Professor Tina Overton announced as new Director of LITE

 

The University of Leeds has appointed award-winning 'pedagogic leading light' Tina Overton as the new Director of the Leeds Institute for Teaching Excellence (LITE).

Professor Overton, who was formerly Professor of Chemistry at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia, has been the recipient of multiple awards, including the Royal Society of Chemistry’s Higher Eduction Teaching Award.

Professor Overton, who will officially start her new role in February, said:

I am both delighted and excited in equal measures to offered the chance to lead the Leeds Institute for Teaching Excellence into its new phase of development.

"I now look forward to building on the already excellent reputation established by Rafe and Kelvin and make LITE essential to educators at Leeds while meeting their needs.

"LITE is a thriving community and I would like to not only build on that but improve its impact on student experience and further enhance the reputation Leeds has for excellence in education across the sector."

The Institute, which was launched in October 2016, provides funding, time and support for current and future student education leaders to develop their profile at the University and to carry out research and innovation projects with internal and external impact

Professor Tom Ward, Deputy-Vice-Chancellor: Student Education, University of Leeds, said:

Professor Overton is a world-renowned leading light in pedagogic research, so this is a real coup for the University and LITE.

"Tina has moved from a position as Distinguished Professor of Chemistry Education at Monash. She is a Fellow of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry, a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, and has won multiple awards including a National Teaching Fellowship.

"I’m grateful to Dr Rafe Hallett for his leadership of LITE during its first few years, and to Dr Kelvin Tapley, who has done an excellent job as Interim Director. Under his leadership, LITE has expanded its impact and has adapted to external pressures and strategic demands with great skill. Kelvin will continue to play a leading role in the education infrastructure at Leeds.

"I'm sure Tina will build on these strong foundations and help establish the University as an international leader in pedagogic research and debate."