Before sharing her own story, she reflected on something she had noticed throughout the afternoon: the values celebrated at Roedean. Alongside academic achievement were prizes recognising effort, community spirit and the contribution students make to those around them. As Dr Imber observed, these are values worth celebrating.

Reflecting on her own school days, Dr Imber described herself as a shy student who enjoyed science but was far from the top of the class. Looking back, she reminded our students that how they see themselves today does not determine what they might achieve tomorrow. A willingness to stay curious and embrace new experiences can take us to places we could never have predicted.
One of the most memorable moments came when Dr Imber spoke about deliberately choosing activities she knew she would not be good at. In an age where young people can feel pressure to excel immediately, it was a refreshing reminder that confidence is often built by attempting things that do not come easily.

Her career also illustrated another important lesson: the value of saying yes. A summer internship at NASA led her into a field she had never imagined. A fascination with mountaineering evolved into pioneering research that combined exploration with computer science. An unexpected email asking whether she wanted to apply to become an astronaut became a chance she could easily have dismissed. Again and again, her career has been shaped not by following a perfectly mapped route, but by remaining open to new challenges.

Throughout her address, Dr Imber returned to the importance of skills sometimes described as “soft skills” – a phrase she challenged. Teamwork, resilience, communication and leadership, she argued, are anything but soft. They are often the attributes that determine whether we thrive when faced with uncertainty. Reflecting on her own experiences, she spoke to the Roedean community about the importance of learning to work with others, making decisions under pressure and supporting those around you.

These skills are developed not only in classrooms, but through the wider experiences that life at Roedean provides. Whether through sport, music, drama, leadership or service, every opportunity contributes something that cannot always be measured by examination results, but which becomes invaluable later in life.

Dr Imber left our community with a reassuring reminder that the future is rarely defined by where we begin. More often, it is shaped by our willingness to stay curious, embrace challenge and keep taking the next step. Those are values we are proud to nurture at Roedean, and we hope they will continue to guide our students wherever life takes them after there time here.