Prof Heather McQueen (BSc, PhD, SFHEA, NTF)

Professor of Biology Education. Associate Director of teaching for Scholarship of Teaching and Learning.

Contact details

Address

Street

Institute of Cell Biology
University of Edinburgh
Roger Land Building
RL 1.64
Alexander Crum Brown Road
Kings Buildings

City
Edinburgh
Post code
EH9 3FF

Biography

Background

August 2019- present: Professor of Biology Education, Institute of Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh

August 2010 - September 2019:  Senior Lecturer, Institute of Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh

September 2015- August 2017: Secondment (half-time) to the Institute of Academic Development (IAD), University of Edinburgh

January 2001-  July 2010:      Lecturer, Institute of Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh

October 1998-January 2001: Caledonian Research Fellowship (Personal Fellow), Institute of Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Edinburgh

March 1995-October 1998:    Postdoctoral Research Fellow Institute of Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Edinburgh

October 1991-March 1995:   Higher Scientific Officer, Roslin Institute, Edinburgh

July 1988-July 1991:         Research Associate, Edinburgh University Medical School

Qualifications

Glasgow University, B.Sc. in Genetics (Hons, 2i),  1983-1987.

Edinburgh University, Ph.D., Medical Faculty,  1988-1991.

Edinburgh University, Professional certificate in University teaching, 2004.

Senior Fellow Higher Education Academy, 2018.

Responsibilities & affiliations

National Teaching Fellow (2019).

Associate Director of Teaching for Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, School of Biological Sciences.

Director Midlothian Science Festival. <http://midlothiansciencefestival.com>

Member of School of Biological Sciences Learning and Teaching committee, and Curriculum Council.

External Examiner, Glasgow University.

College Academic Misconduct Officer (2011 –2016).

Project Leader for Gene Jury. <http://www.genejury.biology.ed.ac.uk/About.html>

 

Open to PhD supervision enquiries?

Yes

Current research interests

I am interested in a wide variety of pedagogical issues, particularly evidence-led approaches to student learning and engagement. I am currently investigating methods and benefits of personalised learning in lectures and am trialling a novel form of the flipped classroom known as 'quectures'. Quectures aim to engage students during lectures via interaction, discussion and personalisation of learning and make use of students' own questions for learning.

Current project grants

2018: IAD Action Fund, 'Biology EdTA network'

Past project grants

2016: Centre for Science Education summer student, Student Engagement'
2016: Innovative Initiative funds, storyline interactives for teaching.
2013-2014: ‘The closed Facebook course page: A breeding ground for poor academic practice or a new opportunity for good scholarship awareness?’ Higher Education Academy, Teaching Development Grant, £6,999
2012-2013: ‘PeerWisdom: Evaluating and boosting Biology student benefits from the PeerWise online learning tool’, Principal’s Teaching Award, £10,000
2010-2011: ‘Gene Jury Comes of Age’, Scottish Government Science Engagement Grant, £25,000
2009-2010: ‘Gene Jury Remote’, Scottish Government Science Engagement Grant, £27,162
2008-2009: ‘Gene Jury S1’, Scottish Government Science Engagement Grant, £25,037
2007-2008: ‘E-learning to love Bioscience- Gene Jury’, Scottish Government Science Engagement Grant, £10,000
2007-2008: ‘E-learning to love Bioscience’, Wellcome Trust People Award, £28,706
2000-2004: ‘European Union Cancer Immunome Project’ (partner), European Community Award, £200,452
2000-2004: ‘An investigation of Avian Dosage Compensation’, BBSRC £153,728
1998-2002: Royal Society of Edinburgh Caledonian Research Fellowship £109,803

Invited speaker

2018, ‘The Flipped classroom: Student-centred Interaction’. Cara Syria Webinar

2017, ‘Quectures: Thinking during lectures’, Bioscience Education Summit, University of East Anglia

2017,   ‘Quectures: Questioning the lecture, not the lecturer’, Horizons STEM Education Conference, Herriot Watt University

2017,    ‘The Quecture: Thinking during lectures, Life of Learning Conference, Napier University

2016, ‘Thinking during lectures’, Bioscience Education Summit, Bath University

2016, ‘Plagiarism: The Student View’, Heads of University Bioscience Spring meeting, Leicester University

 2015, ‘Co-creation of a good scholarship video for Facebook using padlets’, Bioscience Education Summit, Ulster University

2015, ‘The benefits of PeerWise for Collaborative Online Learning’, Scottish Network for Teaching Biology in HE, Dundee University

2015, ‘The Facebook Group: A plagiarism breeding ground or a new opportunity for good scholarship awareness’, Online Distance Learning networking event, Edinburgh University 

2015, ‘The many benefits of PeerWise for Collaborative online learning’,  Biochemical Society ‘Enhancing Molecular Bioscience Education’ workshop, Cambridge University 

2014, ‘PeerWisdom: Collaborative Online Learning in Biology’, Heads of University Bioscience Spring meeting, Royal Society Centre, Chicheley Hall, Milton Keynes

2014, ‘PeerWise: An academic Elixir or a Bitter Pill’, HEA STEM Annual Conference, Edinburgh

2013, ‘PeerWisdom: Evaluating and Boosting Biology student benefits from the PeerWise Online Learning tool’, HEA STEM Annual Conference, Birmingham

2014, ‘Epigenetics: Hype and Hope for the 21st century’, Shetland Science Outreach Group, Lerwick

2013, ‘PeerWise’, EUSA Inspiring Teaching Conference

2013, ‘PeerWisdom?’, PTAS Learning and Teaching Forum, Edinburgh.

2011, ‘Reflective Clicking’, HEA “Clickers re-loaded” Workshop, Edinburgh

2011, ‘Gene Jury – resources for teaching ethics and genetics’, Scottish Science Education Conference, Crieff 

2010, ‘Gene Jury: Bye Bye Biodiversity’, Learning Teaching Scotland workshop, Edinburgh

2004, ‘The Chicken Z chromosome: A turn on or a turn off?’ International Chromosome Conference XV, Brunel

2000, Institute of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Glasgow University 

1999, HUGO "Spatial organisation genome workshop", Edinburgh 

1997, Avian Molecular Cytogenetics workshop, Leicester 

1996, International Society of Animal Genetics, Tours, France

1996, Mammalian Genetics & Development workshop, London 

Organiser

Biosummit 2018, Edinburgh University September 2018

Gene Jury Pupil Conference, Edinburgh University 2011

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