Dr Helen King

National Teaching Fellow 2006 Institution at the time of Award: Plymouth University Dr Helen King is currently Head of Academic Staff Development at the University of Bath where she leads a team supporting both teaching and researcher development. Her particular interests lie in linking teaching and research through professional development, and Disciplinary Thinking (ways of thinking and practising in the disciplines). The majority of Helen's career to date has been working on a UK-wide scale to support academic development in the disciplines. Prior to a temporary move to the USA in 2007 she was Assistant Director of the HE Academy's Subject Centre for Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences (GEES) based at the University of Plymouth. She had a UK-wide role working with subject-based academic and support staff to help them enhance their students learning experience. She also worked closely with colleagues locally in Plymouth and her teaching responsibilities there included supporting the postgraduate skills development programme. She is recognised nationally and internationally for her work and holds a Senior Fellowship of the Staff and Educational Development Association (SEDA). Helen has made particularly important contributions in areas such as employability, entrepreneurship, continuing professional development and research into student learning. In her previous role as manager of a Fund for the Development of Teaching and Learning (FDTL) project at the University of Southampton she inspired Earth Sciences colleagues by convening and running a series of popular UK-wide workshops and conferences on learning and teaching. These stimulated interest on a national scale and solicited over 55 case study examples of good practice. This was the first time that such resources had been developed and activities undertaken in this subject community, and Helen's success with this project led to her appointment at the GEES Subject Centre. Also at Southampton, Helen gained funding to set up the University's first Faculty-Based Learning and Teaching Co-ordinator post. Whilst at the GEES Subject Centre, she brought in over £150,000 to support a wide range of learning and teaching projects including work into school students perceptions of the GEES disciplines and their various needs at the point of transition to higher education. Helen has published widely and given presentations and workshops at a wide variety of national and international subject-based and educational development conferences. Related Links: http://www.bath.ac.uk/learningandteaching/about/staff/h.king.html http://www.drhelenking.co.uk http://disciplinarythinking.wordpress.org