We've developed a program of workshops designed to enhance the English skills of academics and prospective PhD students. The workshops have been developed by PhD qualified researchers. They understand how the research process works and what you need to know to be successful. They include Emeritus Professor Nicky Solomon, Associate Professor Hermine Scheeres and Dr. Robert McMurtrie.
Professor Nicky Solomon
Professor Nicky Solomon researches and teaches in the areas of workplace learning, discourse analysis, language and culture within Education programs. Her current research focuses on workplace learning, interdisciplinary knowledges and practices, as well as on vocational and professional pedagogical practices. She is a member of the management committee of the Centre for Research in Learning and Change, a UTS research strength.
Associate Professor Hermine Scheeres
Hermine Scheeres has worked in higher education; technical and further education and secondary education in Australia, England, Mexico and Argentina. Her current positions include: Co-ordinator of the BA Organisational Learning and the Grad Dip Literacy and Numeracy. She is a member of UTS Academic Board, Deputy Chair of the Board of the Faculty of Education, a member of the UTS Equity Reference Committee and Co-editor of the Journal Literacy and Numeracy Studies: an international journal in the education and training of adults. Hermine has developed curriculum and professional development courses and materials for organisations and institutions including: NSW State Rail; Kelloggs Australia; TAFE (equivalent) teachers in Mexico; English Language teachers in Argentina; Adult Literacy teachers across Australia; and the NSW Board of Secondary School Education (HSC). She has also worked as a consultant, adviser and trainer for government departments and industry.
Dr Robert McMurtrie
Dr Robert McMurtrie is a lecturer at UTS, teaching grammar and meaning with a focus on systemic functional linguistics. He is also the coordinator and writer of the subject Academic and Design Communication in the Diploma of Design and Architecture Program at UTS College, in which he teaches the semiotics of design to local and international students. He has been an ESL teacher for 20 years and is a CELTA teacher trainer. His main research interests include spatial discourse analysis, in which he applies the theoretical underpinnings of SFL, social semiotics and multimodality to the built-environment, developing a grammar of movement through space. He has published books and articles focusing on the semiotics of the built-environment, performance space and hair. He has also co-authored articles examining the language of examiners’ reports on PhD theses.