Sharon

I am an experienced PhD chemist, with a BSc dual honours degree in biology and chemistry. I have extensive teaching experience backed by teaching qualifications. I cover all post 16+ exam preparation ( (I)(GCSE), A'level and IB) in Maths, Chemistry, Biology, Physics and combined sciences. I have worked in academia as a senior lecturer and researcher and have led the MSc in Environmental Sustainability and Green Technology at Keele University, which I grew from 8 students in 2008, to around 70 in 2023. I have led research including a prestigious £5M HyDEX bringing together advanced hydrogen expertise across the main 8 Midlands universities. I have also led work on battery, solar, EV charging, biomass and wind technology, and have had the privilege to work internationally on developing technology, e.g. in Bangladesh, Kenya and Nigeria.

I live in Staffordshire/Shropshire borders with 3 rescue pets, my husband, youngest son, (his friends!) and my grandaughter. In my spare time, I like to LARP (involves battling Orcs and sometimes bringing down spaceships) and I am addicted to boardgames.

I enjoy communicating science, and I was the manager of Keele Sustainability Hub at Keele University between 2011 and 2022, hosting around 1,000 visitors per month for science events, training, science education, and public engagement in science. I have published 12 Conversation articles and engaged millions of people through international media and news outlets, e.g. CNN, Al Jazeera, BBC talking about climate change, and the role of technology to solve sustainability challenges.

Tutoring Experience

I have 20+ years experience in teaching and tutoring students including at Keele University and I have been responsible for designing, delivering and examining an MSc programme, including online programme delivery for distance-learinng. I made the switch to tutoring, as I wanted to get back to one to one support for students as I enjoy seeing the 'light bulb' moment when a student finally masters something they have stuggled with.
I have led a range of university modules across topics including: climate change, green IT, renewable technologies, e.g. hydrogen tech, research support, e.g. analysis FTIR, SEM and XRD. I have been an external examiner at both Staffordshire and York Universities.

Tutoring Approach

I believe that students learn best when they are comfortble and in their own environment. This is why I teach online, as there is less time wasted with students travelling for tutition. Many students have signficant committments and therefore tutoring needs to fit in with their busy lives. Every student requires a tailored approach, but also there needs to be structure in order for them to feel like they have acheived something at the end of a session. From my experience, confidence is the secret to success in exams and my passion is to teach students confidence in subjects that perhaps have become a chore, or where their initial passion has waned because they are struggling. Sessions will be based around problem solving, with a show it, do it and teach it approach, which means that students are not just a passive receipient of information but are engaged and encouraged to have a go and master areas that had previously stumped them. Tutoring should be a postive and productive experience and to that end, I want my tutees to feel that being tutored is not something that is 'done' to them, but something that they reach for because they see the benefit.
All students can benefit from tuition, and as someone experienced in supporting students with neuro-diversity and other learning challenges, I know the keys to unlock their potential, because just like science, it requires thinking outside the box. For many students mainstream education can sometimes feel like a box. To that end, I was awarded Keele’s “Autism Ally” award in 2016.