Staff Profile

Background

Since 2006 Dr Hetherington has been the Research Student Development Co-ordinator in the Faculty of Medical Sciences at Newcastle University. An initial role researching and developing the package of support for research students’ professional development has expanded to a lecturing position incorporating the maintenance and evolution of a comprehensive programme of training and development for research students, leadership of a master’s programme in Bioscience and Enterprise and becoming training lead for Doctoral Training Partnerships. The support and training provided to researchers is guided through Dr Hetherington’s experience as a researcher at Harper Adams University College and completion of a doctorate in Evolutionary Genetics at Imperial College, London. Dr Hetherington also draws on his experience as an R&D scientist in a Biotechnology SME, work in industrial quality assurance and as an analyst for the NHS. Dr Hetherington has contributed to the reports assessing the impact of researcher development training and has made significant contributions in the ongoing discussion of the changing nature of doctoral education. He has a keen interest in areas of transferable skills for industry, broadening researcher engagement and the resilience and well-being of researchers. 

Roles and Responsibilities

Faculty of Medical Sciences Postgraduate Development Programme Co-ordinator

Leader of MRes Biotechnology and Business Enterprise Programme

Module Leader of the Bioscience Research Development and Enterprise

Module contributor for BMS3003:Business Enterprise for the Bioscientist

BBSRC NLD Doctoral Training Partnership Training Lead and Management Board Member

MRC DiMeN Doctoral Training Partnership Newcastle University Training Lead and Management Board Member

Medical Sciences Postgraduate Employability and Enterprise Academic Lead

Innovation, Methodology and Application Theme Education Lead for TCRI

Qualifications

BSc Plant Biology: Newcastle University

MSc Agricultural Biotechnology: Newcastle University

PhD Variation and Inheritance in Saccharomyces: Imperial College London

Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy 

Previous Positions

Angel Biotechnology: Project Coordinator
Newcastle Trust NHS: Analyst
Harper Adams University College: Research Assistant

Design, organisation and development of the Research Student Development Programme in the Faculty of Medical Science

Module lead for MMB8038 Bioscience Research Development and Enterprise 2012 - present

Programme lead for the Biotechnology and Business Enterprise Module 2014 - present

Module contributor for BMS3003:Business Enterprise for the Bioscientist 2010- present

Module contributor for MEE8073 : Understand Programmes of Learning 2019- 20

Current research interests include

Doctoral research student development

Research student wellbeing

Research Culture

Bioscience Innovation

Evolutionary theory

• Articles

  • Watts CA, Hetherington R. Reflections Upon Student Elective Engagement in STEM Enterprise Education. Research in Science Education 2024, 55, 205-229.
  • Grimwood M, Hetherington R. A neglected area: supervision development opportunities for doctoral researchers involved in undergraduate and masters project mentoring. International Journal of Academic Development 2023, 28(1), 74-86.
  • Gibney E, Hetherington R, Humphrey R. Training schemes help improve PhD outcomes. Times Higher Education Supplement 2013.
  • McCook A, Hetherington R, Leonardo M, Bumb A, Vanderford N, Jacofsky M. Education: Rethinking PhDs. Nature 2011, 472, 280-282.
  • Johnson L, Koufopanou V, Goddard M, Hetherington R, Schafer SM, Burt A. Population genetics of the wild yeast Saccharomyces paradoxus. Genetics 2004, 166(1), 43-52.

• Conference Proceedings (inc. Abstracts)

  • Hetherington R, McGee O. Partnerships and Centres: can changes in doctoral research funding support equality in provision. In: Vitae Connections Week 2021. 2021, Online: Vitae.
  • Hetherington R, De Blaquiere G, Aitchison K, Atkinson M, Robinson L, Bedford R, Leonardo L, Stevenson L, Cotterill S. Adapting Research Student Training and Development to Integrate Personal Development and Wellbeing Support for Research Students. In: UKCGE Annual Conference 2021. 2021, Virtual: UKCGE.
  • Beaumont R, de-Blaquiere G, Pho H, Hetherington R. 'No silver bullet?' An exploration of Part-Time Postgraduate Research Student experiences and engagement with faculty-level research training and development provision. In: UK Council for Graduate Education (UKCGE) Annual Conference. 2020, Online: UK Council for Graduate Education (UKCGE).
  • Hetherington R. Evaluating the outcomes of experiential development opportunities (conference organising) for research students. In: Vitae Connections Week 2020. 2020, Online: Vitae.
  • Hetherington R, Grimwood M, Tyson-Capper A. Research led teaching to Teaching led Research. In: Newcastle Learning and Teaching Conference 2019. 2019, Newcastle upon Tyne: Newcastle University.
  • Brooks S, Cripps J, Hetherington R, de-Blacquiere G, Summerside C. Improving Researcher Wellbeing - What changes can be made and how can we implement them?. In: Vitae Researcher Development International Conference. 2019, Birmingham: Vitae.
  • Atkinson M, Hetherington R. Can regular mindfulness practice contribute to an improved sense of resilience in research students?. In: 1st International Conference on the Mental Health & Wellbeing of Postgraduate Researchers. 2019, Brighton: UKGCE.
  • Cotterill S, Hetherington R, De Blaquiere G, Leonardo L, Humphrey R, Emmerson W. PGR Training Needs Analysis: joining up training, ePortfolio & personal development planning. In: Education for Life: Celebrating Partnership, Encouraging Innovation: Newcastle University Learning and Teaching Conference. 2018, Newcastle: Newcastle University.
  • Atkinson M, Hetherington R. How might we develop students as whole people, preparing them to flourish for futures we can't predict? Cultivating Resilience through Mindfulness. In: Education for Life: Celebrating Partnership, Encouraging Innovation: Newcastle University Learning and Teaching Conference. 2018, Newcastle upon Tyne: Newcastle University.
  • Gould J, Hetherington R, Beernaerts S, Hassgall A, Pain E, Perrson T, Herzig M. ‘Modern’ doctoral training: Is it making researchers employable?. In: EuroScience Open Forum (ESOF 2018). 2018, Toulouse: ESOF.
  • Atkinson M, Hetherington R. Can regular mindfulness practice contribute to a greater sense of resilience? A study into the effects on postgraduate research students. In: Three Rivers Conference: Transformations, Transitions & Territories. 2017, Teesside University: Three Rivers: The North East Universities Consortium.
  • Izquierdo D, Atkinson M, Hetherington R. Can mindfulness through meditation or Origami be used to support resilience and well-being in researchers. In: Vitae Researcher Development International Conference 2017. 2017, Birmingham: Vitae.
  • Hetherington R, Anderson R, Bogle D, Cameron I, Gould J, Storer-Church B. Might increasing expectations limit the intrinsic attributes derived from a research degree?. In: Vitae Researcher Development International Conference 2014. 2014, Manchester, UK: Vitae.
  • Humphrey R, Hetherington R, Bromley T. The impact of researcher development on doctoral outcomes: e.g. time to completion, papers submitted. In: Vitae Researcher Development International Conference 2013. 2013, Manchester: Vitae.
  • Glynn NC, Hetherington R, Edwards SG. Evaluation of fungicide seed treatments against Fusarium diseases of wheat using PCR diagnostic tests. In: Brighton Crop Protection Conference: Pests and Diseases. 1998, Brighton: British Crop Protection Council.

• Editorial

  • Muir B, Hetherington R, Prichard A. Working through Bereavement. Chemistry World 2023.

• Online Publications

  • Hetherington R. Knowledge of the Business – take it where you can get it!. Newcastle upon Tyne: Newcastle University, 2015. Available at: https://newcastleresearchers.wordpress.com/2015/01/23/knowledge-of-the-business-take-it-where-you-can-get-it/.
  • Hetherington R. Electronically maintained directed marketing to improve PRES response rates. Advance HE, 2010. Available at: https://www.advance-he.ac.uk/knowledge-hub/electronically-maintained-directed-marketing-improve-pres-response-rates.

• Reports

  • Bromley T, Hetherington R. The impact of researcher training and development: two years on. 2010.
  • Bromley T, Hetherington R. The Rugby Team Impact Framework: one year on. 2009.
  • Cotterill, Hetherington R, et al. North East regional collaboration for personalised, work-based, and life-long learning: EPICS-2 JISC Final Report. JISC, 2009.
  • Bromley T, Hetherington R. An update on evaluation in the researcher training and development sector and the implementation of the Rugby Team Impact Framework: Draft report. The Rugby Team, 2009.