Tag: Team Mendeley

Meet the Team: Maggie Brade, Executive Assistant/Office Manager

Rachel Brennesholtz

Name: Maggie Brademaggie

Job title: Executive Assistant/Office Manager

In this Meet the Team, we introduce you to Mendeley’s Office Manager, Maggie. Maggie is pivotal in making sure the Mendeley office runs smoothly, and that members of Team Mendeley have a happy and productive environment to work in (as well as keeping everyone well in check!) She also assists Mendeley’s Managing Director, Gaby Appleton and Elsevier’s SVP of Research Applications, Elisabeth Ling.

Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

I am a single parent to a wonderful 15-year old son. I have been in administration for the past 7 years, previously I was a chef for 12 years working up to the rank of Sous chef. I am amazingly funny and I am great person to get to know. (Editor’s note:  WE ALL AGREE. Maggie is great)

When did you join Mendeley?

6th November 2018.

What do you love most about your job?

The variety of it all – no two days are the same!

What’s the last book you read? 

How Not to Be a Boy by Robert Webb.

What’s one thing you want people to know about Mendeley?

Mendeley has a diverse and eclectic team which I find works really well in this office environment, and shows what a down to earth a company it is.

Gaby Appleton is an amazing person to work for and her passion for Mendeley is inspiring. (She didn’t pay me to say that). Whilst we’re in different offices, working with Elisabeth is also great – she is just as amazing as Gaby when it comes to understanding her team, and us working together.

How would you explain your job to a stranger on a bus?

Why would I be explaining my job to a stranger? I support two managing directors with their diary commitments and other responsibilities which helps them manage the work day. I also manage the London Mendeley office, AlphaBeta.

What’s the most exciting part of your job?

Helping and liaising with my executive assistant colleagues and getting to know all staff here at AlphaBeta.

What keeps you awake at night?

Nothing, my conscience is clear LOL.

What’s the most interesting thing you’ve learned this week?

How amazingly good I am at my job. 😊

 

Find out more about all things Mendeley at mendeley.com

 

Team Mendeley Races for Life!

Alice Bonasio4 Comments

Race for Life Mendeley

 

Last Saturday the 22nd June, instead of relaxing in bed like the rest of us, the women from the Mendeley (and Elsevier) team got themselves over to Finsbury Park in London to take part in a charity run for Cancer Research UK.

The weather was not great, but Zuzana, Carole, Rosario, Elena, Charlotte, Veronica and Jessica bravely ran or walked the 5k, with Zuzana and Rosario finishing in under 30 minutes!

Some of the guys from the Mendeley team also showed up to cheer them on, and the rest of the team supported the effort with fundraising initiatives such as baking tasty caffeinated brownies (Andi’s specialty!) which raised a whopping £95. The total raised including gift-aid topped £1000 so we hope that helps to make a difference for this worthy cause!

 

 

Mendelife – Meet See Wah Cheng

Alice Bonasio1 Comment

This week we continue to introduce you to the fantastic people that make Mendeley what it is. See Wah Cheng has been Software Engineer/Product Manager with us for almost 3 years, so a true Mendeley veteran! Before coming to us, he got interested in academic research through his work at Cancer Research UK, so we start out by asking what made him apply for the job at Mendeley?

“After 2 years at CRUK, I wanted to go back to working in a startup. The fact that Mendeley was voted the best social innovation startup at the Europas made me want to apply”

When you started working here, were things like you expected?
The office was QUIET (everyone has headphones on)! Everyone was very clever.

Have things changed in Mendeley since you started working here?
The office is much less quiet now! More clever people

What’s the best thing about coming to work at Mendeley?
Seeing my colleagues, knowing that I am making progress with a great product

Do you have any pets?
No, but I’d like to have a giant St Bernard

Who would be invited to your perfect dinner party?
Beethoven (as follows from the above!)

What is the one website you can’t live without?
currently brockleycentral.blogspot.com

If you could acquire one extra skill or talent, what would that be?
To be able to swim

What book are you reading at the moment and why?
Last one I read was 1984 by George Orwell

What would you change about the world if you could change one thing?
More respect between cyclists and drivers

What was the first record you ever bought?
Umm.. cannot remember. Manic Street Preachers perhaps?

What music is on your iPod at the moment?
Godspeed You! Black Emperor (Yes, Steve, still listening to them)

Favourite video game/hobby?
Angry Birds / climbing

Favourite food/drink?
Oreo /  Good ale

Your greatest vice?
too many…

Favourite film?
Apocalypse Now

Favourite place in the world?
Sighișoara

Three things you would put in Room 101
Crap TV, Crap Music and More crap music

If you could give unlimited funding and resources to one area of research, what would it be and why?
Renewable Energy

Mendelife – Meet Matthew Green

Alice Bonasio

This week we introduce another member of the Mendeley team: Business Executive Matthew “Matty” Green. He’s a relative newbie, having been with us for 3 months now, so we thought we’d get his thoughts on coming on board while they’re still fresh!

Why did you apply for this job at Mendeley?
There aren’t many small exciting companies around in London that combine a great product with huge potential, as well as the desire to change the world (of research) for the better. What more could you ask for?

And were things like you expected once you started working here?
I’d worked in tech companies before so knew roughly what to expect, though the office atmosphere was really much better! Had to get used to table football instead of table tennis…which I’m still struggling to adapt to.

Have things changed since you started?
The company is growing really fast so even in the 3 months since I started there have been more desks (and people) around me, so I guess that’s a good thing!

Do you have any pets?
No, but I’d love a Koala, or a Hippo. Logistically, both could be problematic – for different reasons.

Who would be invited to your perfect dinner party?
Marilyn Monroe, Scarlett Johansson, Angelina Jolie, Billy Connolly & Michael Palin…

What is the one website you can’t live without?
Not strictly a website, but Spotify gets me through a lot. The boring answer would be BBC

When you were growing up, what did you want to be?
A footballer…

If you could acquire one extra skill or talent, what would that be?
Can this be fictional as well? If so, flying.

What would you change about the world if you could change one thing?
Stop anything Reality TV related ever being created… Or man’s inhumanity to others…

What was the first record you ever bought?
Ace of Base – All that she wants

What music is on your iPod at the moment?
The Tallest Man on Earth

Favourite food/drink?
Steak & red wine…

Favourite film?
Goodfellas

Favourite place in the world?
Parque Tayrona in Colombia

Three things you would put in Room 101
Minor celebrities ‘famous’ for being on a reality-TV show; George Osbourne; Crying babies on public transport

Now for a serious one worthy of the Mendeley vision: If you could give unlimited funding and resources to one area of research, what would it be and why?
Astrophysics – just seems to be so much out there that we still have absolutely no idea about…

Mendelife – Meet James Rasell

Alice Bonasio

 

 

Welcome to a new series of posts directly “from the horse’s mouth” where the team here at Mendeley tells you a bit more about themselves.

As English author, poet and artist John Ruskin once said: “Tell me what you like and I’ll tell you what you are,” so we thought it would be nice to share with our community not only what life as a Mendeleyan is like, but also what makes them tick, their likes, dislikes and aspirations.

For our very first post, meet systems administrator James Rasell (also known as Tatooed James), who’s been with Mendeley for 4 months now and aspires to owning a black and white cat (“what’s not to like about them?”)

So, James, what’s the best thing about coming to work at Mendeley?
Free breakfast and the ability think freely!

Who would be invited to your perfect dinner party?
Jimi Hendrix, Gandhi, Gautama Buddah, David Attenborough, David Bowie, Tony Stark, Brian Cox

What is the one website you can’t live without?
sourceforge.net (source for finding, creating and publishing open source software for free)

When you were growing up, what did you want to be?
Astronaut or as it was known as a child…Space Man!

What was the first record you ever bought?
Offspring – Smash

Favourite food/drink?
dolsot bibimbap (a Korean Hot Stone Bowl with mixed rice, vegetables, meat and egg)

Favourite film?
Impossible to pick, but forced on the spot – The Matrix.

Favourite place in the world?
Koh Tao, Thailand…30m underwater scuba diving.

What book are you reading at the moment and why?
World War Z as I want to read it before seeing the film.

Favourite video game/hobby?
Listening to and playing music

If you could acquire one extra skill or talent, what would that be?
Teleportation or fluency in languages

If you could give unlimited funding and resources to one area of research, what would it be and why?
Astrophysics – As an earth and planetary science graduate it is something close to my heart and a subject which can have great resonance. It is said Christianity put science back by 500-1000 years; imagine what the world would be like if that was not the case (ignoring obviously the lack of renaissance art and so forth). I also believe a greater understanding of the universe and its working would aid most others subject fields and lead to a better world.