Associate Project Manager Programme: Christopher

The Associate Project Manager (APM) programme really helped me in the role I played in the set-up of the Cambridge Covid Test Facility with GSK and AstraZeneca, and in overseeing the complete project lifecycle. I worked with a host of others to locate and transfer equipment from University of Cambridge laboratories to the AMB building, attended to contractual requirements, maintained project updates and feedback to stakeholders, and was responsible for coordinating the return of equipment to UoC laboratories toward the end of the year.

The APM programme gave me great insight and overview from a project management perspective on coordinating large scale, collaborative projects with external partners.

I was personally recognised for my role in realising the late PVC for Research, Professor Chris Abell’s vision for the AMB COVID Testing Facility by Lord Sainsbury, and was joint-recipient of the Cross-University Award at the end of 2020.

I was delighted to receive the award in recognition of my involvement in setting up both the national and local Covid-19 test centres and collaborating with GSK and AstraZeneca. Chris asked me personally in April to locate and arrange for University of Cambridge equipment to be loaned to the AMB COVID Testing Facility in Cambridge and made available to the UK's national COVID response in Milton Keynes. I also sourced manufacturers of PPE in China to supply UK hospitals.

If you’d like to learn more about this particular project, there is a more detailed blog on the Equipment Sharing website.