Biography

Following my undergraduate degree in microbiology at Sheffield University, I went on to take my PhD at the University of Dundee in the Department of Biological Sciences. It was during this time that my interest in applied microbiology and teaching developed.  

I have been fortunate to teach, in both new and old university environments. I endorse the use of IT in teaching, learning and assessment and routinely extol the benefits of student response systems, virtual learning environments and ePortfolios. I have considerable experience of helping learners to enhance their employability by arranging, managing and assessing work-based learning and by designing and writing student study skill exercises. I also explore, deliver and evaluate innovative approaches to develop graduate employability within the taught curriculum and the co-curriculum. More recently at University of Aberdeen I have been involved in developing the co-curricular STAR (Students Taking Active Roles) Award, piloting a Career Mentoring Programme and implementing the  graduate attributes Achieve site. I also have strong links with the Higher Education Academy (HEA) as the HEA Scottish Country Consultant for Bioscience.

SELECTED EDUCATIONAL PUBLICATIONS

Work-related Learning and Co-curricular Activities in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education, Issue 4-1, 2010.

PDP for International Postgraduate students in Bioscience Bulletin, Summer 2009, page 5, Higher Education Academy.

Preparing to Teach – Don’t Forget the Student Response System in Bioscience Bulletin, Spring 2008, page 3, Higher Education Academy.

E-Learning: One Piece of the Puzzle in Bioscience Bulletin, Spring 2007, page 10, Higher Education Academy.  

External Memberships

• Member of the Management Group for the Scottish Higher Education Employability Forum (SHEEF).
• Steering Group member of the Learning to Work 2 funded project,Third Sector Internship Scotland (TSIS). 
• Bioscience Country Consultant for the Higher Education Academy (2007 – to-date), this role involves advising the Centre for Bioscience on teaching, learning and assessment issues in Scotland.

Funding and Grants

HECSU Funded project to research 'Summer Vacation Activities: An Investigation of Students' Attitudes, Experiences & Perceptions.

Project Co-ordinator for the SFC-funded cross-institutional venture PDP for International Postgraduate Students. This project aims to develop, pilot and evaluate innovative PDP resources and activities specifically designed for international taught postgraduates.

Teaching in the Biosciences: an introduction for postgraduates and postdoctoral fellows, member of the project team for this HEA-funded Bioscience Subject Centre initiative.

Teaching Responsibilities

I contribute to a range of staff development events including, the 2 day course on Learning & Teaching in HE for new lecturers, demonstrator training in the College of Life Sciences & Medicine and the Learning & Teaching Network. I am Deputy Programme Co-ordinator for the PGCert Teaching & Learning in HE programme, the Course Co-ordinator of the Level II course, Career Development: Find Your Direction ED2550 and Components of the Learning Environment in Higher Education course, ED503N.