Social Sciences Festival 2026: Career Pathways Beyond Birkbeck
When:
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Venue:
Birkbeck Main Building, Malet Street
Join us for an engaging Alumni Pathways event focused on the diverse career journeys of graduates from the School of Social Science. This session highlights how alumni have translated their studies into impactful roles across sectors such as public policy, research, education, non-profits, consultancy, and social impact.
From this panel talk, you’ll gain valuable insights into how these professionals applied their academic knowledge, developed transferable skills, and navigated evolving career landscapes. Discover how a Social Sciences degree can open doors to meaningful and varied career opportunities.
Drewery Dyke: graduated with an MSc in International Security and Global Governance in 2025. He is International Partnerships Lead at Salam for Democracy and Human Rights, focusing on Bahrain, the GCC, and issues of statelessness. He chairs Rights Realization Centre, a UK charity promoting international human rights standards across SWANA and the Horn of Africa. Drewery has over 25 years’ experience in human rights research and advocacy, including 18 years at Amnesty International as a researcher on Iran, Gulf states, and Afghanistan. He has also worked with ALQST, Justice for Iran, Index on Censorship, and Transparency International.
James Canvin: holds a MSc Education, Power and Social Change and is the CEO of Bertha Earth, a youth-centred environmental organisation working with schools to support a more diverse generation of young environmental leaders, storytellers and changemakers. With a background in education, youth leadership and social change, James’ work focuses on widening access to nature, building young people’s confidence and agency, and creating meaningful pathways for them to shape a more just and sustainable future. He supports teachers and young people to explore their relationship with the natural world and take action on the issues that matter to them. James also volunteers as a Governor at Sunnyhill Primary School and as an Independent Custody Visitor for the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime.
Carol Grose: Earned a Postgraduate Certificate in Anthropology and Development from Birkbeck in 2018 and a PhD from the University of Sussex in 2025. She has published academic articles and, as an independent scholar, has lectured on international diplomacy, U.S. history, and women’s history. She was a Franklin Fellow at the U.S. State Department and a founding board member and trustee of City Year UK. She began her career in New York’s financial sector at Salomon Brothers and Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette. Today, she combines finance and academia as a consultant, board member, and trustee across nonprofit and for-profit sectors, emphasizing independent, research-driven decision-making in a complex technological and economic landscape.
Whether you are a current student or alumni, this event offers a chance to gain inspiration, ask questions, and build connections to support your own career journey.
Contact name: Careers
Speakers-
Carol Grose
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Carol earned a Postgraduate Certificate in Anthropology and Development from Birkbeck in 2018 and a PhD from the University of Sussex in 2025. She has published academic articles and, as an independent scholar, has lectured on international diplomacy, U.S. history, and women’s history. She was a Franklin Fellow at the U.S. State Department and a founding board member and trustee of City Year UK. She began her career in New York’s financial sector at Salomon Brothers and Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette. Today, she combines finance and academia as a consultant, board member, and trustee across nonprofit and for-profit sectors, emphasizing independent, research-driven decision-making in a complex technological and economic landscape.
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Drewery Dyke
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Drewery graduated with an MSc in International Security and Global Governance in 2025. He is International Partnerships Lead at Salam for Democracy and Human Rights, focusing on Bahrain, the GCC, and issues of statelessness. He chairs Rights Realization Centre, a UK charity promoting international human rights standards across SWANA and the Horn of Africa. Drewery has over 25 years’ experience in human rights research and advocacy, including 18 years at Amnesty International as a researcher on Iran, Gulf states, and Afghanistan. He has also worked with ALQST, Justice for Iran, Index on Censorship, and Transparency International.
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James Canvin
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James Canvin (MSc Education, Power and Social Change, 2021) is the CEO of Bertha Earth, a youth-centred environmental organisation working with schools to support a more diverse generation of young environmental leaders, storytellers and changemakers. With a background in education, youth leadership and social change, James’ work focuses on widening access to nature, building young people’s confidence and agency, and creating meaningful pathways for them to shape a more just and sustainable future. He supports teachers and young people to explore their relationship with the natural world and take action on the issues that matter to them. James also volunteers as a Governor at Sunnyhill Primary School and as an Independent Custody Visitor for the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime.
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