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Dr Rachel Bolton-King

Dr Rachel Bolton-King is Associate Professor of Forensic Science at Staffordshire University. She is committed to developing novel approaches that bring students, researchers and practitioners together to advance professional skills and improve criminal justice practices for the benefit of society.
Year
2019
Institution
Staffordshire University
Job Title
Associate Professor of Forensic Science

Rachel’s unique contribution to teaching and learning focuses on initiating, developing and implementing innovative practices that advance the professional development of her learners. Her promotion to Associate Professor, award of a Teaching Excellence Fellowship and status as a Fellow evidences the impact she has on increasing undergraduate student engagement and progression through technology enhanced learning, establishing course-related extracurricular activities, and forming academia-industry collaborations.

Rachel is passionate about providing novel learning opportunities for her students, colleagues and practitioners internationally, for the benefit of the criminal justice system and global society. She develops and employs novel initiatives that transform her students into professional citizens. Throughout their journey, under Rachel’s academic guidance, students significantly advance their skillset, becoming more self-confident and self-aware. Empowering students in this way has resulted in them successfully running a student Society for seven years, organising eight student research conferences and mentoring hundreds of fellow undergraduate students.

Increasingly, Rachel’s students undertake collaborative, real-world research projects that have a direct impact on the professional practices of practitioners in forensic and crime sciences, and successfully gain course-related employment upon graduation. Her departmental contributions with students and UK police forces led to them winning a National Undergraduate Employability Award (2019) and CATE Award (2017). Her international reputation, growing professional network and focus on digital innovation significantly raises student aspirations to an international level.

Rachel shares her innovative teaching and learning practices through international conferences, guest lecturing and national outreach opportunities, developing others’ digital skills as a School Digital Champion and encouraging technological innovation in other institutions through her role as an External Examiner. Rachel supervises PhD research undertaken by international forensic practitioners to prevent miscarriages of justice and has been recently awarded a prestigious Churchill Fellowship to undertake international research to enhance UK gun crime investigations.

Providing subject expertise, research-informed teaching and international collaboration opportunities through her latest innovative platform, Research4Justice, Rachel continues to support students in raising their profile, showcasing their research and further influencing professional practice.

Advance HE recognises there are different views and approaches to teaching and learning, as such we encourage sharing of practice, without advocating or prescribing specific approaches. NTF and CATE awards recognise teaching excellence in a particular context. The profiles featured are self-submitted by award winners.