Steve Spells

Senior lecturer in mathematics

s.j.spells@shu.ac.uk

Steve obtained his PhD for work on spectroscopy and thermodynamics of amorphous polymers at the University of Manchester, following a first degree there.

He then spent 10 years as a research associate at the University of Bristol, studying polymer crystals with vibrational spectroscopy and scattering techniques. These research interests have since developed at Sheffield Hallam, where his research is mainly in spectroscopic methods of characterising polymer structures and structural change.

Steve has around 60 publications in this area and has edited a textbook on solid polymers and contributed book chapters, as well as acting as an examiner for research students in the UK and abroad.

Steve's teaching interests cover materials physics, sports science (particularly the development and testing of synthetic surfaces) and the teaching of mathematics in science and engineering courses.

Stuart Johns

Faculty head of undergraduate operations

Stuart has been working at Sheffield Hallam University since 1992. He studied mathematics at Sheffield University followed by an MSc in Operational Research at Birmingham University before completing a PhD in Production Scheduling at Liverpool University.

He currently has responsibility for all the undergraduate courses within the Faculty of Arts, Computing, Engineering and Sciences (ACES), with particular reference to student experience. He also teaches optional modules 'business mathematics' and 'graphs and networks' on the BSc Mathematics course.

His research interests are in the areas of vehicle routing and sports scheduling and he has also acted as a consultant on cricket fixtures lists for recreational cricket.

Stuart is very active within The Operational Research Society, as a Board member since 2007 and Chair of their Education and Research Committee since 2005.

Harry Gretton

Principal lecturer in mathematics

h.w.gretton@shu.ac.uk

Harry Grettonstudied mathematics at the University of Sheffield, obtaining his PhD from there in 1970 in magnetohydrodynamics. He has taught mathematical sciences since then, both at the University of Sheffield and Sheffield Hallam University and has been a consultant on many courses, both in mathematics and mathematical education with the Open University since it was conceived in 1970.

Harry has taught many different students on many varied mathematically-related courses. In recent years he has developed a particular interest in the impact of technology on the way mathematics is taught, practiced and assessed.

He is a consultant with Texas Instruments. He is an author of many papers, a co-author of a book on the teaching of mathematics to engineers and winner of several international prizes.

Harry is the general factotum of the mathematics department with main responsibilities for recruitment. He has also presented many papers on teaching mathematics with technology at conferences in the UK and abroad.

Dr Ros Porter

lecturer

Ros has just started at Sheffield Hallam having recently completed a PhD in Applied Mathematics at the University of Stirling.

Her research interests so far have been in modelling, in particular the dynamics and potential control of a tick-borne disease in wildlife.

David Cooper

Senior lecturer

David received a DPhil from Oxford University for work on finite permutation groups. He then worked at the University of Sheffield on techniques for improving the efficiency of computer-based information systems, and in the computer industry on the development of interactive graphics systems. At the same time he worked as a part-time tutor at the Open University.

Since 1989 he has been a senior lecturer at Sheffield Hallam University. He teaches pure mathematics, and mathematics for computing students. His research interests have included 3D computer vision, pattern recognition, and formal methods of software development; he is currently working on a project concerned with the automatic generation of information on ground conditions from the descriptions of soil extracted from boreholes.

Neil Challis

Head of mathematics and statistics

n.challis@shu.ac.uk

Neil has been working at Sheffield Hallam since 1977. He studied mathematics at Bristol University, worked for some years as an industrial research mathematician and modeller for British Gas at the Engineering Research Station at Killingworth, then while lecturing obtained his PhD in computational fluid dynamics from the University of Sheffield in 1988.

His interest in mathematical modelling continues, most recently in the mathematical aspects of modelling oxygen uptake during exercise. Neil's main interest in recent years has been in developing teaching and learning practice in mathematics in higher education. He is particularly interested in the impact of technology upon the ways in which we can help students to understand and use mathematical ideas. The use of such technology is thoroughly embedded in the BSc Mathematics course at Sheffield Hallam, and Neil has written and spoken much about this issue at conferences and in various papers and books, and occasionally winning prizes.

Neil is active in the world of mathematics nationally, being an elected council member of the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications, and chairing that Institute's Higher Education committee. He also currently chairs the Higher Education Academy (HEA) Maths, Stats and OR Network's Advisory Committee. One current major involvement is in co-ordinating the Higher Education Curriculum theme of the £3.5m Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE)-funded moremathsgrads project. This aligns with Neil's enthusiasm for engaging more people in mathematical thinking, both for its pleasure and for its sheer usefulness.

Mike Robinson

Second year tutor

Mike originally studied engineering at Cambridge, specialising in fluids. He then worked as an irrigation engineer in Bangladesh, before returning to study for a PhD in maths at Leeds. After gaining a post doctorate at Leeds, he joined the maths department at Sheffield Hallam in 2000.

Although still interested in mathematical modelling – for example the use of cellular automata to model epidemic spread – his research interests are now are in undergraduate mathematics education. Along with Mike Thomlinson and Neil Challis, he recently completed work on the higher education strand of the More Maths Grads project, looking at student and staff experiences of undergraduate mathematics in four diverse universities, and is now leading a project looking to improve feedback on maths courses across the country. Mike is currently working to embed the findings from the More Maths Grads project into his own teaching. He is also year tutor for the second year mathematicians.

Jeff Waldock

Principal lecturer in mathematics

j.a.waldock@shu.ac.uk

Jeff joined Sheffield Hallam in 1987. Previously he spent six years employed as a research associate in ionospheric physics at Leicester University. This followed a first degree, a PGCE in Mathematics, and a PhD in Physics - in the area of solar-terrestrial physics, particularly in connection with auroral plasma processes, and led to 20 published papers.

Jeff developed a keen interested in teaching and learning practice, and in the appropriate application of technology in higher education. With the expansion of the internet in the 1990s, the opportunity to develop web-based tools to support these activities became realistic. He continued to create more and varied web tools for this purpose, including a mathematics website, our custom e-Portfolio system, and numerous other similar tools aimed at improving student engagement, support and fostering an online mathematics community. Jeff has also been keen to develop custom desktop applications that support key areas of our curriculum.

Jeff has been a faculty learning, teaching and assessment teaching fellow (2005-8), and is currently the faculty employability teaching fellow, funded via the University's Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, in embedding, enhancing and integrating employability. He is interested in all aspects of skills developments, but particularly in encouraging mathematics students to acquire better communication skills, and is a member of the Higher Education Academy (HEA) Maths, Stats and Operational Research Subject Centre skills development team.

For many years Jeff has had an interest in photography, and with the widespread adoption of digital cameras has been able to combine this with his interests in mathematics and computing.  He developed a tool to decompose a digital image into its pixel values and place them in to a spreadsheet. This allows students to use existing spreadsheet skills, implementing mathematical algorithms to carry out a variety of existing visual effects. Through this activity they are able to bring a degree of artistic skills and creativity into their mathematical studies.

Liz Erett

First year tutor

Liz gained her masters degree from Cambridge University in 1980 specialising in pure maths and then did a PGCE at Sheffield University. She taught at South East Derbyshire College and Castle College in Sheffield as well as offering private tuition.

She started working at Sheffield Hallam after her private tuition students studying engineering here recommended her to provide maths help. She now works as a first year tutor and still provides maths help as well as teaching pure maths and mathematical skills.

Dr Sue Forder

Principal lecturer

Sue obtained her industrially-sponsored PhD in 'Mössbauer Spectroscopy of Borate glasses' at the University of Sheffield, having studied there for her first degree in physics and materials science. She continues to use Mössbauer spectroscopy to support research projects and consultancy, publishes papers and presents results at international conferences. Sue is a chartered physicist and chartered engineer.

Sue trained to teach and, after teaching physics in local schools, joined the staff of Sheffield City Polytechnic just before it became Sheffield Hallam University. Sue enjoys teaching physics and mathematics to engineering and maths students, as well as trainee teachers. She has a strong interest in developing learning, teaching and assessment (LTA) styles that support students' learning. Part of her principal lecturer responsibilities are as LTA lead in the department of engineering and mathematics. Sue is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.