Introduction
Why not check out our range of residential and distance learning MSc programmes?
Background
I came to the University in September 1990, having been a Newcastle PhD student from 1986-1989. My initial employment in the Fossil Fuels and Environmental Geochemistry Postgraduate Institute was as a scientific officer with responsibility for managing the Institute's inorganic laboratory facilities. During the 1990s I became increasingly involved with the Institute's Master's degree programmes, both in terms of teaching and programme management, eventually becoming MSc Degree Programme Director.
In 2002, following a University re-structuring, I was appointed Director of Postgraduate Studies in the School of Civil Engineering and Geosciences, and became Degree Programme Director for a suite of Master's programmes in geotechnical and structural engineering.
I continued in this role until mid-2006 when I took up the post of Dean of Postgraduate Studies in the Faculty of Science, Agriculture and Engineering. On doing this, I dropped some of my MSc responsibilities but remain programme director for two flexible-learning postgraduate programmes in Renewable Energy and Renewable Energy, Enterprise and Management.
Having completed my initial term (2006-2009) as Dean of Postgraduate Studies, my position was extended for a further two years (2009-2011) and it has recently been extended again (2011-2016).
Qualifications
PhD Geochemistry, Newcastle, 1991
BSc Geology, Aston, 1986
Memberships
Fellow of the Geological Society (FGS)
Fellow of the Mineralogical Society (F Min. Soc.)
Undergraduate Teaching
At undergraduate level, I teach the 20 credit module GEO3064, Research Methods in Environmental Pollution, which is offered to final year BSc/BA students taking geography, environmental science and related degrees.
In summer 2011 I hope to offer an International Summer School in "Exploring Environmental pollution". See: www.ncl.ac.uk/nuiss/programmes/pollution/index.html
Postgraduate Teaching
Most of my teaching is at Master's level where I teach two geoscience modules (listed below) related to the MSc programmes in Environmental Biogeochemistry and Environmental Biogeochemistry with Consultancy Skills. In a typical year I would also expect to supervise MSc research projects, usually on some aspect of environmental geochemistry.
CEG8602 Inorganic Analytical Geochemistry (10 credits; also Module Leader)
CEG8606 Sources, Fates and Control of Pollutants (10 credits)
I remain the Degree Programme Director for postgraduate programmes which have more than 100 students registered. These are summarised below:
MSc in Renewable Energy Flexible Training (Reflex)
MSc in Renewable Energy, Enterprise and Management
Research Interests
I am interested in: (i) sedimentary geochemistry; (ii) environmental geochemistry; and (iii) the use of statistical and other numerical tools in geology.
Other Expertise
Chemical and mineralogical analyses of environmental and geological materials in research and industrial contexts.
Postgraduate Supervision
My most recent PhD student, Hassan Al-Shammari, completed in 2009.
Esteem Indicators
I have reviewed papers submitted to international journals including the Journal of the Geological Society, Marine Pollution Bulletin and Sedimentology. I am a former Chairman of the Geological Society's Northern Regional Group.
Funding
1995 NERC MSc Review - 4 Studentships for MSc Environmental Biogeochemistry
2000 NERC MSc Review - 5 Studentships for MSc Environmental Biogeochemistry
2000 NERC MSc Review - 5 Studentships for MSc Petroleum Geochemistry
2004 EPSRC CTA Scheme - Responsible for approximately £1.8M of Newcastle University's £7.8M award
2005 NERC MSc Review - 5 Studentships for MSc Environmental Biogeochemistry
2005 NERC MSc Review - 5 Studentships for MSc Engineering Geology
2008 ONE PG Bursaries Project NE004313A - £1.3M
2008 NERC Light Touch Review - 5 Studentships for MSc Environmental Biogeochemistry
2011 BBSRC ATP Intensive Livestock Health and Production. Co-Investigator. £2.95M
Industrial Relevance
Chemical and mineralogical analyses of environmental and geological materials in research and industrial contexts.
