Alison Harvey

Alison is a Teaching and Scholarship lecturer in the Department of Materials where her teaching is mostly focused on Advanced Biomedical Materials Science.

Alison completed her PhD in the area of fluorescent peptide-based biosensors at the University of Manchester under the supervision of Professor Rein Ulijn. She subsequently worked as a Post-Doctoral Research Associate in various research groups which included investigating surface topography for biocompatibility and 3-dimensional composite scaffolds for stem cell differentiation.

Taking on her current role in 2019, Alison’s current focus is on the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning. Within this role she has developed two units for students within the EPSRC funded Centre for Doctoral Training in Advanced Biomedical Materials:

• Imaging, Characterisation and Key Manufacturing Techniques (MATS64231), in which a blended learning approach is used to provide appropriate level content for students from a variety of disciplinary backgrounds and is combined with in person demonstrations of kit and journal clubs to explore the use of techniques in research practices. The teaching and learning activities in the unit align with a unit long coursework where students are provided with a clinical challenge and must devise a plan to create and assess a novel biomaterials approach.
• Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) (MATS64241), in which social science aspects are embedded in the curriculum. A reflective and discursive approach is taken to the sessions, encouraging students to develop their own concepts of RRI in relation to their projects.

Alison’s key interests in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning include:

• The challenges of interdisciplinary teaching and learning, and the use of active learning approaches in this.
• Embedding aspects of RRI and EDI in the curriculum for STEM students.
• Creating and promoting inclusive and supportive learning (and research) environments.

In the Department of Materials I teach at both undergraduate and postgraduate level.

At undergraduate level I am a lecturer in:

MATS16402 Materials Shaping the World (Biomaterials component)

MATS32302 Stem Cells and Tissue Engineering 

I also supervise themed group research projects with 3rd year students within MATS31702.

At postgraduate level I have created two units for the CDT in Advanced Biomedical Materials Science. I am the main lecturer and unit coordinator for these units:

MATS64231 Imaging, Characterisation and Key Manufacturing Techniques

MATS64241 Responsible Research and Innovation

Development of teaching approaches in MATS64241 has involved finding innovative approaches to embedding issues such as EDI, social justice and sustainability within the curriculum. 

At faculty level I support the training of Graduate Teaching Assistants within the Teaching For Researchers (TfR) programme through the delivery of:

FSESS7003 Teaching for Researchers (TfR): Teaching Skills and Facilitation.

MIMMM

MRSC

Member of SEDA

FHEA