Meet the incredible women powering the RCA's technical spaces

Building on last year’s celebration of our inspiring technicians for International Women’s Day, this year we continue to showcase the talented women who are breaking barriers in traditionally male-dominated technical fields.

Though women have historically been underrepresented in this area, at the RCA we have made progress towards equality in the sector. From 2012 to 2025, the number of female technicians at the RCA increased by nearly 20%, to 44% of our overall technical services staff.

Award-winning visual artist and photographer, Melanie advises students and staff at the RCA on best photographic technique, supports their use of specialist equipment and maintains our photo labs, darkrooms and media studios, ensuring they are fully operational and safe for all.

She describes the best part of her role as ‘nurturing a dynamic environment for peer-to-peer learning and collaboration, and continually learning and growing alongside RCA students.’

A 2021 MA Photography graduate, she understands students' needs firsthand. She has extensive experience as a freelance photographer, collaborating with galleries, museums, and commercial clients around the world.

Melanie says ‘the most rewarding aspect of working at the RCA is assisting students in bringing their creative visions to life.’

Fostering positive and collaborative work environment is a key part of accelerating gender equality for Melanie, which she tells us requires ‘greater representation in leadership, transparent and unbiased hiring and promotion practices, and inclusive work environments that challenge gendered expectations.’

Elosie runs the dye workshop at the RCA, teaching best practice for dyeing and maintaining the space for our students. With a BA in Fashion and Textiles, she first came to the RCA to study for an MA Textiles.

After graduation, she was looking for job opportunities in education that used her skillset, which led to her current role in the dye workshop.

‘I’m in a fortunate position where the majority of our team is made up of many talented women which I find extremely inspiring. I think it would be great to see a more healthy balance of gender equality reflected within other technical areas and the art and design industry as a whole.’

Eloise is motivated by helping students achieve things they did not realise were possible until they had the help of experts like her and her team, and by the many kind gestures of gratitude she has received from students over the years.

On the subject of how further strides can be made to gender equality in her sector, Eloise believes examining bias in recruitment and providing more opportunities for training and progression are a key part of progress.

As the lead in our digital print workshops across our campuses, Constantina helps our students through experimentation taking them from idea to creation.

Before the RCA, she had a career in printmaking at the London Print Studio working with names including Amikam Toren and Chila Kumari Burman. Looking for a new challenge in education, she joined the RCA in 2016 and became a lead in 2022.

She describes one of the most rewarding aspects of her role as ‘being part of an incredible team of highly skilled technicians and the collaboration, solidarity and support I’ve found within that.’

For Constantina this solidarity is a key way in which we can accelerate action towards gender equality. ‘My career and progression was aided by having champions in my corner, and as a lead I try to be that for my team.’

Aisha Seriki is a Nigerian visual artist based in London, who completed her MFA Arts & Humanities in 2024, and MA Photography in 2023. Discover her work via the RCA2023 exhibition platform.