Career

Biography

I was born in Wigan, Lancashire and educated at Abbey Gate College, Saighton Grange, near Chester.  I obtained my BA (1992, upgraded to MA 1996) in Mathematics and DPhil (1996) in Theoretical Physics at St Hugh's College, Oxford.  From 1996-2000 I was the Fellow and Tutor in Applied Mathematics at Oriel College, Oxford.  In September 2000 I was appointed to a Lectureship in Applied Mathematics at the University of Sheffield.  I was promoted to Senior Lecturer in 2005, Reader in Mathematical Physics in 2007 and Professor of Mathematical Physics in 2009.

Selected awards

• Visiting Erskine Fellow in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand (2016)

• Australian Institute of Physics Women in Physics Lecturer (2010)

Professional Service

Some of the external roles in which I have served:

• Member of the Editorial Board of Physical Review D (2023-25)

• Member of the International Committee of the International Society on General Relativity and Gravitation (2022-31)

• Member of the Editorial Board of Classical and Quantum Gravity (2016-22)

• Member of the Nominating Committee of the London Mathematical Society (2018-21)

• Member of the Nominating Committee of the International Society on General Relativity and Gravitation (2016-22)

• Chair of the Gravitational Physics Group of the Institute of Physics (2006-09), previously Honorary Secretary (2003-06) and member of the committee (2002-03)

• Member of the Council of the London Mathematical Society (2005-09)

• Member of the Education Committee of the London Mathematical Society (2002-09)

• Representative of the London Mathematical Society on the Joint Mathematical Council of the United Kingdom (2006-12)

• Member of the Executive Committee of the Joint Mathematical Council of the United Kingdom (2007-12)

• Representative of the London Mathematical Society on the Committee of the Heads of Department of Mathematical Sciences (2007-10)

Roles in Sheffield

During my time in the School of Mathematics and Statistics at the University of Sheffield, I have undertaken the following roles:

• Engineering Service Teaching Coordinator (2019-2023)

• Director of Postgraduate Research (2016-2019)

• Deputy Head of School (2014-15)

• Deputy Director of Teaching (2010-13)

• Study Abroad Tutor (2010)

• Member of University Senate (2009-12)

• Coordinator of Support Teaching (2009-10)

• Admissions deputy and member of the admissions team (2002-10)

Membership of Learned Societies

• Member of the London Mathematical Society

• Fellow of the Institute of Physics

• Member of the International Society on General Relativity and Gravitation

• Fellow of the Higher Education Academy

• Member of the European Physical Society

• Member of the European Mathematical Society

• Fellow of the Institute for Mathematics and its Applications

Quite a few of the above mean I have post-nominal letters.  The full set is:  MA (Oxon), DPhil (Oxon), CPhys, FInstP, FIMA, FHEA!