Dawn has over 20 years of experience in Further and Higher Education, originally specialising in Literature, Language, and Teacher Training. She has a particular focus on working with reluctant learners and those whose experiences of education have been fragmented or challenging.

Currently undertaking a PhD, her research explores why learners do not always engage with,or benefit from traditional learning environments—seeking to understand the structural, emotional, and pedagogic barriers that can inhibit learning. Drawing on Basil Bernstein’s concept of pedagogic rights, she is committed to building inclusive, responsive departments where all learners have the right to be included, to be heard, and grow into confident, engaged learners.

She is also a keen birdwatcher and cyclist.

Asif Iqbal has a background in primary education leadership and has worked both in the UK and internationally, including the US, the UAE, Qatar, Afghanistan and Tajikistan. This has included a variety of roles in teaching, leadership and education consultancy from EYFS to adult education. His current roles are in teacher training at Leeds Beckett University and FE/HE Lecturing at Keighley College. He is passionate about teacher welfare, creativity in the classroom and has an MA in Digital Technologies Education. 

Jo is a lecturer in the Education and Health Department at UCLeeds. She has been teaching for over twenty years predominantly in secondary schools and then in HE and FE. She has taught on BA, MA and PGCE programmes and has published research in UK and international journals.  She currently teaches on the Fd and BA Top Up courses for Early Years and Supporting Teaching and Learning as well as on the PGCE and Cert programmes. 

She currently teaches on the Fd and BA Top Up courses for Early Years and Supporting Teaching and Learning as well as on the PGCE and Cert programmes. 

Lee Chapman, Deputy Head of Digital Learning Development at University Centre Leeds, supports the integration of digital technologies in higher education. Over the past year, he has focused on AI research, devising strategies and training programs to foster ethical AI use among students and staff. Additionally, Lee has supported the rollout of the new VLE Blackboard, working to enhance its functionality to meet evolving teaching demands. His current initiatives include creating engaging digital content, using AI to support teaching learning and assessment and refining online delivery methods to keep pace with industry changes driven by generative AI. Lee is also collaborating with the Creative Department to launch a new UCLeeds podcast that celebrates past student successes and aims to expand the institution's online presence.

Ruth is a Student Support Manger in EHL who began her career in education teaching Physical Education in Secondary schools which had been her passion since she was a teenager and fell in love with all things sport at school. 

Ruth progressed into Lecturing at HE in 2018 after a short stint working on Cruise Ships travelling the world, this experience broadened her horizons and introduced her to new cultures and backgrounds that have influenced how she interacts with students today.

Ruth is an advocate for girls in Sport and has recently been recognised with this at the 'Inspire Inclusion' awards ceremony earlier this year. 

In her current role Ruth advocates for students for additional needs whilst supporting others academically. 

Outside of work Ruth is a keen Hockey player, enjoys walking and can often be found in the gym. 

Sarah Cook brings over two decades of international commercial HR and business experience, having held senior roles at IBM where she specialised in outsourcing megadeals and operational leadership. Sarah was based in the UK and France, with responsibilities for staff across multiple European countries. In addition, she participated high-stakes business pursuits across Africa, Asia, Europe, and the USA, gaining deep cross-cultural expertise and a global perspective on workforce dynamics.

Twelve years ago Sarah transitioned into higher education, focusing on Business and Leadership & Management. She brings a practitioner’s insight into HE, linking academic theory with real-world application. Alongside her academic work, Sarah has developed a strong interest in widening participation, particularly advocating for the inclusion of refugees and asylum seekers in higher education. Her commitment to social justice underpins her teaching and research, with a focus on removing barriers for marginalised groups and promoting equitable access to learning.

After 18 years working with vulnerable adults and prison leavers in the South of England, I moved to Yorkshire in 2022, looking for a fresh start and a new professional challenge. I began working in further education, supporting 14–16-year-olds in alternative provision—young people who often struggled with behaviour and engagement in mainstream education.

In September 2023, I started an English teaching apprenticeship, delivering GCSE English to learners aged 16–27, many of whom have not passed the qualification in previous attempts. I teach in one of the most deprived wards in the district, where a range of social and economic factors influence students’ access to and engagement with education.

I take a trauma-informed and inclusive approach to teaching, shaped by my experience working in complex support settings. My aim is to create a classroom environment where learners feel respected, supported, and motivated to succeed. I focus on building confidence, promoting real-world relevance, and helping students develop the skills they need for life beyond education.

Afnan is an experienced and dedicated ESOL teacher based in Enfield, bringing five years of comprehensive experience to the field of English language education. Their professional journey spans both UK and international settings, providing a rich and diverse understanding of language acquisition and pedagogy.

Afnan recently enhanced their qualifications by acquiring a Level 5 teaching certificate, underscoring a strong commitment to advanced pedagogical theory and practice. This achievement reflects a dedication to continuous professional development and a deeper appreciation for effective teaching methodologies.

While primarily focused on adult education, Afnan also holds valuable experience teaching under-18s, broadening their perspective on learning across different age groups. This breadth of experience informs Afnan's insights and contributions to the Higher Education Research Festival

I am a language teacher working within the ESOL department of a large inner-city further-education college in the North of England. Backed by a First-Class BA (Hons) in Linguistics and the English Language and more than fifteen years’ international and UK-based TEFL experience, I design inclusive, sequenced curricula for adult learners at Entry 3 and Level 1.

I engage in practitioner research that informs both my classroom practice and wider departmental development. My current interests include the principled integration of educational technology and artificial intelligence to enhance digital literacy, self-directed learning, and formative feedback.

My professional ethos centres on facilitation, collaboration, autonomy, inclusivity, and lifelong learning. By modelling these values, I aim to equip learners with the communicative confidence and transferable skills needed to participate fully in work, study and civic life in the UK.

I have just completed the Certificate in Education at University Centre Leeds. As an ESOL teacher, I am deeply passionate about empowering individuals through education. I teach a diverse range of adult learners embarking on their educational journey. I guide students, who are facing a whole range of barriers, through the intricacies of language acquisition and I am committed to opening doors to opportunity.

I have become interested in trauma informed practice during my studies and have employed the principles in my teaching since the very beginning. 

Seán is a composer, producer and inter-disciplinary artist whose practice centres on thematically engaged collaboration which focuses on reactivity and creativity; with significant experience working in trans-disciplinary environments to produce meaningful creative outputs from artistic production to research.

He is co-artistic director with archipelago arts collective, a not-for-profit organisation making new, bold and generous work in the north of England in collaboration with communities and artists working across creative disciplines. 

In an academic environment he lectures in music production, songwriting and musical direction at Leeds Conservatoire and havre previously lectured in cross-disciplinary artistic collaboration at Manchester Metropolitan University’s School of Digital Arts.

Pa is a manager at Tesco and is studying FD Health and Wellbeing to improve his practice when managing staff. He has research interests in staff wellbeing, safeguarding and mental health.

Zainabou is a third year student who has just finished her BA Health and Social Care. She has research interests in mental health services for diverse populations and communication techniques for autistic individuals.

I'm Izzy (they/them), a hair and makeup artist specialising in queer identity and expression through presentation. My work seeks to explore and push the boundaries of western cultural gender norms and celebrate the people who live outside of the binary. 

My work is informed by contemporary research, literature and trends, as well as the lived experience of myself and the other queer people in my life.

Holly is an English GCSE teacher at Leeds City College, where she has worked for six years in various roles such as supporting students within the college's alternative provision, School Liaison, and guiding transitions for EHCP prospective students on the SEND team. She is about to start her fourth academic year in the English department.

A drama graduate from the University of Lincoln (2017), Holly earned a first-class dissertation exploring how drama techniques can enhance socioemotional skills in Autistic students.

Her passion for inclusive education was deepened by a six-month teaching experience in Bangladesh in 2015. Early in her career, she supported young people through the NCS programme in Bradford and Leeds, helping empower youth in diverse and underserved communities.

Now acting as the Assistive Technology/SEND champion for her department, Holly is committed to ongoing professional development in special educational needs and disabilities, ensuring her teaching is informed, responsive, and impactful.

Combining her experience in drama, outreach, and SEND, she is dedicated to creating inclusive, supportive learning environments with a creative twist where every student can thrive.

As a Teacher Facilitator at Luminate Education Group, Leeds City College (2023-present), I currently deliver the Level 2 NCFE Creating a Business for a Start-up, BTEC Level 2 Business Enterprise, and BTEC Level 3 Extended Certificate in Business to 16-18 year old learners within the Business School. For the past two years I have studied the Level 5 Cert Ed with the University Centre Leeds along with completing Level 5 Learning Skills teacher apprenticeship. My passion lies in empowering students to achieve their academic and career aspirations and boosting their employability prospects. 

During the 2023-24 academic year, I delivered the BTEC Level 2 Business Enterprise and Level 3 Extended Certificate in Marketing at the School of Events, Enterprise and Employability.

Prior to this role, I served as a Project Worker within the School of Events, Enterprise and Employability (2020-2022). Here, I helped design and execute student engagement activities that enhanced learners' interpersonal and work-related skills.

I hold a 2:1 BA in Business Management from the University of Huddersfield. I also have industry experience of planning and coordinating digital and offline marketing projects for higher education student recruitment and for private and public sector clients in a creative marketing agencies. 

I am Megha Bansal,  a newly qualified GCSE Maths teacher in the Creative Arts Department. I recently completed my teaching apprenticeship and gained experience that profoundly shaped my pedagogical approach. During my apprenticeship, I gained extensive experience in diverse teaching strategies and methodologies, alongside participating in professional development focusing on equality, neurodiversity, digital skills, and inclusive education. I also completed modules of White Rose Maths and participated in the Mastery Maths research project, where I analysed the importance of inclusive resources in the classroom, which motivated me to make math engaging and accessible for all students and help students discover the logic and patterns behind numbers.

I possess a strong interest in researching effective teaching strategies and analysing their impact on student learning outcomes. Recently, I did research and found the positive impact of 'inclusive resources' in the classroom. I'm also eager to observe experienced educators and learn from their practices. 

As a maths teacher, my goal is to create a classroom environment where students view math learning as a journey of growth and continuous improvement, encouraging them to embrace challenges and learn from mistakes. I believe students learn best by actively constructing their understanding through exploration, experimentation, and collaboration. 

James (He/They) is the Group Access and Participation Research and Evaluation Manager for UC Leeds and Leeds Conservatoire. They have over a decade of experience in the education sector, having worked across all phases and key stages, specialising in supporting disadvantaged and underrepresented young people. 

James' research interests are around inequity in education experiences of working-class learners and barriers that these learners may face in accessing high-quality arts education. 

James is also the chair of the West Yorkshire Boys' Impact Hub, our region's network, which is part of the national Boys' Impact Collective. https://www.boysimpact.com/ 

Will is a Higher Education Outreach Officer for Go Higher West Yorkshire, based at Leeds Conservatoire. Before his role at GHWY, he was a secondary school teacher specialising in History and Sociology, but with experience in a number of other subjects.

Will is one of the leads of GHWY's Underrepresented Groups Programme, focusing primarily on male learners on free school meals. He is responsible for the creation and delivery of the 'Speak Up' programme, now in its second year. He also oversees resource creation at GHWY. 

Will is a member of the West Yorkshire Boys' Impact Hub and sits on the working group as GHWY's representative in the Brilliant Club's Bradford Parent Power initiative.

Scott Hewitt (BA, MMus, PhD) is interested in the future of creative industries and teaching in the post surveillance capitalism world. He is interested in how education can prepare individuals for a vulnerable world rich with dangerous AIs, disrupted by rule breakers but perhaps yet rich with opportunities. 

Ben Hennessy-Garside [BA (Hons.)] is a music educator with experience playing a range of instruments, composing and producing. Now specialising in voice, Ben's role at Leeds Conservatoire includes singing coaching, delivered alongside teaching in one-to-one settings as a self-employed singing coach.

His students include / have included those with exposure on BBC Radio One, artists with Spotify streams of more than 5 million, signed artists, professional / semi -professional function singers, other singing teachers and amateurs. 

Whilst studying at Leeds Conservatoire (then Leeds College of Music) between 2003 and 2006, Ben scouted for Faith & Hope Records (Mint Royale, Subaqwa, National Forest), also working in music instrument retail and as a live sound engineer.

In 2008, Ben received a Post Graduate Certificate in Education with a post-compulsory focus and has worked in music education ever since. Alongside vocal coaching, Ben’s delivered units / modules including performance, composition, arrangement, theory, sound recording and the music industry. 

Across 2021 and 2022 he co-wrote, co-produced and appeared in the educational podcast 'Charting Tracks: a Holistic Guide for Professional Music Makers' alongside the grammy award winning Aamir Yaqub and Chris O'Gorman, ex-head of digital for Capitol Records and current Director of Moledro Digital.

Arshad Ahmed Mir is HE Lecturer in Engineering at University Centre Leeds. He received his PhD in Mechanical Engineering from Aston University, UK. He worked on different research projects at the University of Birmingham and University of Leeds. He has about 15 years of teaching and research experience. His research interests include Engineering Materials, Environmental Sustainability and Nanotechnology. He supervised several research projects at undergraduate level. He has 15 research publications in different popular scientific journals and international conference proceedings. 

Charli is a makeup artist and lecturer specialising in the history of makeup and creative makeup practice. With an MA in art history and background in gender studies, along with over a decade of experience working with creative makeup brands, Charli is an enthusiastic champion of self-expression and teaches across a range of disciplines on subcultures, global beauty trends and identity through makeup and style.

Her debut book - Made Up: A History of Identity and Gender Expression Through Makeup and Style - was published by Routledge in December 2024, and is available globally.

The book is the result of over a decade of research, teaching and an unyielding passion for the history of makeup, style and identity.

Dr. Rachel Elizabeth Barraclough is a lecturer in Screen Media and Senior Lecturer in Research. She has taught widely on the subjects of foundational film and media theory, national, transnational and global cinemas and the horror genre. She has also published work within the areas of Japanese cinema, horror media and transnational cinema. She received her PhD from the University of Lincoln in 2018. 

Katie is currently employed at Leeds Children's Hospital on the Oncology and Hematology ward along with the bone marrow transplant unit. She has worked in these areas for four years. Katie is also a second year student at University Centre Leeds studying Health Play Specialism and has used her specialised experiences and new learning to guide and inform her research.

I am a Health Play Specialist student with a background in Early Years education. I work primarily with paediatric cardiac patients at Leeds Children's Hospital. I am currently in my second year at UCL studying Health Play Specialism.

I began my professional journey in childcare, where I developed a strong foundation in supporting children's emotional, developmental, and physical needs. This early experience fostered my passion for working with children and laid the groundwork for a transition into healthcare. Over the past four years, I have worked in a busy children's hospital, gaining hands-on experience across a variety of specialities, including oncology, PICU, and NICU.

During this time, I have supported children and families through complex and often emotionally challenging circumstances, building my skills in therapeutic communication and holistic care. I am currently nearing completion of the Health Play Specialist course, which has further enhanced my ability to use play therapeutically to support children’s coping and recovery during hospitalisation.

At present, I work in Paediatric and Neonatal Intensive Care, where I contribute to the care of critically ill infants and children. This role demands a high level of emotional resilience and adaptability, as well as a compassionate and child-centred approach. My combined experience in both community and acute care settings enables me to provide tailored, developmentally appropriate support to children of all ages and abilities. I am committed to continuing professional development and passionate about improving the hospital experience for young patients and their families.

I am completing a Level 5 Foundation Degree in Health Play Specialism and work in a children's emergency department. In my role, I use developmental and therapeutic play to support the emotional and psychological wellbeing of children and young people. I have a particular passion for supporting those presenting with mental health needs. 

Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with my nieces and nephews, working out, running, reading and painting.