The Scholarship Spotlight website grew out of conversations many of us were already having, in our day-to-day work, as teaching-focused academics. Across our institutions, we kept encountering colleagues’ uncertainty of what scholarship is, how to get started, or how to demonstrate its value. This was also recognised to be reflected at a structural level, for example in promotion discussions where scholarship was less well understood or defined.

Bringing together our shared experiences, we formed a cross-institutional group to create something we all felt was missing: a clear, supportive, and accessible resource dedicated to scholarship. Drawing on our collective expertise, we developed this website to shine a spotlight on scholarship; a space to bring together ideas, guidance, and opportunities in one place, whilst also signposting the excellent work already happening across the sector.

Following a ‘soft launch’ at the 2024 Association of National Teaching Fellows (ANTF) Symposium, where initial feedback was obtained from the community, funding was obtained through the ANTF Collaborative Innovation Projects funding, to develop this resource further. The website is intended as a living, evolving resource. Above all, we hope it helps to build confidence, foster connection, and shine a brighter, more inclusive spotlight on scholarship in all its forms.

About our Team

We are a group of academics from eight different universities who are passionate about scholarship including the scholarship of learning and teaching.

Born in South Africa, Professor Earle Abrahamson has worked across cultural, institutional, and international contexts to inspire learning. Throughout his career he has championed the student voice and advocated for student centred learning partnerships that extend beyond the curriculum to support the holistic development of students. He founded the Sports Mentoring Project, which has received significant funding and promotes social justice, access and participation, inclusion, and student confidence. The success of this work has enabled him to share practice widely at national and international conferences and to contribute to collaborative international publications.
Earle is a recognised leader in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, with over fifty peer reviewed publications and several book chapters. He is currently co editing a new book titled Tales from the SoTL Sea: Navigating Challenges in SoTL. He co-edits Teaching and Learning Inquiry and serves on the steering committee of the UK SoTL Alliance as well as on the board of EuroSoTL. He is also a visiting professor at Ashesi University in Ghana and at Arden University.
His sustained commitment to teaching excellence has been recognised through the award of Principal Fellowship of Advance HE, a National Teaching Fellowship, and an International Society for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Fellowship. In 2023, he became the first Professor of Scholarship of Teaching and Learning at the University of Hertfordshire. He also co-chaired the advocacy committee for the International Society for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning.
Earle is Head of Anatomy and Interprofessional Education for the MBBS programme at the new Hertfordshire Medical School, opening in September 2026.
Email: e.abrahamson@herts.ac.uk
Twitter: @earleabrahamso2
Linkedin: Earle Abrahamson

Sue Beckingham is an Associate Professor Learning and Teaching, a National Teaching Fellow, a Principal Lecturer and LTA Lead in Computing and Digital Technologies at Sheffield Hallam University. She is also a Visiting Professor at Arden University, a Visiting Fellow at Edge Hill University, Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, a Senior Fellow of the Staff and Educational Development Association, and a Certified Management and Business Educator. Her research interests include social media for learning and the use of technology to enhance active learning and teaching; and has published and presented this work nationally and internationally as an invited keynote speaker. She is a co-founder of the international weekly #LTHEchat ‘Learning and Teaching in Higher Education Chat‘ and the Social Media for Learning in HE Conference. Sue is also an Editor for the Journal of Social Media for Learning and reviewer for the Journal of University Teaching & Learning Practice.
Bluesky: @suebecks.bsky.social
LinkedIn: Sue Beckingham
Blog: https://socialmediaforlearning.com/ and https://www.suebeckingham.com/
Email: s.beckingham@shu.ac.uk
ORCID: 0000-0001-5660-125X

Hannah Cobb (PFHEA, NTF) is a Professor of Archaeology and Pedagogy at the University of Manchester and the University’s Academic Lead for Academic Development. Hannah has been in leadership roles in teaching and learning at the University of Manchester since 2016 and is currently leading the University’s revision of their Teaching and Scholarship promotions criteria. She is a founding member of the UK’s National Learning and Teaching Focused Network. She also leads global conversations about teaching and learning in archaeology and heritage, including establishing the Society for Teaching and Learning in Archaeology and Heritage (STeLAH) and running monthly online T&L in archaeology and heritage roundtables. Hannah has written extensively on T&L in archaeology, including the major publication Assembling Archaeology: Teaching, Practice and Research (OUP, 2020) and is an author of the textbook Archaeology: An Introduction (Routledge, 2024). Hannah also founded and chaired the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists Equality and Diversity Group between 2015 and 2022. Through her teaching, research and leadership she passionately advocates for inclusion, equity and diversity in the past, present and future.
Blog: https://hannahcobbarchaeology.wordpress.com/blog/
Twitter and Instagram: @ArchaeoCobb
Email: Hannah.Cobb@Manchester.ac.uk

Rose is a Professor of Politics Education at Nottingham Trent University and a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.  Her scholarship expertise focuses on the politics curriculum, inclusive approaches to scholarship, critical pedagogies, internationalising the curriculum and recognition and reward for education-focused academics. Recent collaborative scholarship outputs include the DARSHE framework – a tool to develop scholarship in higher education – along with articles celebrating the joys of the teaching track and the shaping of the Politics and International Relations undergraduate curriculum. Rose pro-actively advocates for under-represented groups and academic communities, especially women and education-focused academics, within her discipline as well as more broadly across UK Higher Education. She has sat as a member of the QAA’s Politics and International Relations subject benchmark statement advisory group, as well as on advisory groups for the British Academy and DfE. She is Chair of her learned society, the Political Studies Association of the UK.
Bluesky @rosegann.bsky.social
Twitter: @RosejGann
Email: rose.gann@ntu.ac.uk
ORCID: 0000-0003-0393-3204

Emma Gillaspy is a Reader in Creative and Collaborative Learning in the School of Nursing and Midwifery at the University of Lancashire, focusing on staff development, active learning and interprofessional education. She leads curriculum development and innovation, aiming to enhance the student experience with a special interest in creative pedagogies. Emma is passionate about transforming Higher Education through developing self-determined learners. As an award-winning educator, academic developer and executive coach, Emma supports others in finding their unique paths to teaching excellence. Emma is an AdvanceHE National Teaching Fellow, Senior Fellow and member of two CATE winning teams. Emma is the University REF Unit of Assessment lead for Education and is Director of the new university-wide Centre for Education Research and Scholarship (CERS). With a background as a Clinical Molecular Geneticist, Emma has transitioned through roles in digital teaching and learning management, and researcher development, to challenge and transform traditional educational systems.
Bluesky: @egillaspy.bsky.social
LinkedIn: Emma Gillaspy
Email: egillaspy@lancashire.ac.uk
ORCID: 0000-0002-6725-3331

Julie is a Professor of Psychology Education and Academic Director of the Nottingham Institute of Psychology at Nottingham Trent University. She is a Chartered Psychologist, Principal Fellow of the HEA, and a National Teaching Fellow, and applies psychological theory and research methods to better understand and enhance learning and teaching in higher education. As an education-focused academic, Julie is committed to developing understanding and support for other academics on diverse career paths. She is interested in conceptualisations of scholarship in higher education, and recently co-authored a paper proposing a new scholarship framework, the DARSHE, to offer new ways of thinking and working around scholarship. Julie describes herself as a ‘positive disruptor’; she challenges inequity in higher education, champions inclusion, and is always willing to question the status quo. 

Bluesky: ‪@juliehulme-psyc.bsky.social
Website: www.ntu.ac.uk/staff-profiles/social-sciences/julie-hulme
Blog: higherpsyched.home.blog
LinkedIn: Julie Hulme 
Email: julie.hulme@ntu.ac.uk 
ORCID: 0000-0001-6217-1815

Professor Dawne Irving-Bell, PhD, is a Head of Scholarship of Teaching and Learning at Arden University, UK, and Deputy Chair of AdvanceHE’s National CATE Committee. With extensive experience working across secondary, further, and Higher Education, as a teacher, Dawne is passionate about creating opportunities for others. Dedicated to raising the profile of scholarship she established the award-winning National Teaching Repository, an Open Educational Resource with proven global reach and impact. Dawne enjoys lecturing on visual thinking and advocates for technology education, for which she received a National Award sponsored by The Royal Academy of Engineering  in recognition of her outstanding contribution to teacher education. Dawne is a National Teaching Fellow, Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and holds a Collaborative Award for Teaching Excellence.
LinkedIn: Dawne Irving-Bell
Email: dawneirvingbell@bpp.com
ORCID: 0000-0002-8943-9559

Susan Smith is Deputy Director (Student Experience) and a Professor of Accounting at UCL School of Management.  Susan is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales and holds a PhD in Accounting from the University of Sussex. She is a National Teaching Fellow (2022) and a Principal Fellow of Advance HE. Susan is an elected member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (‘ICAEW’) Council representing the South East and Chair of the ICAEW Ethical Standards Committee as well as Chair of the Consultative Committee of Accountancy Bodies (CCAB) Ethics Committee. She has been appointed as Deputy Chair of the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) 2024 subject benchmark review for Finance. Susan also serves on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Perspectives in Applied Academic Practice, as a UKAT trustee, and on the UKCISA Audit and Risk Committee.
Twitter: @SmithySusanA
Email: susan.a.smith@ucl.ac.uk

Dr I Wilson (they/them) is a Senior Lecturer in Psychology (Teaching and Scholarship) at Nottingham Trent University. They are passionate about the broad scope that Scholarship encompasses, with specific interests in the learning, teaching and assessment of reflection. I completed a Scholarship Sabbatical, in the 2022-23 academic year, where they developed and evaluated a new model for teaching and assessing reflective practice; the Synthesised Model of Reflection (SMoR). In addition, I published Open Education Resources to support the teaching, learning and assessment of reflection. Their work on the SMoR resulted in being runner up in the British Psychological Society’s Higher Education Psychology Teacher of the Year Award 2023-24, as well as the National Teaching Repository #OER Champions Award 2024 (see his resources here). These accolades contributed to I winning a VC Award for Excellence in Scholarship in 2024-25. I also completed a secondment 2023-25, leading on staff development in learning and teaching practices across the School of Social Sciences. Their other areas of activity include teaching on modules which support learning for employability across Psychology undergraduate and postgraduate courses, as well as contributing to specialist teaching on the Occupational Psychology Masters course.
LinkedIn: Ian Wilson
Email: iain.wilson@ntu.ac.uk
Figshare: https://figshare.com/authors/Iain_Wilson_PhD_FHEA/15195478
ORCID: 0000-0001-6670-9328

---

Project Interns

Sukhada is a digital strategist who developed the evaluation tool for the SOS website, enhancing user engagement and performance insights. With a background in web analytics and UX design ,she specialises in creating data-driven solutions that improve online platforms. She has contributed to various projects across the non-profit sector, focusing on accessibility, usability, and impact measurement.
LinkedIn: Sukhada Nagpure

Paulina Milewska is an Assistant Educational Technologist at the University of Hertfordshire and a Computer Science student originally from the picturesque region of Masuria in Poland, now residing in Hatfield, Hertfordshire. In 2023, she earned the AFHEA recognition as a Student Technology Mentor, showcasing her commitment to educational excellence. Paulina is also involved in the creation of the website for the European chapter of the Society for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (EuroSoTL).
LinkedIn: Paulina Milewska

Martin is a graphic designer at The Scholarship Spotlight Project, where he leads on visual identity, motion design, and web content. His work bridges branding, animation, and web design, with a strong focus on visual minimalism that emphasises the content of Scholarship Spotlight. A graduate of Ulster University’s Graphic Design & Illustration programme, Martin’s previous work has been recognised by the International Society of Typographic Designers.
Website: martinozarek.com
LinkedIn: Martin Ozarek