruction books and has taught Masters level students as well as advising on the validation of new and existing Degree Courses.

Kevin has also acted as mentor and personal tutor for students at Degree level and for fifeteen years has been an external examiner and chief examiner for various Colleges. With over twenty years professional experience also as an illustrator/artist and a member of various Professional Art Bodies, Kevin advises on all Art and Design Degree Courses/Colleges in the UK.

Academic Consultant (Music):

Colin Stone is a Professor of Piano at the Royal Academy of Music and an internationally acclaimed pianist. Colin first came to prominence in 1986 when he won the Royal Over-Seas League Piano Competition in London. Critically acclaimed performances at the Queen Elizabeth Hall and Wigmore Hall in the same year launched his career as a soloist.

In 1989 he made his debut  as a soloist on BBC Radio 3 and, following the success of his live Concert Hall broadcast in 1990 and the subsequent Prokofiev series, is regularly invited to record for Radio 3. A couple of years later he began a series of recordings for Pickwick's IMP Masters label with the then recently formed London Mozart Trio. Their recordings of Trios by Schubert and Dvorak were enthusiastically received by Gramophone magazine and their recording of Schubert's Trio in B flat D.898 was the overall first choice from twenty recordings on the BBC Radios 3's Building a Library; 'The best since Casals, Cortot and Thibaud'.

Colin’s first solo CD, of transcriptions by Prokofiev of his own theatre music, was released in 1994 on the United label and has been followed by a number of CDs for different labels including Olympia, Chandos and Merlin Classics. His discography is extensive, ranging from recordings of live performances taken from his Beethoven cycle to premiere recordings of contemporary music. Colin gave the world premiere of Robert Keeley's piano concerto Entourages in a live broadcast on BBC Radio 3 with the BBC Symphony Orchestra in March 2001. He has recently performed the entire 24 Preludes and Fugues of Shostakovich to great acclaim in London, at an event specially introduced by Vladimir Ashkenazy.

Colin is also Artistic Director for the forthcoming EdmissionUK Piano School at Harrow School, and offers private tuition for EdmissionUK in London.

Academic Consultant (Music):

Dr Tanya Ursova was awarded her Licentiate Teaching Diploma and MMus from of the Royal Academy of Music as well as her PhD in Music Performance from Goldsmiths College, University of London.

Tanya is the recipient of various prestigious music awards and has given many conference and academic papers and recitals throughout the world including New Zealand, Australia, Russia, Ukraine, USA, Athens, Paris, Venice and London. Tanya also advises on all aspects of applying to the leading music Conservatories through CUKAS (Conservatoires UK Admissions Service) and has strong links with the leading Institutions.

Tanya recently represented the Royal Academy of Music at the International Conservatoires Festival with a performance in St Petersburg's famous Sheremetyev Palace. Tanya is also Music Consultant for Clifford Chance Law Firm, where she co-ordinates the Royal Academy of Music's piano teaching to staff, and the Centre for Russian Music events at Goldsmiths College, London. Tanya was invited to perform at the Hilton Arts Festival in South Africa earlier this year.

Academic Consultant for Graduate Recruitment (Physical Sciences and Medicine):

Dr Gavin Bown was awarded a PhD from Durham University and is currently completing an MBA. A former Oxford University Medical student (Christ Church), Gavin has not only successful passed an Oxford Medical interview but also has significant experience and expertise in advising current undergraduate students on both the university and commercial scientific environments.

After completing his PhD, Gavin joined Procter & Gamble as a Research and Development (R&D) manager on the graduate programme. He subsequently moved to Masterfoods (Mars) for 4 years, where he worked in manufacturing and R&D. He moved to his current role with Reckitt Benckiser plc in 2005, where he is a R&D manager within the Chemical Innovations group. In his current and previous roles, Gavin has worked extensively with the science departments of British and foreign universities in carrying out leading-edge scientific research applied to new product development in the consumer goods industry. He also currently manages the recruitment of staff to R&D, including the R&D Graduate Scheme and the recruitment of science undergraduates for "Year in Industry" placements.

Company Administrator:

Ms Jennifer Pink is currently in her third and final year at the University of East Anglia studying for her BSc in Accounting with Law. Alongside academic studies Jenny volunteers in her local Magistrates Court as a Victim Support Worker. Jenny is planning to travel around southern Africa upon completion of her degree, before beginning her three year training contract with Martin and Acock, where she will qualify as a Chartered Accountant with the ICAEW.

New York Office:

Ms Mari Stimie was awarded BMus Musicology (Hons) cum laude and BA Journalism (Hons) from the University of Stellenbosch in South Africa. Before relocating to the UK in 2003, she worked for seven years as a journalist, researcher and as independent marketing and publicity consultant for the performing arts industry in South Africa.  She worked in the independent higher education sector in the UK for the past three years before relocating to the USA.