Professional Experience

• I have over twenty years experience working in tertiary education in the U.K.; lecturing, researcher and senior leadership of research and innovation.
• My professional career has focused on the development and delivery of research, including creating a research culture and environment in tertiary education.
• I am an active researcher in ecology and long-term ecology with particular application in rewilding, forest management, juniper ecology, freshwater and wild fisheries management and conservation management, including participation and leadership in European and Research Council projects.
• Supervision of research students:

Current:      4 FT PhD (Director of Studies)

Completed: 6 PhD, 3 Masters by Research

Supervision of degree and masters research dissertations.

Examined: 2 PhD (external, 1 overseas - Sweden); 5 PhD (internal); 2 MSc Res.

Inverness College, University of Highlands and Islands                                                                                 

2006 - Present   Director of Research and Innovation from April 2019 (prior to this Head of Research)

• Leadership of research and innovation activity at Inverness College UHI, including research project leadership
• Working with colleagues across the University of the Highlands and Islands to meet strategic targets, particularly in the areas of teaching-research linkages, REF submission, staff research development and achievement of research degree awarding powers for UHI (achieved 2017).
• Co-ordinator and lead for UHI Research mentoring programme
• Chair ICUHI Research and Innovation committee

• Development and delivery of BSc and MSc level modules in biodiversity and environmental management and natural heritage interpretation using blended learning approaches.

Inverness College UHI                                                                                                                  

10/2003 – 11/2006          Head of Centre for Rural Resource Management               

• Developed and managed Centre including leadership of 18 staff delivering Tertiary Education in Science, Forestry and Aquaculture, and associated development of research.

Scottish Natural Heritage                                                                                                                                                1/2003 – 6/2003                 Area Officer, Caithness

• Managed casework arising from activities associated with designated sites

University of Greenwich, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences                    

9/1999 – 12/2002             Senior Lecturer Environmental Science

• Programme Leader BSc Hons Environmental Science
• Module leader for several modules within the undergraduate programmes
• Contributed to programme and module development for MSc Conservation Management
• Led and contributed to fieldtrips in UK and abroad
• Developed research in woodland and landscape history

De Montfort University, School of Agriculture                                                                   

8/1994 – 8/1999               Lecturer in Landscape Ecology

• Contributed towards the development and delivery of BSc Hons. Landscape Ecology
• Delivered units in HND Environmental Management
• Delivered NC units in environmental science and ecology
• Set up and managed Geographical Information Systems Unit undertaking educational and consultancy work in GIS

BBONT Wildlife Trust                                                                                                                   

6/1991 – 10/1991             Project Leader Aylesbury Urban Wildlife Survey

Bucks County Council                                                                                                                   

9/1989 – 6/1991               Assistant to County Landscape Ecologist (Short contracts)                                                                             

OTHER PROFESSIONAL POSITIONS

Middlesex University

2017 – Present External examiner

MSc Biodiversity, Evolution and Conservation in Action

University of Northumbria                                                                                                                                                     2013 – 2015                  External Examiner

BSc Hons Geography and Environmental Science degrees                                                                             

Middlesex University                                                                                                                                                      2004-2008                External Examiner

BSc Biological Sciences

MSc Food Sciences

Job Evaluation Analyst

 Inverness College UHI Job Analyst team.

Skye and Wester Ross Fisheries Trust  

2005 - present   Trustee

Rivers and Fisheries Trusts Scotland (RAFTS)

2013 – Present Trustee

• EU COST Action CA15226 Climate-Smart Forestry in Mountain Regions – Vice-Chair

https://www.cost.eu/actions/CA15226/#tabs|Name:overview

• EU Horizon 2020 AMBER Adaptive management of barriers in European rivers

https://amber.international/

Senior Fellow Higher Education Academy

ILM Level 7 Diploma Executive Coaching and Mentoring – currently studying

Ph.D.The role of vegetation dynamics and human activity in landscape changes through the Holocene in the Lairg area, Sutherland, Scotland. SERC Case studentship with Historic Scotland. Royal Holloway, University of London 1996

BSc Hons. 1^st Biology & Geography Royal Holloway, University of London 1996