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Biography
Gary graduated from the University of Lincoln in 2004 with a BA (Hons) in Law and Criminology. He then went on to complete an MSc in Social Research Methods at Nottingham Trent University in 2006. In 2007, Gary was employed as a research assistant at the University of Lincoln on a SWAP funded research project that examined students' use of assessment feedback. In 2008, Gary was employed by the Centre for Educational Research and Development at the University of Lincoln as a research officer on the HEFCE funded Learning Landscapes project that examined the design of teaching and learning spaces in higher education. Between 2009 and 2012, Gary worked in a further education college teaching FdA Public Services and Law, BTEC Public Services and A-Level Law. In 2012, Gary started his PhD at the University of Lincoln and was employed as a full-time Criminology Lecturer in 2015. During his time at the University of Lincoln, Gary was Student Engagement Lead, Quality Lead, Programmer Leader for BA Social Sciences and School Director of Teaching and Learning.
Expertise Summary
Gary's main area of expertise is around learning and teaching in higher education. Specifically, Gary is interested in student engagement, student empowerment, critical education and co-operative learning. Much of this is grounded within the philosophy of Student as Producer, which is an attempt to meaningfully involve students in research-engaged learning, the design, delivery and evaluation of curricula, in university decision-making processes and to work alongside the local, national and global community as part of the new civic university movement. Gary is also interested in the co-operative movement and the development of a co-operative university. Gary is also interested in peer mentoring and has been involved in the design and delivery of mentoring projects with local secondary schools and probation. Gary is also interested in well-being and has conducted research about well-being among prison governors on behalf of the Prison Governors' Association.
Teaching Summary
Gary's teaching encompasses both criminology and sociology. Within criminology, Gary's teaching interests focus on criminological theory, especially the sociology of crime and deviance, critical… read more
Recent Publications
NICHOLS, H., SAUNDERS, G., HARRISON, K., SMITH, L., MASON, R. and HALL, L., 2024. It’s not ok to not be ok . . . when you’re a prison governor: The impact of workplace culture on prison governors’ wellbeing in England, Scotland and Wales Incarceration. 5,
Gary's teaching encompasses both criminology and sociology. Within criminology, Gary's teaching interests focus on criminological theory, especially the sociology of crime and deviance, critical criminology and zemiology. Within Sociology, Gary's main interest is around Marxist social theory and the sociology of education. Gary is interested in experiential and problem-based learning. Also, co-creation and delivery of learning and teaching.
Past Research
Gary has worked on a number of projects to develop learning and teaching within higher education. This includes the HEFCE funded Learning Landscapes in Higher Education project that examined the design of teaching and learning spaces in higher education and how academics, professional staff and students could be more involved in this process. Gary has also been involved in the implementation and evaluation of Student as Producer at the University of Lincoln and co-wrote the HEFCE report for this project. Gary has also been involved in the development, running and evaluation of a co-operative model of higher education at the Social Science Centre in Lincoln (UK) and wrote about this as part of his PhD and related publications.