Researcher biography

I am a Teaching Focussed academic and have been teaching in various disciplines of biomedical sciences since 2004. I feel most rewarded when I'm in the classroom engaged in direct mentorship of students' learning and development, acheived through collaborative peer and mentor activities and dialogue. Within the very large 1st and 2nd year courses I oversee, I am also invested in the development of our invaluable tutors as effective and high-quality mentors themselves, for every student.

My research interests are largely focused on students' mastery of science communication and thinking skills, a highly complex and nuanced process. My research therefore focuses on supporting their acquisition of the conventions in science writing, critical thinking and science literacy, particularly in their early academic years, and better understanding the strategies they employ to facilitate this development. Feedback is an important component of this growth, so I am also interested in how students use and apply feedback, as well as developing tutors' skills in the construction and delivery of rich feedback that is transferrable throughout students' progression.

I place a high value on feedback from students as well, consistently using this insight to inform our own practices in teaching and enhance the student experience. I am currently focusing on expanding my activities in this area through active collaboration with students as partners in the co-creation, review, design and evaluation of courses in biomedical science.