Dr. David Read
Contact Details
Telephone: +44 (0)23 8059 8562 | Internal: 28562
Email: d.read@soton.ac.uk
Biography
David Read obtained his BSc (1996) and Ph.D (1999) from the University of Bristol, the latter under the supervision of Prof. Roger Alder FRS. After two years postdoctoral work with Prof. Peter Gaspar at Washington University, St.Louis (USA), he then trained as a chemistry teacher on the Graduate Teacher Programme at Theale Green Community School, just outside Reading. In 2007, he was appointed as a School Teacher Fellow at Southampton.
What is the School Teacher Fellow's role?
David has been appointed to tackle two main issues:
1) Developing and expanding the provision of outreach activities in the School of Chemistry.
2) Supporting first year undergraduates in the transition from A-level chemistry.
There is a degree of overlap between the two strands, and David will be actively involved in working with teachers of A-level chemistry to support learning and teaching during the switch to new specifications which will take place in 2008. This will help to ensure that the teaching at undergraduate level builds appropriately on the knowledge and skills that are taught in schools and colleges. David is working closely with academic staff to support them as they implement new and exciting approaches in their teaching, to engage students and maximise retention.
The School of Chemistry recognises that much younger students need to be engaged in the subject too, both to ensure adequate understanding to cope with everyday issues in later life and to encourage more students to take up the subject as they advance through their education. Staff in the School of Chemistry have already been working with schools to give children as young as Year 1 the opportunity to do hands-on practical work and to see chemistry in action, and David will continue to develop this further.
This is an exciting time for chemistry, with the Chemistry for our Future programme providing funding and exposure to ensure that the profile of the subject continues to expand. David is one of a growing number of Teacher Fellows in university chemistry departments, and he would particularly like to thank Tim Harrison at Bristol for his help and support in the initial stages here at Southampton.
We all stand to benefit from increased interest in the subject, as the very future of our way of life depends on chemistry to tackle many of the problems we face today. Hopefully the wider Chemistry for our Future project can go some way towards ensuring a brighter, more sustainable future for everyone.
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