National award for Brighton lecturer

Gemma Barton, Principal Lecturer in the university’s School of Architecture and Design, has been awarded a National Teaching Fellow by Advance HE in recognition of her services in her field.

Of Gemma, Advance HE said: “A hands-on and inspirational teacher with innovative and often radical views about the future of education and creative practice, Gem Barton balances her passion for teaching excellence with her empathy for others. Her research interests lie in the power of imagination and creative communication, centering on the theme of ‘experimental realisms’.”

The National Teaching Fellowship Scheme (NTFS) and the Collaborative Award for Teaching Excellence (CATE) showcase the “outstanding impact of individuals and teams who teach or support learning in UK higher education, recognising their success and providing a platform to share the learning from their practice”.

Alison Johns, Advance HE’s chief executive, congratulated Gemma and other winners: “Becoming a National Teaching Fellow or winning CATE team is a huge achievement. It can be truly life-changing. Creating ambassadors for innovative and impactful teaching who are valued by institutions and colleagues, and who can set in motion change and enhancements to make a really positive impact on student experience and outcomes across their institution and beyond.

Gemma Barton

“Advance HE looks forward to working with the winners to help to disseminate their work for the benefit of all.”

Gemma, who joined the university in 2010, said: “I'm genuinely delighted and overwhelmed to have been awarded an NTF. My journey from a 23-year-old teaching assistant (during my Masters in Architecture) in 2005 to the course leader of a truly innovative and national award winning Interior Architecture course has not been easy but it has definitely been rewarding.

“The NTFS is a really in-depth and rigorous process and I owe a great deal to the support and guidance of the team from the CLT (Centre for Learning and Teaching) who enabled me to use the writing process not only to highlight achievements but more importantly provided me with space to reflect on my time in academia and helped me focus on what I still have left to do.”

Professor Ruth Whittaker, University of Brighton Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Education and Students, said: “The award is richly deserved and we are delighted Gemma has been honoured and recognised for her commitment to such an important field of education.”

The Fellowship award has been running since 2000 and there are now more than 815 National Teaching Fellows, with up to 55 individuals receiving the award each year.

Gemma took on leadership of the BA(Hons) Interior Architecture course and redesigned the curricula, pedagogic strategies and course identity. She is an author and academic, and has  taught and published on the subjects of gender, feminism, film, spatial production, narrative, storytelling, reality, representation, career and enterprise, academia, teaching, interiors, architecture – all directly informing her approach to teaching and learning, centring around inspiring students to develop their potential.