Nicholas Freestone

Associate Professor for Physiology and Pharmacology, Kingston University London

My Background

I believe I have the relevant experience that would enable me to fulfil the requirements of this role. I have previously been chosen twice to be the Education Theme Lead for The Physiological Society. For this role I organised education-themed conferences and workshops as well as organised webinars around the online delivery of teaching during the Covid pandemic (Promoting educational initiatives and supporting grant-holders in delivering their projects). See below for a representative list of outputs.

For the Royal Society of Biology I founded (Identifying new ways SEB can better support educators in higher education and beyond) and co-chair the Bridging Awarding Gaps in the Biosciences Network (BAG) which runs an annual conference on this topic (Helping build a community of practice for experimental biology educators to share ideas and resources). I have also recently run a HUBS/RSB-funded project on “Diversifying the Curriculum in the Biosciences” (Encouraging session proposals and conference activities that highlight teaching and learning in the biosciences).

For The Physiological Society I have been a judge for the David Jordan Teaching Prize (Leading or supporting the judging of the SEB Education Grant) and I am currently the Chair of the panel of judges for the RSB’s “Higher Education Bioscience Teacher of the Year” Prize (Helping build a community of practice for experimental biology educators to share ideas and resources).

Apart from the experience delineated above I have also been the recipient over the years of a number of national prizes. In 2012 I was awarded the David Jordan Prize of The Physiological Society. In 2014 I was awarded the prize of HE Bioscience Teacher of the Year by the Royal Society of Biology and Oxford University Press. In 2021 I was awarded a National Teaching fellowship for my work on reducing awarding gaps amongst my diverse student cohorts and in August 2025 I was awarded the Rang Prize for Outstanding Achievement in Teaching by the British Pharmacological Society. In addition, I have won a number of individual prizes at my own institution (eg. Most Innovative Lecturer, Best Assessment and Feedback Practice, Faculty of Science Best lecturer).

Why I would like the role and would want to achieve

Despite all the above I think there are still things I want to do in this area. For instance, I would like to set up a Community of Practice around Diversifying the Curriculum in the Biosciences where experienced practitioners could share with colleagues their recommendations to improve our practices in this area (Helping build a community of practice for experimental biology educators to share ideas and resources).

I also think there is room for formal events outlining progression and promotion pathways (Identifying new ways SEB can better support educators in higher education and beyond) open to different types of university academics as well as tips that could be offered for National Teaching Fellowship applications and the different fellowships of AdvanceHE (FHEA, SFHEA, PFHEA).

Given my skills and experiences delineated above in this role, I would be excited to champion innovative approaches to teaching and learning, ensuring that the Society remains at the forefront of educational practice (Promoting educational initiatives and supporting grant-holders in delivering their projects). Biology is an ever-evolving field, and so are the methods we must use to engage students—whether through hands-on practicals, interdisciplinary teaching, or embedding cutting-edge research into the classroom. I see the convenor position as a chance to connect educators, researchers, and students, creating opportunities for dialogue and exchange that will strengthen the teaching community within SEB (Helping build a community of practice for experimental biology educators to share ideas and resources).

Finally, this role aligns closely with my personal and professional values. I believe strongly in diversity, inclusivity and equity of access to all aspects of the Biosciences environment. As Chair of the BAG Network much of my practice is devoted to the learning needs of my diverse students. Serving as Education Convenor would allow me to have a positive impact in a wider environment where experimentation, collaboration, and creativity in teaching are encouraged and celebrated (Helping build a community of practice for experimental biology educators to share ideas and resources).

Relevant Outputs

• Diversity in Teaching - The Physiological Society

• Editorial: Education in a time of COVID - The Physiological Society

• Nick Freestone: the power of empathy and advocating for others

• The Bioscience Awarding Gap Network

• ClosingAttainmentGapsHUBSWorkshopReport_Final.pdf

• Bringing stories to life through student engagement: a personalised approach to diversifying the curriculum | British Pharmacological Society

• Resources for Pharmacology Education | British Pharmacological Society

Peter Moult

Lecturer (Learning & Teaching) in Neuroscience, University of Glasgow

Biography 

Dr Peter Moult was appointed lecturer (Learning & Teaching) in Neuroscience at the University of Glasgow in 2018 and now leads year 3 of the Undergraduate Neuroscience degree.

Peter graduated with a BSc(Hons) in Pharmacology from the University of Aberdeen, before going on to complete an MRC funded PhD in Cellular Neuroscience at the MRC Centre for Synaptic Plasticity at the University of Bristol. Originally remaining in Bristol as a postdoctoral research assistant, Peter then moved on as a postdoctoral research assistant and research fellow to the University of Dundee & University of St. Andrew’s respectively. 

Peter was awarded his first learning & teaching focussed lectureship in Biomedical Sciences at Abertay University in 2013 before moving to his current role at the University of Glasgow as a Lecturer in Neuroscience in 2018.

Whilst originally training and working in cellular neuroscience across several universities he has developed a keen interest in the scholarship of teaching and learning, particularly pertaining to collaborative curriculum design with practical skills applications within the life sciences.
Peter is a keen advocate of widening participation, leading the Life Sciences college articulation program for the university of Glasgow which facilitates a direct entry route for college students into level two the life science programs.
Peter has taught and led a variety of Life Sciences courses over the years both in Glasgow & Dundee with a wide range of experience in course leadership, external examining and QA work. 

Why I would like the role and what I plan to achieve

I am passionate about supporting educators at all stages of their careers, with a particular focus on those new to teaching roles. I believe strongly in embedding colleagues within a supportive community where best practice can be shared and the scholarship of teaching and learning can be actively advanced.

I bring extensive experience in securing external funding, reviewing grants, and managing projects—having successfully supervised three PhD students to completion while holding teaching-focused lectureships. I also serve on the reviewing committee for Glasgow’s annual Learning and Teaching Conference. This background equips me to contribute to strengthening SEB’s community of practice by enhancing support for grant writing, peer review, and project management. Whilst we all deliver excellent teaching, I believe our strong community can be enhanced further by helping colleagues secure more of the limited external funding needed to develop innovative SoTL projects that can further inform and enrich our teaching practices.

Sarah Rayment

Scholarship-focused Lecturer, Nottingham Trent University

I am a scholarship-focused lecturer at Nottingham Trent University with research interests focussed on professional skill development and lab learning as evidenced by completing a second PhD exploring how academics and students use technology to support lab education. As part of my role, I am also centre director for our department’s Bioscience Scholarship Research Centre. In this role, I focus on building community amongst scholarship staff, upskilling new researchers to support their personal development, and providing insight and opportunities for disseminating their research. For the past four years, I have reviewed university education funding grants within my institution and have recently reviewed SEB education grants. In recognition of my contributions to scholarship (personally, across the institution and beyond) I was awarded the NTU Vice Chancellors Award for Scholarship this year.

A key motivation in my job role is supporting colleagues to build community and confidence in educational research within our department, so becoming the education convener would be an amazing opportunity to extend this to support colleagues across the globe. As the educational convener, I would draw on my experience in leading our department’s scholarship strand to strengthen this community of practice by:

• Continuing to build and maintain community amongst all members (across all career stages and academic pathways), ensuring awareness of educational grant opportunities and encouraging contributions at the annual conference. 
• Development of an evaluation toolkit of resources/training to support early career researchers and those new to scholarship research. By drawing on the expertise in our community to create this, it would support contributors’ reach and impact.
• Moving from reviewing to leading the education grant reviews in collaboration with the OED trustee and support them in seeking additional funding for these given increasing demand for the scheme.
• Extend dissemination potential strategies for members. In the first instance this would be by creating an SEB educational blog to run alongside and compliment the webinar programme. I would also explore the possibility of creating an education section in the society journals.

Jordon Millward

PhD student in Education and the Life Sciences, Imperial College London,

Jordon is a final year interdisciplinary PhD student in Education and the Life Sciences at Imperial College London, investigating how biology students navigate their disciplinary journey and develop professional identities as scientists through the relationships and experiences that shape their career trajectories. His research employs discourse analysis and ethnographic methods to examine how language influences student engagement with scientific communities. With a background rooted in agroecology and animal behaviour, Jordon brings practical expertise in poultry and waterfowl species to his academic work, which informed his career as a further education lecturer teaching vocational courses and working extensively with widening participation students, including those from SEND backgrounds. His experience spans from practical animal management to developing inclusive pedagogical approaches that connect theoretical knowledge with real-world application. Jordon is particularly invested in making research accessible and demonstrating academia's community impact through organising the "Empowering Research for Community Impact" symposium and co-chairing multiple conference sessions. His approach to outreach centres on meeting audiences where they are: through active engagement across social media platforms and his podcast "Sitting Down with Scholars," he demystifies education, biology, and policy content whilst showcasing researchers' academic journeys and fostering collaborations that extend academic discourse beyond traditional boundaries.

Interest in Outreach Convenor Role

My interest in the outreach convenor role comes from experiencing firsthand how biological research can influence policy, inspire educational pathways, and strengthen research communities when communicated effectively. Through my work with APPG STEM Inclusion and delivering programmes across diverse international contexts, I've seen how accessible science communication creates genuine impact beyond academic circles. What draws me to this role is the opportunity to help SEB members share their research more broadly. Having coordinated workshops for varied audiences and developed digital platforms that connect researchers with different communities, I understand both the challenges and rewards of making complex biological concepts engaging for non-specialist audiences. My experience with science festivals, podcast development, and cross-cultural educational delivery has shown me that effective outreach requires thoughtful coordination and genuine commitment to meeting audiences where they are. I'm particularly interested in exploring how SEB can expand its digital engagement and support members in developing innovative outreach approaches that demonstrate the transformative potential of biological research.

Stuart Thompson

Senior Lecturer in Plant Biochemistry, University of Westminster

I did my doctoral research on abscission with Daphne Osborne in Oxford and then went to Lancaster to work on crop ecophysiology with Bill Davis, but since 2000 I have been a plant science lecturer at Westminster in a department mostly focussed on human health and biomedicine. As a result, I have become a “Jack of Trades” in my teaching, lecturing on subjects including (but not limited to) abiogenesis, exobiology, climate change, and quantum biology, as well as things closer to home such as food security (and pretty much anything we teach that involves plants). I also lead modules on bioethics and scientific history and philosophy. I therefore feel that I can bring curiosity and enthusiasm (and at least a little knowledge), about a very wide range of aspects of biology and science, and the intersection of science and society. I have also written several popular science articles for The Conversation, a number of which have been republished by the iPaper. I think that these articles have shown that I understand how to make science interesting and accessible for lay audiences.

Science and technology have probably been the most important drivers of change in society since at least the start of the twentieth century. However, the public’s understanding of science and, at least as importantly, how to make reasoned judgements about scientific claims has lagged behind. The consequences of this are having wide impacts on key issues such as vaccine uptake, living healthily, or behaviours to mitigate climate change. It is therefore critical that we make scientific knowledge, the process by which it is created, and what it means, widely available and transparent. What I would hope to achieve is to help make SEB members (and colleagues outside the Society) more visible, communicating what they know, why they are confident that this is the best interpretation of the available information, and in some cases what reasonable ethical or policy choices this might lead to.