Let's Meet... Anna Williams

Anna Williams, Digital Learning Advisor - portrait photo looking directly at the camera

Tell us a little bit about your current role at Queen Mary

I'm a Digital Learning Advisor in the Faculty of Science and Engineering, looking after three Schools – Degree Apprenticeships, Physical and Chemical Sciences, and Mathematical Sciences. My job is essentially to support students and staff with learning technology, including QMplus, but also currently supporting the setup and running of exams.

I started at QMUL in April 2025 and now work in the Digital Learning Team for the Faculty. We are working on getting consistency in QMPlus within the Faculty and hope to be working alongside the central TEL Team in embedding more of the digital accessibility work and baseline standards that have been recommended.

What did you do before joining this team? 

I've worked in quite a few roles since I left university, working in education and beginning in FE, where I began as teaching assistant. There I got my teaching qualifications and supported students who needed extra support in the classroom.

I moved into Higher Education to become a Learning Technologist about 15 years ago now, starting at Regent’s University London, working across the three areas: training, supporting learning technology, and working on learning design as well. I then moved to SOAS as a Learning Designer and stayed there for three years before I came to Queen Mary, moving here in April of last year.  

What do you enjoy most about your job? 

I enjoy supporting and investigating technology to support students in their learning.  I like exploring and playing with technology which includes talking to students and staff about it and how it best supports them to enhance the learning experience. This field is always constantly changing with new innovations, which is the one thing that's kept me in this area, exploring new technologies. It's fun, it’s what's interesting.

I also value working with academic staff and exploring how a technology can support learning delivery, the aim is to inspire or perhaps break down a fear surrounding it. I get a lot out of being able to chat with students and support them through anything technical too. 

Are there any interesting projects or activities that you are currently working on?

Right now, my main focus is setting up and supporting assessments in QMPlus, ensuring consistency across the entire Faculty. This involves creating streamlined processes, configuring assessments within QMPlus modules, and providing support to students throughout the submission process.

Outside of QMUL, what are your hobbies / interests? 

I like doing anything where I can make something and weirdly I've fallen into flower arranging recently, so I do that occasionally and that was just by accident through doing a workshop. 

I'm a musician originally, so I have been playing a little bit on and off for the last few years, which has been nice. I'm a flautist, but I do have a guitar that keeps winking at me in the bedroom. So, I'd like to pick that up again. 

Quick fire questions

1. Tea, coffee, or another refreshment?
   
   A coffee, but I like tea as well
   
   
2. What is your go to comfort food after a long day, or on a weekend?
   
   On a weekend a real comfort food is a Lamb shish kebab with garlic, chilli sauce and chips (holding the raw onions). I've been going to my local kebab place since I was a child where I grew up. They're still going, and they still produce really good kebabs. I love them! Sushi is another comfort food of mine. Possibly a healthier alternative.
   
   
3. If you could instantly master one skill, what would it be? 
   
   Definitely playing the guitar. I think part of the problem of being a skilled musician, is starting again. Picking up an instrument and learning it from scratch, when you're so proficient in the other instrument, is really difficult. 
   
   
4. Favourite or most-used app on your phone?
   
   I absolutely love OneNote. I have been using it for a few years now, I have all my recipes on there and that's one that I don't want to lose, so I should probably do a backup! It's so useful because it means that if I'm on holiday, or somewhere where I'm cooking that isn’t at home, I have access to all my recipes, so I love that. But I do use it at work a lot now too.
   
   
5. Any hidden talents?
   
   Well music being one of them. But I don't have a hidden talent. Not really.
   
   
6. Are you a morning person or a night owl?
   
   Morning person. I'm normally asleep by 9:00pm
   
   
7. Last TV show you binge-watched?
   
   I just watched Gilmore Girls again, every now and then I'll go back to that. That’s what I've binged watched over Christmas. It's warm and fuzzy and if the world is in a bad place, that's one to lean into. 
   
   
8. If you had to pick a walk-on song for meetings / lectures / conferences, what would it be?
   
   Heather Small’s song Proud. Love that one.