About

Hailing from a small island in the English Channel, I’m a fan of community and wide open spaces. After the culture shock of Manchester where I did my first degree in Physics & Geology (1989-1992), I felt more at home slightly to the west in Liverpool where I was based for my PhD in Geosciences (1992-1996). I first dipped my toe into academic development as manager for the ‘Fund for the Development of Teaching & Learning’ project in Earth Sciences Staff Development (1996-2000). From 2000-2007 I was privileged to be part of the ‘Learning & Teaching Support Network‘ (which morphed into the Higher Education Academy) Subject Centre for Geography, Earth & Environmental Sciences (GEES).

Whilst being focused on these UK-wider, discipline-based activities I also took on various active roles within the Staff & Educational Development Association (SEDA) which I continue to this day. In 2007, I left the Subject Centre and the UK to spread my wings a little. During my temporary move to the USA (based in north Virginia) I worked as an educational consultant for colleagues back in the UK and took the opportunity to get involved with geoscience education-related activities in the USA. In 2010, my move back to the UK took me again to the Higher Education Academy, this time at its headquarters in York where I was Senior Adviser (Evidence-Informed Practice) for 10 months before heading to the University of Bath to take on the role of Head of Academic Staff Development.

In 2016, I had an exciting opportunity to move to a national policy role at the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE). In January 2018, I moved back to a university role as Associate Director of Academic Practice at UWE Bristol. Full details of all my roles and responsibilites are available on LinkedIn. Presentations and other downloads  are available on the Resources page of this website, and a list of papers & articles is available on the Publications page.