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Staff Profile

Dr Vanessa Armstrong

Senior lecturer, School of Biomedical, Nutritional and Sport Sciences (Faculty of Medical Sciences)

Background

Qualifications:

Professional development course for external examiners (online, Advance HE, 2020)

Understanding Autism (level 2) (2020)

Senior Fellow of HEA (2019)

Newcastle Teaching Award (2014)

PhD (2006-2010) - Newcastle University  

Introduction to teaching and learning qualification (Newcastle University, 2007)

BVetMed (1996-2002) - Royal Veterinary College, London

BSc Immunology and Cell Pathology (1998-1999, intercalated) - University College London


Internal roles:

Director of Education (September 2025-)

Academic lead for Objective 4- Newcastle Beyond the Curriculum (2024-)

Degree Programme Director (2022-2025)

Phase 1 Curriculum Chair (different time points)

Academic Lead for Employability (2012-2022)


Memberships/external roles:

Association Graduate Career Advisory Services (AGCAS)- Research and Knowledge Committee and Placement and Work-related Learning Task Group member.

British Society of Immunology

External Examiner (University of Bolton/Burnley College- 2022-2026), University of Sheffield (2024-2028)

Vice Chair of Governors (local primary school 2019-)

 

Honours and Awards:

VC Teaching Excellence Award (2021)

Education Research Development Grants (2017-2023)

University Education Development Grants (2013-2023)

Grants for science communication/outreach activities- Physiology Society (2019), Immunology Society (2015)

 Large Animal Intern teaching award at University of Pennsylvania (2002)

 

 

Teaching

 

Module leader:     

CMB2000: Essential biomedical research skills (20 credit core module level 5, 380 students)

                                

Lectures in:   

CMB1003: Microbiology with Immunology

CMB2004: Cell and molecular biology of the immune system

BMS2012: Clinical immunology and viral pathogens

                                  

Practical lead:  

CMB1011: Professional and Practical Skills for Bioscientists

CMB2000: Essential biomedical research skills

                                   

Seminar leader:    

CMB2004: Cell and molecular biology of the immune system


Assessment:   

BMS2012: Clinical immunology and viral pathogens

CMB10011: Professional and Practical Skills for Bioscientists                                  

BMS2002: Cell biology and disease

CMB2000: Essential biomedical research skills


Undergraduate research project supervisor:

CMB3000: Research Project






 

Research


Current research interests:


Key words:

graduate attributes, skills, extracurricular activities, inclusivity


  • Undergraduate graduate attribute development via final year research projects
  • Digital capability in students and staff within life sciences
  • Opportunity uptake- barriers and motivations
  • Anonymous feedback
  • Challenges to student experience and engagement across FMS for 4 key student groups
  • Study design and statistics teaching across life science (multi-institute and discipline research project)
  • Science communication project and impact on student graduate attribute, employability and placement year uptake
  • Supporting international student gain placement years



Key talks and events contributed to: 

 

2025 Placement year assessment- how are we assessing and what are student and staff perspectives. Northumbria University Practice and Research Network  

2025 Workshop of teaching statistics and study design in life science. University of Edinburgh (workshop co-lead)  

2024 Digitally capable?  Newcastle University Learning and Teaching Conference  

2024 Digitally capable? HUBS Early career network, online  

2024 Workshop of teaching statistics and study design in life science. University of Manchester (workshop co-lead)  

2024 Teaching statistics and study design in life science UKCOTS, University of Manchester (colleague from University of Edinburgh presented)  

2024 Trying to be super when it’s a super-sized cohort: group work. Increasing Engagement in large biomolecular science cohorts: what works?  University College, London  

2024 Placement year assessment. Institute of Experiential and Skills Based Learning (IESBL) Conference, Northumbria University  

2023 Digitally capable- are our students fully prepared for a digital world? FMS Education Forum, Newcastle University  

2023 Digitally capable- are our students fully prepared for a digital world? Learning and Teaching Conference, Newcastle University (interns presented)  

2023 Digital capabilities of life science students, teaching staff and perspectives from employers, Education research Theme Showcase Event, Newcastle University (intern presented)  

2023 Graduate attributions from final year dissertations. Higher Educational Institutional Research (HEIR) Conference, Kingston University (presentation and poster)  

2023 What makes our feedback unsatisfactory? A safe place to discuss. HUBS Funded Workshop, organised   

2023 Does a life sciences student’s demographic background correlate with their access to careers, developmental opportunities and academic achievement? Learning and Teaching Conference, Newcastle University (interns presented)  

2022 Does a life sciences student’s demographic background correlate with their access to careers, developmental opportunities and academic achievement? Horizons in STEM Higher Education Conference, University College, London  

2022 Does a life sciences student’s demographic background correlate with their access to careers, developmental opportunities and academic achievement? 3 Rivers Consortium, online  

2022 Does a life sciences student’s demographic background correlate with their access to careers, developmental opportunities and academic achievement? Bioscience Summit, Cardiff University  

2022 Identifying individual student characteristics and engagement with personal development and employability opportunities. Bridging Attainment Gap Conference, online  

2021 Linking attainment gaps to placement uptake. Bioscience Education Summit 2021 (presentation)  

2021 Graduate attributions from final year dissertations. ESTLIS21 Conference (poster)  

2021 Using Microsoft Teams as an inclusive approach to embed and enhance employability across a diverse student population. 3 Rivers Consortium (Dr Beth Lawry presented)  

2021 Graduate attributes from final year dissertation. 3 Rivers Consortium (Dr Jess Jung presented)  

2021 Graduate attributes from final year dissertation. Newcastle University Learning and Teaching Conference (presentation)  

2020 Bioscience Summit September 2020.  Dissertation and attribute research.   

2020 Employability and Enterprise Bulletin, Summary of research project, Dissertation and attribute project. Newcastle University April 2020 (article)   

2020 The Phoenix, June 2020- The Research Issue (online article) Phoenix, June 2020 – The Research Issue.  (graduate attributes via final year dissertation) 

2020 AGCAS alternative conference- research driven practice June 2020 (Zoom conference). Dissertation and attribute research.   

2019  Cross-institutional study on placements in life sciences AGCAS research conference 2019, Newcastle University, (presentation and poster)   

2019  Future of Work (Un) Conference 2019,Newcastle University. Discussion track lead for health and biosciences   

2019  Cross-institutional study on placements in life sciences, HESTEM 2019, University of Kingston (collaborator presented)   

2019  Cross-institutional study on placements in life sciences, Newcastle Learning and Teaching Conference, Newcastle University (poster)   

2019  Watching you, watching me: Newcastle Educators peer dialogue observation scheme, Newcastle Learning and Teaching Conference, Newcastle University (lightening talk)   

2019  How the University is embedding Employability and Enterprise (through Academic Leads), Newcastle Learning and Teaching Conference, Newcastle University (lightening talk)   

2019  Cross-institutional study on placements in life sciences, Newcastle Learning and Teaching Conference, Newcastle University (poster)   

2019  Cross-institutional study on placements in life sciences AGCAS research conference 2019, Newcastle University, (presentation and poster) 

2019  Future of Work (Un) Conference 2019, Newcastle University. Discussion track lead for health and biosciences 

2019  Cross-institutional study on placements in life sciences, HESTEM 2019, University of Kingston (collaborator presented) 

2019   Cross-institutional study on placements in life sciences, Newcastle Learning and Teaching Conference, Newcastle University (poster) 

2019   Watching you, watching me: Newcastle Educators peer dialogue observation scheme, Newcastle Learning and Teaching Conference, Newcastle University (lightening talk) 

2019   How the University is embedding Employability and Enterprise (through Academic Leads), Newcastle Learning and Teaching Conference, Newcastle University (lightening talk) 

2019   Cross-institutional study on placements in life sciences, Newcastle Learning and Teaching Conference, Newcastle University (poster) 

2017   AGCAS conference Manchester (careers)- update on HEA project on embedding employability in Biosciences (poster) 

2017   Employability and Enterprise conference, Newcastle University, Newcastle Educators 

2017   Enhancing Student Learning Through Innovative Scholarship 2017: Learning Through Collaboration, Sheffield University, presentation on employability in Biosciences 

2017   Newcastle University Learning and Teaching Conference. Teaching at Newcastle University. Newcastle Educators Group (talk and workshop) 

2017  Suitably skilled? Matching bioscience graduate skills and employer expectations. North East Universities (3 Rivers Consortium, co-presented with stage 2 student Bimasal Tabassum) 

2015   Enhancing Molecular Bioscience Education (poster presentation on HEA work) 

2014   HEA Bioscience Conference – Employability and transferrable skills 

2013   Empowerment through engagement – ownership through involvement. North East Universities (3 Rivers Consortium presentation) learning and teaching conference 

2013   The F Word: What 1st year Bioscience Students think of their feedback. Faculty of Medical Sciences Learning and Teaching forum  

2013   Engaging students in Bioscience Education: Use of blogging as a form of assessment for third year Biomedical Science student (poster). HEA event. 

 

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Publications