Nicholas Weise, PFHEA

Nick is a teaching-focussed academic split between the University of Manchester's School of Natural Sciences and the Manchester Medical School. He currently serves as the University's Theme Lead for Student Success & Academic Development and the Faculty of Biology Medicine & Health's Lead for Student Experience & Inclusion as well as being both the Department of Chemistry's Academic Coordinator of Peer Support and Teaching & Learning Enhancement Lead.

Previously Nick held the roles of E-Learning Lead and Head of Social Responsibility for the chemistry discipline, along with his tenure as the Academic Lead for Postgraduate Researcher Training (Biology, Medicine & Health). His interests in teaching, effective learning environments and student support were sparked and developed by his work as a Pastoral Care Tutor in Denmark Road Halls of Residence and Peer-assisted Study Session (PASS) Leader / Student Coordinator in the former Faculty of Life Sciences.

2009-12: Undergraduate Student

BSc (Hons) in Molecular Biology, Peer-assisted Study Session Leader / Student Coordinator, Vice Captain of the University of Manchester Trampoline Club.

2012-15: Postgraduate Doctoral Researcher

PhD in Biological Chemistry, Graduate Teaching Assistant, Outreach Volunteer

2015-2017: Public Engagement Programme Manager

Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, BBSRC Networks in Industrial Biotechnology (IBCarb & BioCatNet)

2015-2017 Postdoctoral Research Associate

EU Innovate Medicine's Initiative (CHEM21), Horizon 2020 Coordination & Support Action (CarboMet)

2017-2022: Lecturer (Chemistry)

2019-2022: Lecturer (Centre for Academic & Researcher Development)

2022-present: Senior Lecturer (Chemistry & Medical Education)

Nick's discipline-specific teaching encompasses areas of organic compound reactivity and biomolecular chemistry, ranging from undergraduate instruction at the university to open online course modules with over 70,000 learners worldwide. His work in education has been recognised by a Senior Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy, an Inaugural Fellowship of the Institute for Teaching & Learning, prizes from the Directorate for the Student Experience and University of Manchester Students' Union, as well as multiple institution-wide Teaching Excellence Awards.

Nick receives multiple invitations to present on his approaches to teaching and delivers wide-ranging development initiatives to train higher education professionals and practitioners. His portfolio in this area has spanned many levels of educator training:

- Undergraduate: Peer Assisted Study / Peer Mentor Training, Interdisciplinary Educational Project Supervision

- Postgraduate / Postdoctoral: Graduate Teaching Assistant Training, Teaching for Researchers Programme

- University Staff: New Academics Programmes (across two faculties), Pedagogic Development Programme, Leadership in Education Awards Programme.

- National Health Service: Clinical Educator Development (Health Education England, Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Trust) and Higher Scientific Specialist Training.

Nick's contributions to the research agenda of the university focus on pathways to impact within the Manchester Institute of Biotechnology and the Biotechnology Research Beacon more broadly. He founded and coordinates the institute's Programme of Public Engagement with Research & Researchers, which aims to lower the barriers to science communication for postgraduates, postdoctoral staff and academics. Nick's work has included art-science collaborations with the Royal Northern College of Music, multilingual community engagement and contributions to national events (e.g. Big Bang Festival, Royal Society Summer Science Exhibitions, New Scientist Live).

For his work on dissemination of research outcomes involving non-traditional, hard-to-reach audiences, Nick was made an Inaugural Public Engagement Champion of the University of Manchester. His initiatives have also been recognised by multiple prizes for external contribution to social responsibility, an award from the Royal Society of Chemistry's Diversity & Inclusion Fund, a Biochemical Society Diversity in Science Grant and inclusion in successful submissions to the Queens Anniversary Prize by the institute (creation of  socioeconomic impact) and REF2021 by his department (impact case study, awareness raising).