Dr Paula Smith

Director of Undergraduate Portfolios

  • Biology Teaching Organisation
  • School of Biological Sciences

Contact details

Address

Street

Peter Wilson Building
The King’s Buildings, Nicholas Kemmer Road

City
Edinburgh
Post code
EH9 3FH

Biography

Background

I joined the Biology Teaching Organisation as a lecturer in Biological Education in December 2019. My role is to implement experiential learning enhancement and integrated skills development for the new curriculum in the School of Biological Sciences, through introduction of a reflective ePortfolio in which students can evidence their skills attainment and critically reflect upon their learning journey.

I have been in continuous academic employment since completing my PhD in 1995. I conducted seven years of postdoctoral research in biomedical science, including a Wellcome Trust Prize Fellowship at Toronto University, Canada.   I held lectureships in Neuropharmacology (UoE) and Biomedical Science &Toxicology (Edinburgh Napier University), before spending nine years as an Academic eFacilitator/Senior Lecturer for Edinburgh Surgery Online, Deanery of Clinical Sciences (UoE).   As well as delivering science degree programmes on-campus and online, I have taught in industry (Aptuit) and overseas (Université Paul Verlaine-Metz, France; Hong Kong HKU Space).   In 2017, I completed the Edinburgh Teaching Award for Senior Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy.

Qualifications

BSc (Hons) Biological Sciences: Pharmacology (1st) (1988 - 1992) University of Edinburgh 

PhD in Cardiovascular Pharmacology (1992 - 1995) University of Edinburgh 

Responsibilities & affiliations

  • Higher Education Academy/Advance HE – Fellow (2004-2017); Senior Fellow (since 2017)
  • Medical Science Educator Journal - Editorial Board member (Associate Editor) (since 2015)
  • MSc Imaging/Neuroimaging – UoE Board of Examiners Convenor (since 2017)
  • International Association of Medical Science Educators (IAMSE) – Educational Scholarship Committee member (since 2018)
  • MSc Critical Care – UoE Board of Examiners Convenor (since 2019)
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