Spotlight On: Dr Susie Mitchell

Name: Dr Susie Mitchell

Job title: Programme Manager, Glasgow Riverside Innovation District (GRID)

Organisation: University of Glasgow 

How long have you worked for GRID? 9 months 

What brought you to Glasgow or your current role?

I landed in Glasgow many years ago, - in 1996, as a 21 year old self-confessed science enthusiast - to embark on a PhD in leukaemia research at the University of Glasgow’s Beatson Institute. Since then, I’ve held a number of roles in public, private and third sector across the city. For 10 years I was the Programme Director for Glasgow City of Science and Innovation – a unique partnership connecting government, business, academia and media to get Glasgow’s innovation story out there, to support greater SME innovation, and to help shape a distinctive “value proposition” for Glasgow’s innovation offer as a driver for new investment, job creation and attracting (as well as retaining) great people. 

Just in late February this year I came back to my alma mater and started my role as the Programme Manager for the Glasgow Riverside Innovation District (GRID) – anchored by the University of Glasgow.

Please tell us about your organisation.

GRID is a partnership between the University of Glasgow, Glasgow City Council and Scottish Enterprise. GRID covers 700 acres on the northern and southern sides of the River Clyde. Framing those 700 acres are 3 anchor points (view location map):

1. the University of Glasgow campus at Gilmorehill in Glasgow's West End
2. the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital
3. the creative and cultural cluster in and around Pacific Quay and Finnieston which includes SWG3, BBC Scotland, the Scottish Exhibition Centre and Glasgow Science Centre.

In some ways, we are just at the beginning of GRID’s journey, albeit we have a range of exciting programmes already underway. But it feels like we’re all at the start of something really special, something that could be transformative for people and place. 

And we have all the necessary ingredients; a global top 100 university anchoring GRID that has produced world-changing inventors and discoveries over 570 years, a pipeline of enterprising and investible spin-outs, a dynamic small business community as well as a major property and land regeneration opportunity in the area. 

What's the most satisfying thing about your job?

My brain is stimulated by variety and this job brings that, and in swathes. One minute I’ll be talking to our inspiring GRID Civic Fund recipients about the amazing work they are doing within the GRID geography (from Daytime Discos for the over 50s to food poverty projects and digital skills programmes for BAME groups), the next we might be reviewing our land and infrastructure propositions or supporting a bid looking at a new arts-based interdisciplinary skills intervention for underserved young people. And I work with a great core team of dedicated people with a range of skills to drive this exciting project forward.

What makes Glasgow different?

Innovation districts rely on partnership working between different players.

In Glasgow, we are good at partnerships. And our strength in connecting people and sectors has been revered by place-leaders globally. In the 20+ years I’ve been working here – I’ve witnessed a number of cross-sector structures, governance models and networks that have been powerful and transformative catalysts for growth here.

For me, our long history of partnerships and collaboration as well as our diverse offering as not only a hub of technology and sciences but also a city of music and culture with a strong arts cluster – brings with it an exciting opportunity to look at new ideas and solutions at the intersection of tech, science, design and the arts.

What is the future vision for your organisation in Glasgow?

GRID will constitute an established testbed for new research and ideas but it will also be a vibrant and progressive place to live, work and play for a new generation of Glasgow innovators and entrepreneurs intent on bringing benefit to people, place and the wider world–in line with our deep civic purpose and mission.

It's our job as an Innovation District to masterplan a place, with partners and our communities, that creates an enabling environment for skills development, knowledge spillovers, creativity and problem-solving to happen and create our own "big bang” to grow and scale next generation technological as well as social advancements.

How has Invest Glasgow helped?

Invest Glasgow have been an essential support in providing us with the wider business story for Glasgow to help us to shape our value proposition for GRID.

Also having a central team that can bring together the innovation and business narrative from across the City to tell that connected story, as a sum of its parts, is also critical in working towards and realising our joint innovation ambitions as a city region.

We’re also delighted to have Invest Glasgow as part of our Communications workstream for GRID.

Want to know more about GRID? Follow them on LinkedIn or their newly launched Facebook channel. If you have questions or comments about the Glasgow Riverside Innovation District you can follow Dr Susie Mitchell on LinkedIn.

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