Cristina is a computational chemist and an educator, who has used her scientific discipline to guide and develop her teaching and learning practice. For example, from the start of her teaching career she has incorporated digital learning and computer generated images into her practice and gathered quantitative data from students about their experiences.
Cristina has used the power of the visual image to enhance her students understanding of chemistry and has taken this approach and its impact to school children and the public, by creating exhibitions and short films. She has used evidence as a key tool in her professional practice, reflecting Cristina’s view that in order to effectively support her students she needs to understand both their experiences of her teaching and their experiences of their learning.
Cristina has a flair for communicating the often abstract concepts in chemistry in clear and easily accessible ways. To do this she uses a variety of different tools, with technology-enhanced learning, evidence-based practice and working in partnership, being major themes. She is an innovator, with a proven track record of bringing about change that enhances students’ learning and supports colleagues and their academic practice. An example, is the design and development of a novel integrated module and associated flexible template, which has been customised to deliver two years’ worth of study to pharmacy students. The new approach places the integration of science and pharmacy practice centre stage within the curriculum and supports students in developing their integrative learning.
In her present role as Faculty Digital Learning Director she has established a new online Faculty of Science Community of Practice, to which all teaching staff in the Faculty are invited, together with relevant colleagues from professional services, which provides a forum for the sharing of good practice and the discussion of ideas and questions across the Faculty.