Diana Stirbu is Professor of Public Policy & Governance at London Metropolitan University. She is perhaps best known for her work on the Welsh Parliament / Senedd Cymru and has recently completed an Academic Fellowship there, conducting research into measuring the effectiveness of the committee system.

Please tell us a little bit about how you entered academia and your academic career

I would say that it all started with a rather radical career change for me: from being a computer programmer in a nuclear power station in Romania to becoming passionate about parliaments, public administration, and political science research. In 2003 I won an EU scholarship to study a master’s degree in the UK (University of Liverpool). That then led to a PhD and to my first job as a researcher at the Hansard Society’s Parliament and Government programme and eventually to my first academic job at London Metropolitan University in 2010. Here at London met, I have taught in the Politics and IR programme at first, the Master of Public Administration and, in 2019, I was promoted to professorship.

Which five books/articles (written by someone else) have been most important to you in your academic career?

Richard Rawlings ‘Delineating Wales. Constitutional, Legal and Administrative Aspects of National Devolution’ was instrumental in the early stages of my PhD.

Robert E. Goodin ‘The Theory of Institutional Design’ and B. Guy Peters ‘Institutional Theory in Political Science’ have shaped my interest in institutionalism, a perspective that has driven a lot of my research.

Vicky Randall ‘Women in Politics’ opened up a whole new field and standpoint in political research.

Michael Marinetto ‘Studies of the Policy Process’ was my go to textbook in the first years of teaching career.

Which person has been most influential and important to you in your academic career?

Professor Laura McAllister (at Cardiff University now) was the most influential for my academic career. Not only did she facilitate my first research placement (and first encounter with) the Welsh Parliament during my master, she supported me throughout my PhD as my supervisor and shaped me into the academic that I have become. I really appreciated Laura’s ability to engage with such a wide range of policy actors (from sports, to gender and equality in government, to constitutional design and offering advice to parliaments), and I am ever so grateful for involving me in many projects as a doctoral student. In a sense, my interest in research impact, my outreach work outside academia has been shaped by her.

Which of your own pieces of research are you most proud of?

Can I choose two? I think I am most proud of my first ever joint article with Laura McAllister, published in Policy & Politics in 2007, when I was still doing my PhD. The other work I am quite proud of is my Fellowship report to the Welsh Parliament (the Senedd) about the effectiveness of the Senedd Committees. I am proud of that because I managed to engage meaningfully with officials and politicians in the Senedd.

What has been your greatest achievement in academia?

Being promoted to Professor.

What has been your greatest disappointment in academia?

Every article rejection of grant proposal rejection feels like the greatest disappointment. It’s tough.

What is the first or most important thing you tell your students about parliaments?

I don’t get to teach an awful lot about parliaments, but when I do get the chance, I tell them they are the most fascinating public sector organisations.

Where were you born, where did you grow up, and where do you live now?

I was born in eastern part of Romania and grew up in a small town in the south-east of the country, by the river Danube. I now live in East London.

What was your first job?

Research Assistant in the Ministry of Youth and Sports in Romania.

What was the toughest job you ever had?

The summer jobs in one of my mum’s grocery stores, during my high school and university years. It was exhausting but also kind of exciting and got to meet so many people.

What  would your ideal job be, if not an academic?

Probably something to do with gardening or coaching football.

What are your hobbies?

Photography and alternative processes in photography. I used to be an active member of a studio in East London and learnt how to do lith printing and cyanotypes. So much fun experimenting with different processes and materials in photography.

What are your favourite novels?

Over the years I have had so many favourites. I am still under the spell of  Bernardine Evaristo’s ‘Girl, Woman, Other’ , although I read this a couple of years ago– it was so powerful, so vibrant, such captivating story-telling. More recently, I have loved Mieko Kawakami’s ‘Breasts and Eggs’ – such a literary celebration of womanhood.

What is your favourite music?

Too many to mention here, but let’s try. I work out (including the ultra-rare dancing night out) on electronic music (anything Jon Hopkins, Nicolas Jaar, Moderat, etc). Sunday mornings are jazzy or Brazilian bossa nova. The latest amazing concert I have been to was Marisa Monte (a Brazilian grandee). When I need to concentrate and write, I prefer classical music. One of my favourite bands is The Doors. And yes, my latest guilty pleasure is cooking on Harry Styles tunes.

What is your favourite artwork?

I love Yayoi Kusama’s art. The Kusama: Infinity (2018) documentary was a great one about her evolution as an artist.

What is your favourite film?

Again, too many to mention, but the latest one I have seen and left me quite amazed was Everything, Everywhere, All at Once. I mean, you can’t have a better film coming out of this pandemic.

What is your favourite building?

The Welsh Parliament building (The Senedd) in Cardiff Bay is an absolute masterpiece. It’s not only about the architectural merits of the building, but the symbolism of it: the openness, the transparency and the way it uses Welsh sourced slate for instance to make a compelling story of Wales’ democracy.

What is your favourite tv show?

It has to be Parks and Recreation. I mean, a TV series about local government, with Joe Biden featuring multiple times in it. And the whole dynamic between Leslie Knope and Ron Swanson… it’s just so good.

What is your favourite holiday destination?

Brazil, Japan, Portugal, Romania. I love Brazil and its energy and complexity. Portugal and Romania feel like home. Japan is just so beautiful and different and has the best food in the world.

What is your favourite sport?

I used to play football. I love football, but I get annoyed by the exploitative and discriminatory nature of the industry surrounding it. I am so glad that women’s football is getting more profile though. I also played and love watching tennis.

What is your favourite restaurant?

In London: Monohom Ramen in Old Street. It’s a small Japanese ramen restaurant, and yes, ramen is one of my favourite foods.

In Portugal / Porto: Capa Negra restaurant serves the best Francesinha, a Porto specific dish that is an absolute calorie bomb.

I also love (of course) Romanian food. My grandmother was an amazing cook and  I remember fondly the taste of my favourite things cooked by her (sarmale – stuffed vine leaves or cabbage leaves with mince meat, rice and lots of herbs; chicken/duck cooked in a pot with lots of garlic, herbs and home made tomato sauce; garlic green beans stew). Never quite get the same taste in restaurants though.

Hybrid proceedings in Parliament: yes please or no thanks?

Yes, please, if and when needed. No need for parliament to be stuck in old ways when all other industries and workplaces are adapting to new ways of working.

Appointed or elected upper chamber?

Elected and representing regions.

Restoration or Renewal?

Both.

Cat or Dog?

Dog.

Trains, planes or automobiles?

Trains.

Fish and chips or Curry?

Curry – but needs to be a good curry.

And, finally, a question asked by Seth, who has just turned 10: Would you rather never wear shoes or never wear a hat for the rest of your life?

Pragmatic answer would be never wear a hat.