Personal information
Verified email domains
Biography
My career has evolved from a research focus towards leadership and management recent years including leadership of a Research Centre, Associate Dean for Research and Scholarship, Interim Executive Dean of the STEM faculty at the Open University and Head of School at Edinburgh University.
My research interests cover a wide range of Earth Science including, rates of geological processes, noble gas geochemistry, and developing techniques for measuring the rates and timescales of geological processes. Using lasers to extract minute samples in situ, and in particular use of UV laser extraction technique, has provided a way to develop research into the solubility and diffusivity of noble gases in minerals in the Earth’s mantle and crust. Use of laser extraction techniques for Ar-Ar dating has led me into dating a huge range of geological processes. This work was supported by a range of funders including NERC, Leverhulme Trust, EU funds and industrial funding/consultancy.
Teaching interests
My teaching ranges from geology, Earth system science and planetary science
I've taught at all levels from first year to masters level. I chaired production and presentation of a part-time Earth Science masters programme.
I was the academic leading development of the Virtual Microscope for Earth Science (http://www.virtualmicroscope.org) and have published pedagogical studies of its use.