Staff profile

I am an Assistant Professor (Education) at Durham University’s Centre for Academic Development (DCAD) and a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA). As Deputy Head of the Pre-sessional Programme, I oversee curriculum development across five intensive English for Academic Purposes (EAP) courses, working with around thirty educators and 350 international students each summer to ensure high-quality learning experiences.

During term time, I contribute to Durham’s Academic Skills Centre through workshops, one-to-one consultations, and scholarship, including international collaborations with universities in the UK and Australia. Since 2023, I have led the university-wide session Using Generative AI to Make You a Better Writer, building on my presentation Navigating AI-assisted writing while keeping critical human voice, which I gave in 2023 at the British Association of Lecturers in English for Academic Puroposes (BALEAP) conference.

Beyond the Pre-sessional, I have taught on the MA TESOL and Applied Linguistics, Foundation, and Academic Excellence programmes. I am active in DCAD’s Creative Pedagogies Research Group, contribute to the AI Policy Group and Equality Diversity and Inclusion committee, and regularly present at practice-sharing events.

In my own educational journey, I obtained my BA from the University of Toronto, my MA from the University of Cape Town and my PhD from Queen Mary, University of London. I began teaching English Language and Literature classes in South Africa in 1995, and I have also lived and worked in Australia, Canada, China, Mexico and Zimbabwe.I have significant experience as a PhD external examiner for the University of Pretoria, North-West University and the University of Western Australia.

For more information, see my LinkedIn profile.