Xiaohongshu
Academic Reps do one of the most important jobs in the Union: They represent your academic interests and ensure students have a voice in enhancing their education.
For Term Two, we are showcasing our Academic Reps through our 'Academic Rep in focus' weekly segment. You can contact your Academic Rep using our 'Find Your Rep page'.
Academic Rep in Focus: Neel Akolkar
Neel is an UX Engineer and current MSc Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) student at UCL, originally from India. With over three years of experience at global firms like Capgemini, he has specialised in bridging the gap between technical challenges and user experience. Beyond the screen, Neel is an active football athlete, currently captaining his team in Wembley, London. Neel is looking forward to continuing to act as a catalyst among students and staff to resolve as many issues as possible!
Coming from a UX design background, I’m obsessed with how people navigate complex systems. I became Academic Lead Representative to bridge the gap between 'the way things are' and 'the way they should be'. To me, the student journey is a product to be constantly improved. It’s more than 'fixing things', it’s about designing a common space where we students thrive.
For instance, I remember a week when classroom displays, microphones and room-heating tried to derail the lectures, but I coordinated immediate technical fixes to restore our learning environment. Beyond the tech, I’ve also worked closely with the faculty and the SPC to clarify assignment briefs, helping my peers feel more confident.
By prioritising the community through my actions, social mixers and other collaborative initiatives, I’m ensuring our time at UCL is about the resilient network we build together.
We'd like to thank Neel for all of his hard work so far this academic year!
Want to find out more?
1) Want a quick and easy way to find your Academic Rep? You can find them in our directory here!
2) You can also put forward a nomination for yourself or your academic rep for the chance to be 'Rep of the Month'. Please bear in mind that we will judge the first nomination a Rep has received for a given month.