Having studied Agricultural Botany at Nottingham University, he took a PhD in plant biochemistry at Aberystwyth University. He developed valuable teaching skills, becoming an Open University residential school demonstrator and knew immediately that teaching and student support was for him.
Two postdoctoral positions later, he gained a lectureship at Sussex University (1998) and was instrumental in initiating and leading the development of new Masters provision. In 2002, his enthusiasm and expertise for student support was recognised being appointed Director of Student Support for the School of Life Sciences at Sussex University.
As his academic career developed, he started working from 1993 as a part-time Associate Lecturer (tutor) for The Open University (OU); work that continues 30 years later and still informs his everyday practice. This experience led to a major career move when he joined the OU full-time as a Staff Tutor (2005), an academic position with line management responsibilities for Associate Lecturers in the South-East of England.
He subsequently became Associate Dean for Student Support in the Faculty of Science (2012-16) and then, following an institutional faculty restructure, became Associate Dean for Student Experience in the Faculty of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) (2016-2021). With responsibility for student support and assessment, this role meant he made a pivotal contribution to the faculty and wider OU’s response to the COVID pandemic, alongside his roles as Director of the OU’s Assessment Programme and chair of University-wide Assessment Groups. More recently, he has led an OU wide initiative determining the future direction for the delivery of exams building on lessons learned during the pandemic.
He became a Principal Fellow of Advance HE in 2021 and was appointed Professor of Science Education and Head of the School of Environment, Earth and Ecosystem Sciences (2022-present).