Five questions with Mohammed Bulbulia

Tell us a bit about you background

I received my BSc in Computer Networks from the University of East London where my interest leaned towards network security. In my final year, my research focused on how data moved from device to device and understanding how data can be intercepted, inspected and manipulated.

How did you get into higher education?

I never really thought about working in the public sector. I was fortunate that my university supervisor recommended I do a gap year before finishing my degree, to give me an advantage over students who didn't take a gap year. I ended up spending that gap year at The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. During that time, I met some of the most wonderful nurturing colleagues and academics, who helped me gain an immense amount of experience. Ten years later, I am still in the public sector, and a lot of that has to do with the people I work with.

What are you passionate about outside of work?

My passions outside of work vary; it depends on my mood. I've always described myself as da Vinci-esq when I work on my hobbies, especially when it comes to drawing - I can end up with half-finished 'masterpieces', though I do end up coming back to them eventually. I enjoy many different sports - some I'll play recreationally others I prefer to watch, whether it's football, boxing or Formula One.

What’s the last good book you read?

The last book I read, which I enjoyed was The Dark Tower. I know it's been around for ages but, I've only gotten around to reading it. I've always enjoyed fantasy novels in the sense of the world-building. I've always been fascinated by the authors' creativity, whether it's painting a scene with words or constructing a new language.

If you could witness any historical event, what would you want to see

If I could witness any event in history… this is a tough one. I guess, off the top of my head, seeing the building of the pyramids. I'm not a conspiracy theorist but it's astonishing to think that in those times the engineering minds behind such architecture existed, especially with what was available.