Pronouns: He/Him or They/Them
Mathematician turned Engineer who can usually be found creating in MATLAB.
I am a passionate teacher with 10 years experience in Higher Education, focusing on teaching scientific computing. My technical skills cover both software and hardware, and I have extensive outreach experience.
I have been using and teaching MATLAB for 10 years. Throughout my research, I developed computationally fast novel numerical methods for predicting how gas moves through aeroplane engines. These provide engine designers with accurate estimates of the performance of sealing rings in seconds instead of the hours it can take full 3D models.
I have supported multiple research projects, advising on improvements in code efficiency, data management and bringing legacy code up to modern standards. I am confident in designing apps for research and to support learning.
I am confident in the use of MATLAB Grader, using it extensively in my teaching for the last 4 years. I have developed a wide range of different coding problems for both new and experienced coders; scaffolding students at all stages of their journey in learning to program. I use custom functions to fully analyse student programs, including their ability to document their code - a key skill within industry. I have trained other educators on the use of MATLAB Grader, and believe it is an invaluable tool in engineering education.
I hold a PGCert in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education. I gained a distinction for my work exploring ways of minimising student anxiety and increasing engagement in lab-based teaching scenarios. This experience strengthened my teaching practice by giving it a grounding in educational theory. I am a reflective practitioner and continually improve my teaching by implementing evidence-based approaches. I am a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (now known as Advance HE). I am also a trained Software Carpentry instructor. My teaching experience spans a few key areas:
Throughout my PhD I developed a passion for outreach, volunteering as a STEM Ambassador since being an undergraduate. After gaining my doctorate I worked for Science Oxford, designing and running workshops for children aged 6-18. I taught workshops on both Engineering and Computing. The engineering workshops include practical builds such as robotic arms or boats; focusing on understanding the engineering design cycle. The computing workshops taught programming while using basic electronics through the Raspberry Pi, Arduino and FUZE. The workshops continue as the Creative Computing Club and Arti-techs.
I have continued my outreach work at the University of Oxford, designing and teaching workshops for the Summer Schools such as UNIQ. These have been in a range of topics, such as building dynamics and line-following robots.
I volunteered for Letters to a Pre-Scientist for three years, being paired with a young person in the US in a letter exchange. The program aims to break down stereotypes of scientists and demystify jobs in STEM.
I have been an In2Science Mentor for two years. In2Science empowers young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to achieve their potential through opportunities that give them insights into STEM careers and research while boosting their skills and confidence. I mentored four sixth-form students, discussing university applications for a range of courses (physics/maths/computing/engineering). In the first week, I was awarded Mentor of the Week after being nominated by one of the students.
I am a strong believer in people being able to be their authentic selves, even in the workplace. Diversity in the workplace leads to a wider range of perspectives and ultimately better research (see Nature 558, 19-22 and 5 (2018)).
I am an LGBT+ Role Model for the University of Oxford as, in the words of Sally Ride, I strongly believe ‘You cannot be what you cannot see’. I was an Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Fellow at Oxford from 2020-2021. Using my lived experience, my work focused on gender, mental health and race to advise on improving inclusion in the workplace. In particular, I helped bring the LGBTSTEMinar to Oxford in 2021. This included technical work to support the conference of over 100 attendees to take place virtually through GatherTown.
I am neurodivergent, mixed raced and have lived experience of anxiety and depression. I am a trained Mental Health First Aider, and am happy to use my lived experience to support people going through a difficult time in their life. I believe we can all thrive and learn to work with our particular brain chemistry, but sometimes we need support from others.
