Dee joined the Public Engagement team as Deputy Head in 2017 and became Head in 2023. During her working life the sector has seen significant change, with public engagement now seen not as an optional extra but as a fundamental part of research. Dee was instrumental in driving that transformation at Bristol and beyond. She was also an inspiring leader who supported her team with passion, integrity and kindness.
Dee emigrated to the UK from what was then Yugoslavia over 30 years ago. She remained a proud Bosnian, and saw many similarities between the city of her birth, Sarajevo, and her adopted home of Bristol, both being multicultural, multi-ethnic cities steeped in history.
During the tumultuous civil war Dee travelled to Bosnia to rescue her mother and father from the conflict-ravaged city, and settled them in the UK. She met and married Simon, whose tribute to his beloved wife can be read on LinkedIn.
Dee’s father, Dobrivoje Beljkasic, was an eminent artist in Sarajevo whose work is in national collections, including Bristol Museum and Art Gallery. Dee was deeply committed to sharing the artistic legacy of her father, promoting his work extensively, including organising the major Dobri100 exhibition in 2023 at the National Gallery of Bosnia and Herzegovina to celebrate the centenary of his birth. During her cancer treatment she commissioned a short animation based on one of his works, Memory of Buki, highlighting the power of art in times of war, a sentiment that feels as relevant today as ever.
Prior to working at the University of Bristol, Dee held significant positions at the Royal West of England Academy (RWA) and the University of the West of England (UWE), where she developed her passion for civic projects that make a real difference to people’s lives. Dee had a clear set of values that drove her work and aspirations for public engagement: 'Nothing about us without us'. She oversaw many major successes in responsible research and innovation, winning European funding for the long-running FUTURES Festival of Discovery, leading the development of ethical engagement processes and guidance, and championing the development of a culture of high-quality participatory research within the University. Deeply invested in engagement throughout her career, Dee’s work has ensured that involving communities and non-specialists ethically in the research process has become more mainstream and a valued part of what the University does.
Dee passionately believed in inclusion and connecting people, in working collaboratively and collegiately so that everyone could engage with research that improves society and people’s lives. As she said herself: 'It is always great to learn about each other and see what connects us. There is always more that connects us. And in times of great need we put our differences aside and come together as human beings.'
As a manager Dee has been the Public Engagement team’s best supporter, advocate and friend. She brought our team together with a sense of shared purpose, continuously championing our work and its importance, encouraging creative ideas and creating the freedom to try different approaches. She encouraged our ideas and professional development, and through her active mentorship supported us to grasp new opportunities, while also putting an emphasis on personal well-being, which she deeply valued.
Hundreds of online tributes from colleagues and collaborators testify to the qualities that made Dee an inspiration in the engagement sphere and beyond, and that made so many people so fond of her. Dee united people with her positivity, energy, advocacy, and passion for doing good. Her expertise, generosity of spirit, and humanity enabled others to learn, make change, and to enjoy the process of doing so.
Kind, generous and optimistic, she had a remarkable gift for bringing people together, leaving those around her feeling valued and uplifted. Her warmth, humour, and genuine interest in others meant that time spent with Dee always ended in smiles and laughter.
Dee was well known for her bright and colourful outfits, paired with equally vibrant hair colours. She stood out as a beacon of light and joy in a sea of office grey.
Dee was full of life and love. Love for people, for ideas, and for the power of community. She is greatly missed.