Meet the Staff

Director of STEM, Head of Physics

Dr D Pellenc

If someone had asked my seventeen-year-old self whether I wanted to become a teacher, I would have sworn that this would never happen. Forward “a few” years and I would not do anything else. STEM as a whole has always been a passion; in fact, I studied most of its subjects at university. After my First degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, I went on to study for a Master in Physical Chemistry and a second Master in Biophysics. I completed a PhD in Biophysics and moved to England to join the Nanophysics team of the University of Reading as a postdoctoral researcher. My research involved simulating behaviours of proteins on implants surfaces and checking the models’ predictions with an Atomic Force Microscope – it is as fun as it sounds. Today, all of my energy is devoted to getting pupils to discover the vast number of areas within STEM, and what they can achieve themselves by just having a go. Both my children attend St Joseph’s and we are all very happy here. What do I do when I am not in a lab or a classroom? Draw. Mainly portraits. I wanted to study Art but my father was not of the same opinion! No regrets but it is still something I really enjoy.

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