Recordings now available – see links below
Hosts of the First Horizons in STEM Conference
10-Year Anniversary of Horizons in STEM
Past, Present, and Possibilities: The Journey of Horizons in STEM HE
Link to recording – https://youtu.be/XZmf3wPAUaE
This plenary session explores the transformative impact of the Horizons in STEM Higher Education conference series on the growing community of STEM-focused Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) practitioners. Reflecting on our own professional journeys since the series began in October 2014, we will examine how the conference has shaped practice, fostered collaboration, and supported professional recognition. Against the backdrop of increasing demands and shrinking resources in the current higher education landscape, we will consider how our community can respond to these challenges and discuss the potential of the newly established Horizons in STEM HE Network to enhance the quality, visibility, and influence of SoTL in STEM higher education
Bios:
This panel brings together five leading voices in STEM education whose work has shaped practice, policy and pedagogy across the sector. Professor Neil Williams (Kingston University), a Principal Fellow and 2023 National Teaching Fellow, researches inclusive curricula and differential student outcomes. Professor Sarah Gretton (University of Leicester), also a National Teaching Fellow, focuses on sustainability, skills development and interdisciplinary science education. Professor Neil Gordon (University of Hull) holds both National Teaching Fellowship and Principal Fellowship, with expertise in flexible pedagogy, computing education, and ethics. Professor Diane Butler (Open University), a Principal Fellow, has led major initiatives to widen access and promote academic excellence in STEM. Professor Cristina De Matteis (University of Nottingham), a National Teaching Fellow and digital learning specialist, has received multiple awards for innovation in teaching. Together, they reflect on a decade of Horizons and consider the future of STEM SoTL.
Dr Farhana Gokhool
Equity in STEM: Addressing Mathematics Anxiety Through Inclusive Practice
Link to recording – https://youtu.be/zgnz-U7VfUc
This keynote explores barriers to participation and success in STEM, with one such barrier being mathematics anxiety. This can be particularly challenging for underrepresented and neurodiverse learners. The talk highlights how inclusive, empathetic, and targeted teaching and support practices can be adapted across STEM disciplines to foster more equitable learning environments.
Bio:
Dr Farhana Gokhool is a Learning Development Tutor in mathematics and statistics at the University of Bedfordshire. Her research focuses on mathematics anxiety, student engagement (including with support services), and widening participation in STEM, with a particular interest in how inclusive support models can reduce barriers for underrepresented students. Her work guides the support she offers to students and staff. Farhana is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA), highlighting her practical work in developing and evaluating accessible maths support programmes for students in varying disciplines. She is now completing her (Senior) FHEA qualification and brings both lived and scholarly experience to her work on equity in STEM education.
Professor Suzanne Fergus
Authentic assessment and active learning strategies designed to bridge students’ cognition gaps and regulate their metacognition
Link to recording – https://youtu.be/R4-Fc1h4zSI
This keynote explores the use of authentic assessment and active learning strategies designed to bridge students’ cognition gaps and help them become more aware of their own learning processes.
Bio:
Professor Suzanne Fergus is Professor of Learning and Technology Enhancement at the University of Hertfordshire. With a PhD in organic chemistry from University College Dublin followed by postdoctoral research at the University of Cambridge, her commitment using a constructivist blended learning approach is central to her education work. Inspiring students to bridge cognition gaps engaging them with technologies scaffolded and designed to regulate their metacognition has been a key focus in her work. In 2016 Suzanne was awarded the Royal Society of Chemistry’s Higher Education Teaching Award for her sustained innovations in chemistry teaching. She was also awarded a National Teaching Fellowship in 2017 for excellence in teaching and outstanding impact on student learning and the teaching profession. She is a Principal Fellow PFHEA.
Horizons in STEM Higher Education Conference 