I had the privilege to have Sudeh as my PhD supervisor. She was an incredible role model for me as a young researcher; so intelligent, passionate, principled, and generous with her expertise and time. Sudeh welcomed me from the start and helped me see where there could be space for me within a traditional academic system. She opened doors for people in this way so naturally; she lived her values around equality and inclusion every day.

I am not sure I can do justice in writing to Sudeh’s incredible spirit- she was a force of nature! Anything she did, she did with complete dedication, and usually, a lot of fun. She cared deeply about the ways to make health care services as accessible and high quality as possible for people from all communities. She possessed an immense kindness and never shied away from a challenge.

I think she would be proud to continue to be bringing people together on the subject of gender equality. She was a phenomenal role model for this in many ways- her political activism, her work within academia, and the way in which she presented as her full self in every setting, dimming her light for no-one. Her legacy continues through the wide network of researchers and clinicians she trained and influenced, who aim to uphold her values daily.

She is greatly missed.

Dr Abigail Methley, Clinical Psychologist & Health Services Researcher

I was very lucky to have Sudeh as one of my PhD supervisors from 2013 to 2016. She was always a friendly and supportive face, yet never hesitated to ask tough and thought-provoking questions—of me, of professors, and of everyone in our research group. I was constantly impressed by her ability to engage with virtually any method, no matter how technical or different, and to cut straight to what truly mattered: the potential benefit to patients and the wider population.

She inspired me to embrace being a true generalist, to pursue the deeper meaning in research and its potential for positive change, and to never be afraid to speak up and ask questions, regardless of who was in the room.

We’ve lost a very special researcher and friend, but she has clearly inspired so many of us that her legacy will live on. Thank you for your guidance, Sudeh—we’ll miss you.

I first met Sudeh when I was working as a researcher at Manchester. She was intelligent, confident, easy-going, and never hesitated to speak her mind. She was always reliable and supportive, whether for colleagues, students, or friends. We shared a passion for sports. I was fortunate enough to be her second PhD student. I still remember the advice she gave me about pursuing a PhD, drawing from her own experience of completing one not long before.

I often told her how much I admired her. If I ever succeeded in academia, I aspired to be like her—someone dependable who advocates not just for herself, but also for colleagues and students. Sudeh was always thoughtful about equity, diversity, and inclusion, whether through initiatives like Athena Swan or in ensuring that her research was accessible and inclusive to everyone. 

You will always be missed, Sudeh. I don’t think you ever realised the impact you had on others.

Shoba Dawson x

I would like to say how inspirational and helpful Sudeh was to me as a new PhD student (in 2009!) following in her footsteps.  She led the way with her brilliance, encouragement, beautiful smile, and her own stellar PhD thesis – and for that, I will be forever grateful.  

 I had many conversations with Sudeh when we were in NPCRDC and hoped that, on some level, I was able to reciprocate this.

I was lucky enough to share my PhD journey with Sudeh, as we overlapped for some time. It was always obvious how intelligent she was, and how much she cared about getting her work right – not just the best and most robust research possible, but the most meaningful for others. Her work on medications access, for example, shows how much she cared about supporting those who need the most help from our public services. Alongside her drive to do her best and care for others, she took and shared great joy in life. She was a wonderful friend, always honest and always ready to bring her great sense of humour along. She’s an example to live up to, in her principles and in her love for those around her. I will always miss her.

Kathryn Oliver

Sudeh was truly an inspirational person, and there are countless wonderful things that could be said about her, many of which have already been said by others.  I will always be especially grateful for the invaluable peer support she provided during the challenging times of the COVID lockdowns. Her presence made the isolation of remote working so much more bearable.

One memory I’ll remember fondly is sitting with her in my garden gazebo in the depths of winter as we worked on a paper together. Despite the glowing patio heater, we were both bundled up in multiple layers, shivering in the cold. Yet, even in those freezing conditions, Sudeh’s warmth and determination shone through.

Her kindness, intelligence, and companionship were a constant source of comfort and inspiration, and I will miss her more than words can express.

Sally Giles

Sudeh always had a strong commitment to giving people from marginalised communities a voice. In our last project together she interviewed individuals who cared for someone with dementia. The majority of the carers were female, either wives or daughters. Sudeh was empathetic and encouraging in the interviews and gave the participants ample opportunity to describe their experiences and express their feelings. In doing so, she provided them with a lot of support and allowed often hidden lives to become visible. This is important emancipatory research by highlighting the work involved in caring that should be recognised by policy makers and the formal sector.

Love

Pauline Ong

Sudeh was one of the most brilliant and driven people I have ever met, but more than anything she taught me the importance of peer support. No matter what she was always there for us all as colleagues and as a friend, a principle I have built my career in mental health on. Sudeh inspired me not just as an exceptional academic but as an example of an empathetic, intelligent, engaged mother and a person, I will always admire. There are few people I have encountered in my life where I can genuinely say the world is worse off without them in it, but Sudeh is one of them and I am lucky to have known her.

Emily Bland

My memory of Sudeh is when they were living in Burnage, and we were in the process of moving so they kindly offered to store all our boxed in their basement for “a few days”. The move was delayed and our stuff was there for a good few months…

Evan Kontopantelis

When I first met Sudeh I was slightly in awe, she immediately came across as a strong woman and someone to look up to. She had a confidence that I lacked. As the years went by, I saw her stand up for herself and other people and it became apparent that her passion to speak up about injustices came from a deep place of care and empathy for others, especially other women. I went with her to an Athena Swan meeting once and watched her co lead that meeting, championing equality for women with ease and determination. I remember thinking, I really need to be more Sudeh! I have felt more empowered to speak up and argue for what is right because of knowing her. When I was pregnant and it was my turn for support and encouragement to navigate precarious work as a contracted researcher, she was there. I will always be grateful for the support Sudeh gave me. She really was an inspiration.

Katherine Perryman

I only ever knew Sudeh in a work environment. Over a 10-year period, our paths would cross as we worked in the same department and then, in 2020, we worked closely together on the same project for two years. It is easy in academia, to put a person on a pedestal because of their wondrous well-deserved academic achievements- Sudeh had a string of remarkable achievements- but Sudeh’s reputation among us- her colleagues at the university, was much more than this.

When I think back to the messages posted after her passing, and of my own reflections and sorrow that she is no longer with us, it is not her academic brilliance that is at the forefront of my mind, but her compassion and her strive for action for a better and more equal world. Sudeh had a magnetic interpersonal style, she was a problem solver, and not afraid of speaking her mind. These qualities coupled with her passion for gender equality made her a fierce advocate. To give an example, if a female member of staff needed a more suitable space for pumping breastmilk following their return from maternity leave, Sudeh’s response was immediate and the solution obvious. Female staff were not only supported, we were empowered.

There are pressures we put on ourselves, be it through deeply ingrained expectations or learned through real experiences of tensions linked to gender and/ or parenthood. Sudeh was vocal about these pressures. To address the problem, we need to speak about it. This involved making safe environments for difficult conversations and, more widely, carrying out research. She was a listening ear for so many of us, and she advocated for all. It is because of this, that her legacy for gender equality and parenthood feels so irrefutable within us. Sudeh, we will continue to make safe spaces and advocate for gender equality and parenthood.

Isabel Adeyemi

Sudeh was pleasure to work with, her personality shone through in every meeting. She was particularly passionate about supporting women and did incredible things to improve the lives of lots of women at the university (students and staff), through her EDI and Athena Swan work. I worked with Sudeh on projects to improve the working lives of breastfeeding mothers and parents taking shared parental leave. Sudeh was passionate about this topic and we were able to ignite meaningful discussion and changes that benefit employees with childcare responsibilities. She was particularly supportive of junior staff members, including me and I found her guidance invaluable in supporting my career.

Natasha Tyler

Sudeh will always be remembered by us for her exceptional enthusiasm, warmth and generosity of spirit. She was a passionate advocate for women’s equality particularly in academia and devoted to supporting women to fulfil their potential. Sudeh leaves an extraordinary legacy through her research and the many women she has mentored.

Sue Kirk

Sudeh was a brilliant academic- a firecracker! Fiercely intelligent, no-nonsense, and driven. A room with Sudeh in it, was a room you wanted to be in. She always led with kindness and integrity, lifting those around her, especially her female colleagues. 

 Sudeh was your biggest cheerleader- the first to congratulate you and celebrate your successes, and to offer a supportive word or hug when needed. Professionally, I fondly remember our time working together on Athena Swan, an initiative striving to advance gender equality in academia. She always made the meetings fun. 

 When I think of Sudeh, I think of her warmth, her big smile and humour, her generous heart and passionate curiosity about the world- politics, sport, music and everything in between. She understood the importance of work-life balance and the richness of life beyond work. When I think of her, I like to picture her walking in the Todmorden hills. Something she loved to do. I feel lucky to have known and worked with her. She was, and always will be, an inspiration.

Claire Planner

Dear Sudeh,

In some ways it feels too soon to write this.

I knew you as a colleague for almost 8 years. At times it felt like you were preparing a path for me, laying down a template that I could follow, as we criss-crossed each other. I remember you suggesting I take over from you as co-lead of our Division Staff & PGR Forum when you wanted to step down. You had seen something in me that said that I would be as ‘vocal’ in the role as you had been!

I was so happy to be finally working alongside you in our latest project. We shared a vision for creative research and you wanted to actively promote my own work within this, plus through external collaborations. You had a plan to grow our team curiosity and we still want to make this happen.

We acutely feel your loss and miss you. You were fierce and not afraid to ask the challenging questions.

“What would Sudeh do?” has become our team mantra whenever we are unsure what to do, or need to stand our ground.

You wouldn’t want tokenism, you deserve far better than that.

It feels uncomfortable to recall how inspirational women can face unsurmountable challenges.

I am inspired to keep asking the challenging questions, to grow in curiosity… and to be fierce.

Dr Sarah Croke

I’m not quite sure how to describe and honour my friend and colleague Sudeh – not sure any words could ever do her justice.

I remember the first time I met her clearly at a works Christmas do back in 2010. She was instantly friendly, confident, clever and beautiful in every way – I admired and liked her instantly.

Throughout our careers we supported each other when needed – often coming to each other when we needed someone we could trust. She was always there if you needed her to offer advice or just chat things through and I like to think I did the same for her. I always admired how fierce she was – she was a feminist at heart and was so empowering to all the women around her. I always used to say ‘I need to be more Sudeh!’ as she knew how to stick up for herself – she was one of the most passionate people I knew. I always used to joke with her that she could be our future prime minister! I will miss her but as my lovely colleague Louise Gorman told me last week, the Celts believed that if we talk about someone and shout their name, they are always with us and I will continue to shout her name daily.

In the words of Atticus Finch, ‘She was one of the rare ones, so effortlessly herself, and the world loved her for it.’

Kelly Howells

Sudeh was a wonderful friend and colleague whom I feel privileged to have known. She inspired so many whilst working at the University in primary care, patient safety and through her work with Athena Swan.  She also was passionate about her family, sports and politics. She was kind and supportive to others, and I will treasure the memories of her friendly smiling positivity. 

Elaine Harkness

I didn’t work directly day-to-day with Sudeh but she still always went out of her way to be friendly, encouraging, and supportive. Academia can be a difficult place but Sudeh embodied all that it meant to be a caring and thoughtful colleague who made people feel valued and important. She is greatly missed and was an inspiration to me.

Amy Blakemore

Sudeh always seemed like a cool slightly older sister to me. Full of life and energy with a brain as big as a planet and buckets of charisma. She always took the time to listen to me, whether it be a work based or love based dilemma. I always looked up to her and respected her. Later on, we would touch base and connect on our growing families and talk about the joys and pains that it entailed. She was a woman I always looked up to in her many guises and one which I will forever miss. Xx

Ella Gaehl

Sudeh’s kindness and inspiring attitude allowed me to believe in myself when everything I was doing at work felt impossible. Sudeh supported me believe more in myself as a female academic, and helped me challenge my internalised patriarchy, that as a woman I should be less vocal. Sudeh has always been a role model to me, a great academic who fights for equity and equality, an intelligent woman that is self-efficient and didn’t need anyone to help her with her career, and a community advocate who is involved in projects and initiatives. I truly miss her.

Mika Kar

Sudeh was an incredibly intelligent, warm and generous colleague. She always had time for everyone and her enthusiasm to make a difference in the world was inspiring. 

Helen Brooks

Sudeh was such a bright spark (in every way), and I was a privileged that she was the first PhD student I helped examine. She had an amazing spirit, extremely kind heart, saw the best in others and will be missed by all that know her. Gone far too soon xx

Anna Coleman

It was in the darkest time of my life that I met Sudeh — a truly extraordinary woman whose outer beauty was only surpassed by the depth of her heart. She was intelligent, compassionate, wise, and full of light. When I met her, I had just lost my boyfriend in a car accident a few weeks earlier. My heart was shattered, and the world felt dark. But Sudeh was one of the few people I could open up to.

With her light, strength, warmth, and the memories she shared, she gave me hope through our conversations. We spent hours talking, crying, and even laughing—sharing the joys and sorrows of life. She helped me when I was lost. In her words, I found comfort. In her strength, I found support.

I will always remember her for the kindness and support she gave me during this dark time, and I’m so grateful to have had the chance to know her. I only wish I had been able to return the favor. She will always hold a special place in my heart.

By Tina Wolff