Newcastle University

Experience: 

I have held technical, managerial, and academic positions in both the Agri-Food industry and the University Sector.  I have experience of working on projects involving agricultural primary production systems; food product development; food safety and quality management; and the molecular and chemical analysis of food components and contaminants (including collaborative LINK, EU, and Knowledge Transfer Partnership projects). More recently I have also been involved in collaborative public health nutrition project work. My current interests are very much focused on integrating inter-disciplinary approaches that include the food and nutritional sciences, as well as social and consumer sciences, to deliver a better understanding of the complex inter-connections between consumers and foods in food systems.  This includes understanding factors such as: global markets and trade; food security; the complexity of food systems; food-related behaviours; and the impacts of food on both human health and the environment.

My current post involves managing and contributing to the BSc (Hons) Food & Human Nutrition programme being delivered in Singapore (in patrnership with the Singapore Institute of Technology and Nanyang Polytechnic).

Qualifications:

BSc (Hons) Environmental Biology (School of Biological Sciences, University of Liverpool) (1986).

MSc Agronomy (School of Agriculture & Food Science, University of Nottingham) (1990).

PhD Agri-Food Microbioogy (School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol) (1994).

PGCE Further & Higher Education (School of Education, University of Huddersfield) (1999).

Previous Positions:

Reader in Food Science.  Liverpool John Moores University (2010 - 2011).

Senior Lecturer in Food Science.  Liverpool John Moores University (2000 - 2010).

Involved in managing and delivering undergraduate modules across degree programmes in Food & Nutrition, Community Nutrition, Nutrition, and Food Design & Technology.  Also involved in the development and delivery of bespoke short courses and training for both food companies and public sector organisations; and supervision of post-graduate/post-doctoral researchers involved in a range of food & nutrition related consultancy and research project work.

Lecturer in Food Science.  University of Leeds/Askham Bryan Agricultural College (1998-1999).

Development and delivery of material for the BSc (Hons) Food Production, Processing and Marketing degree (University of Leeds).

Research & Project Development Manager. Adgen Agri-Food Diagnostics (Neogen) Ltd. (1996-1998).

Development of commercial laboratory-based testing services and rapid on-site test kits for use in Agri-Food supply chains. This included the detection and identification of food-borne pathogens and microbial toxins; chemical food analysis (composition and contaminants); food alergen testing; and food authenticity testing.

Research Fellow.  Rhur University, Bochum (Germany) (1994-1996).

Laboratory-based research (molecular biology) investigating aspects of gene expression and gene interaction (transcriptional regulation & RNA processing).

Professional Associations:

Chartered Scientist (CSc). 

Fellow of the Institute of Food Science & Technology (FIFST), and member of the IFST Professional Food Sensory Group (PFSG).

Member of the Institute of Food Technology (IFT).

Member of the Nutrition Society.