Executive
President
John Bonsall
John is a third-year Law student who’s northern Scotland heritage is often put into question due to his unusually “English” accent. He was first elected onto the board as an Ordinary Member in his second year before going onto be elected President in his third. He is the leader of the Whig Club for GUU parliamentary debates and he is most well-known in the chamber for his over the top gesticulation during debates. When not a part of Dialectic you will find him doing anything from enjoying niche music with his flatmate, travelling with his twin brother or generally just living in the GUU.
Vice-President
Robyn Lawrence
Robyn is a 4th year sociology and philosophy student. Frequently told her accent is unplaceable, she is actually from Kinross, a place notable for little other than for being adjacent to the field in which they once held T in the Park. She has served Dialectic as treasurer, and is entering her second term as Vice-President. She trains speakers with the GUU, and is the head clerk for GUU parliamentary debating. Simply put, her commitments to debating are numerous, and though she often wonders whether it may have consumed her life to an unreasonable degree, she rarely has occasion to regret it. She does things that aren’t debating too, she promises.
Honorary Secretary
Fionuala McCarron
Fionuala is a 3rd year History and Politics student from the South West of England. Having spent a year on Dialectic board already she is very familiar with the less advertised duties of a Dialectic board member such as storing Christmas Decorations and copious amounts of scarves in board member’s flats and promising that this year will be the year that we send out letters to our honorary VPs. When not organising Dialectic things she can be found obsessing over environmental history or trying to interest people in beekeeping.
Honorary Treasurer
Alexander Fraser
Alexander is a 2nd year politics student. Hailing from Edinburgh made Glasgow an unexpected choice of city for university. When not trying to figure out what his final degree subject will be you will probably find him somewhere within the GUU whether that’s training debaters (Tuesday, 6pm, Bridie Library – come along!), doing debates himself or just studying away. He can easily be spotted in the GUU in some form of checked shirt (he swears he has other fashion styles). When he can catch a breath from all things debating, degree and Dialectic you will find him running along the Kelvin or playing his cello in a vain attempt to keep mind and body healthy under the strain of trying not to mess up the society’s financial wellbeing.
Ast. Honorary Secretary
Gwendolen Da Sousa Correa
Lennie is a second year Politics and Economics student from Oxford. Although she claims that she joined debating and Dialectic due to a deep love of intellectual discussion part of her does worry that she is suffering from some form of Stockholm Syndrome for robes. She has previously served as a first year representative and when not squandering her time at the GUU she can be found playing the viola and watching The Thick of it under the guise that it counts as revision.
Non-executive
Whip Secretary
David Zacek
David is a 3rd year Computing Science student who somehow ended up in debating. Despite coming from the beer loving capital of Czech Republic, you will usually find him with a pint of cider in his hand. Despite a scary sounding position, his main responsibility is to make sure the Dialectic website remains up and running, no whips involved.
Publicity Secretary
Emil Eleftheriotis-Pratt
Our publicity secretary is Emil Eleftheriotis-Pratt. He studies history and politics and is in second year. He loves music and the local football giants – Partick Thistle. He loves to share his thoughts on Instagram, so the Dialectic Instagram will surely look lively this year. Finally, he is often asked “are you on the GUU board?”.
Macer
Jordan Hunter
Welfare Officer
Benedict Anslow
Benedict is a second year Politics and Computer Science student from Rathlin Island, a remote island off the north coast of Northern Ireland. As Welfare Officer, Benedict’s job is to make sure everyone is having a good time at Dialectic. So if you’re unhappy, it’s his fault. You can chat to him about any worries you have around Dialectic, and he always has time to help out or even just lend an ear. And if you’re wondering what’s really inside the laptop bag he always carries, rumour has it he is keeping survival equipment and several week’s worth of compacted food with him – a leftover habit from his island past, when stormy seas could cut him off for days on end – but no one knows for sure.
Social Convenor
Bronagh Hughes
Bronagh is a Politics student who grew up on a farm in the North of Ireland, meaning she attempts to claim ‘street cred’ despite basically spending her youth herding cattle. Before joining our board Bronagh was a guest speaker at a number of Dialectic show debates, and once infamously called for the redistribution of Ann Summers as a feminist critique of capitalism. She spends much of her non-debating time ‘doing EU things’ in different countries around Europe for reasons none of her friends quite understand, and likes to (semi) joke that she was once involved in a Bulgarian political scandal. Her greatest shame as social secretary is that she cannot open a VK with another VK. She is excited to meet our new members at socials throughout the coming year, and as an infamous over sharer, if you buy her a drink she might tell you a story.
Charity Officer
Sajid Chowdhury
Sajid Chowdhury is 3rd year Economics student from Bangladesh. He’s always in the midst of an existential crisis and can often be found smoking and pretending to be Albert Camus outside the GUU. He likes obscure movies, making music, debating, and his friends. Sajid tries his best to be wholesome and is looking forward to a great year ahead with the Dialectic Society.
Ordinary Member
Hannah Mimiec
Ordinary Member
Joseph Hutchison
Joseph is a 2nd year student studying Economics and Politics, (the most Dialecticy degree) from Troon. He prefers standing to walking, sitting to standing, and lying down to sitting. Will try to pretend he isn’t a massive nerd but of course really is, and when given enough beer will argue ethics even if no-one else is interested. Inexplicably found himself a Tory in parlys; his favourite word is ‘meh’, and his favourite phrase is “I don’t really mind”. He’s actually really friendly even if his tone is unwaveringly flat.
Ordinary Board Member
Katie Sawers
Katie is a third year physics and astronomy student from southeast London. When not Dialectic-ing, you’ll find her missing her dog, horse riding, or making regrettable life choices in Mango.
First Year Member
Ananya Venkatesan
From the buzzing city of Muscat in the infamous Sultanate of Oman
Have a small (VERY SMALL) fantasy fiction/movie reference problem
Drug of choice : sugar
First Year Member
Fuad Kehinde
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GUU Convener of Debates & Past President
Blake Gray
Blake sits on the board as both the previous President and the Convener of Debates of the Glasgow University Union. As previous president, he helps provide strategic direction and advice to the next generation of the society, and as convener of debates, works to ensure Dialectic and GUU Debating maintain a fruitful and productive relationship. Outwith this, he can usually be found with a double gin and tonic in either Billiards or the Well, depending on time of day.