Fantastic opportunity for new School Dean

Professor Simon Hodgson is the University of Teesside’s new Dean of the School of Science & Technology. Simon, 44, lives in Stokesley and is originally from Kent. He will oversee a School that offers a diverse range of courses, including various engineering disciplines, forensics, disaster management, biology and chemistry.

Simon joined the University last year as the School’s Assistant Dean for Research. Following a short career in industry, he started university as a mature student, graduating with first class honours from the University of Sheffield. He followed this later with a PhD from Sheffield Hallam University, and both awards were in the field of engineering materials.

He initially lectured at Sheffield Hallam, and then moved to the University of Humberside’s School of Engineering and IT, where he was School Research Manager and a Senior Lecturer. In his research manager role, Simon oversaw a growth in external research income from zero to nearly half-a-million pounds, over a four year period. Following this, Simon moved to the University of Loughborough’s Department of Materials Engineering, enjoying a highly successful academic career, rapidly rising through the ranks to the post of Reader and as a member of the senior management team.

Simon said: ‘I see my appointment here as a fantastic opportunity. Teesside’s School of Science & Technology has been very successful and continued to grow over the last five years, increasing its staffing base. This gives us a springboard to positively move forward to meet the new needs of the 21st century. We need to ensure that the School engages and takes advantage of its geographical location.

‘The University is right at the heart of the UK’s manufacturing and engineering sector. It puts us in an almost unique position as we are surrounded by these thriving industries, and the School has a vital role to play in providing skills and resources for them. We’ll be making a huge effort to engage with industries in the Tees Valley and other regions.’

In addition, Simon is keen to develop and continually update the School’s course portfolio. He added: ‘We’ll be developing courses that put a much greater emphasis on building the kind of skills that employers are increasingly demanding. These skills include the ability to operate effectively in teams to solve problems, to be innovative and creative.

‘We also have a duty as a university to look over the horizon, at the big issues which will shape the future of our region and beyond. With this in mind we will commit major efforts in the development of technologies and the next generation of scientists and engineers in which sustainability and protection of the environment are the primary focus. The Tees Valley has the potential to be the world leader in developing the next generation of environmentally sustainable process industries. I intend our university to be instrumental in making this a reality.’

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