Category: Meet the team

Dr Paul Gilchrist

Dr Paul Gilchrist teaches across our geography undergraduate courses.

Paul Gilchrist head shotTell us about the subject area(s) you teach at undergraduate level?

I lead the research methodology aspect of the undergraduate curriculum, convening the second-year Research and Field Skills module which provides training on how to undertake research and design a dissertation project which students will complete in their final year. I am also module leader for Cities and Social Change, an optional first-year module which covers urban geography. I have developed a whole suite of day trips around Brighton and to coastal towns around Sussex to help students put their learning into context. My particular favourite is the trip we make in the spring to Bexhill-on-Sea where we look at the juxtaposition of Oriental and Modernist architecture and investigate its contribution to the town’s heritage tourism strategies. Continue reading “Dr Paul Gilchrist” →

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Profile pic of Nadia Terrazzini

Meet Dr Nadia Terrazzini

Nadia trained at the National Institute for the Study and the Cure of Cancer in Milan (Italy) and has since worked on a variety of immunology research projects spanning from cancer gene therapy to DNA vaccines, to immunosenescence. She is a member of the Centre for Stress and Age-Related Disease (STRAND), the Centre for Regenerative Medicine and Devices  and the Brighton and Sussex Cancer Research Network.

Dr Nadia Terrazzini is the course leader for Biological Sciences BSc(Hons), Biological Sciences MSci and Biological Sciences BSc(Hons) (with integrated foundation year).

The way I like to teach

My professional field of expertise is Immunology and I teach it at undergraduate and postgraduate level. I am very passionate about promoting the understanding of Immunology to students, who often find this subject very complex. Enhancing its accessibility is a priority in my work. To foster engagement, I try to introduce an element of fun in my teaching and I strive to keep my lectures student-centred and highly interactive, including everyday analogies (e.g. comparing the working of the immune system to a football match), story-telling and animated PowerPoint diagrams or animations.

I also use online game-based learning platforms such as Kahoot and Nearpod to make complex immunology mechanisms and concepts more approachable and easier to visualise. Students engage with the teaching using their laptop/tablets, so that I can introduce questions, polls and videos, pace the lecture and create breaks that give students time to reflect on the learning and work with peers in small groups. I also include examples of experimental data in my presentations and I design assessments to test the students’ ability to understand and interpret scientific data presented in literature. This supports students’ professional development as scientists and ultimately their employability.

Continue reading “Meet Dr Nadia Terrazzini” →

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Dr Matthew Brolly

Dr Matthew Brolly is the course leader for Environmental Sciences BSc(Hons) and Geography with Remote Sensing and GIS BSc(Hons).

Head shot of Matt BrollyTell us about the subject area(s) you teach at undergraduate level?

I lead the teaching of remote sensing across our undergraduate degrees in Geography, Archaeology, Environmental Sciences, and Environmental Management. This subject area is therefore also the main component of the Geography with Remote Sensing and GIS degree. Remote sensing relates to any measurements that are made when not in contact with the object/target, so essentially we are all using remote sensing all the time using primarily our eyes and ears. Using this definition, the subject uses imagery collected by a range of sensors including cameras, lasers, and satellite radars. Continue reading “Dr Matthew Brolly” →

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Nick McGlynn

Meet Dr Nick McGlynn

Dr Nick McGlynn is course leader for Geography BA(Hons).

How I like to teach

I teach Human Geography, specialising in lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and queer (LGBTQ) equality issues and community spaces.With all of the progress that’s been made it’s easy to forget that LGBTQ people still face marginalisation and exclusion in our society, and really value having distinct LGBTQ spaces.

I bring high energy and enthusiasm to all of my lectures, using plenty of videos, group discussions, class polls, and sometimes a bit of quick research right there in the classroom. Learning isn’t about just sitting and listening, it’s about actually doing stuff!

One of the field trips I lead takes students to the Soho area of central London. We explore why Soho became an LGBTQ neighbourhood over the past 40 years, and document changes to the area by making our own ethnographic observations. Students get to visit LGBTQ venues, observe the nightlife, and hear from experts like local journalists about the politics of LGBTQ spaces and the issues faced by Soho businesses and residents.

You can read more about the Soho trip here

Human Geographers often use ‘qualitative’ data, like audio-recorded interviews or written stories. But graduates from lots of degrees leave university not really knowing what to do with this kind of data! I teach students how to analyse qualitative data effectively and rigorously, so that they can evidence the conclusions they draw from it. This includes training in step-by-step techniques like Reflexive Thematic Analysis (RTA), and specialist software like NVivo which helps organise and manage very large qualitative datasets. Students practice these during our 2nd year Morocco field trip, using them to analyse the data they gather in the field while doing their own group projects.

What I like most about teaching

Getting to see students learn and develop during their time with us. It’s so great when you see a student’s marks consistently getting better and better, because they’re listening to their feedback and actually enjoying what they’re learning!

We’ve got a really superb staff-to-student ratio, so we get to teach in small classes and genuinely get to know our students. This means we’re able listen and give advice tailored to individuals, their needs and their situations. No student here is ever just another face in the crowd!

My favourite location in Sussex

I love walking along the Brighton seafront. In winter you wrap up, watch huge waves crash and roar as flocks of starlings swirl around the pier. In summer it’s shorts and t-shirts, baking in the heat as you go to get an ice-cream. Amazing all year round!

Listen to Nick’s podcast

Podcast: Nick talks discusses his research into LGBTQ communities in both rural and urban areas and his high energy teaching style

Watch a video

Find out more about Dr McGlynn’s research.

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