Dr Robert Nash is a psychological scientist and Reader in Psychology at Aston University, where he has worked since 2015; he is also an Advance HE Senior Fellow (SFHEA). In Aston’s School of Psychology, he has been Director of Undergraduate Learning and Teaching since 2018, leading on quality enhancement and assurance across a suite of undergraduate programmes.
Rob discovered Psychology as an A-level student and never looked back, later earning his BSc and PhD in Psychology from the University of Warwick. His fascination for psychological science fuels his passion for teaching ‘psychologically literate citizens’ and critical thinkers, who can ask psychological questions about the problems they see; and can bring evidence to bear on these questions. Indeed, his innovative approaches to teaching are themselves informed by his research expertise in cognitive and social psychology.
Over the last decade Rob has generated diverse international impact through his award-winning research and practice on feedback literacy; aiming to prepare students (and people more generally) for engaging with and using feedback effectively. He has published numerous academic papers on this topic, as well as the 2016 ‘Developing Engagement with Feedback Toolkit’; he has also delivered numerous professional development workshops for students and educators looking to grapple with these very human challenges.
This sustained work on feedback skills exemplifies Rob’s determination to champion those students (and colleagues) whose confidence falls short of their potential, or whose climb to success in higher education—for myriad reasons—is steeper. With this determination, his teaching approach strives to create inclusive learning environments wherein students feel respected, and confident to contribute, seek advice, and harness their intrinsic curiosity. This compassionate approach has led to numerous institutional awards acknowledging Rob’s dedication to student support.
Through his collaborative style of leadership, Rob works hard to nurture, share, and celebrate excellent teaching and learning practices among colleagues, as well as to cultivate the working cultures in which this excellence can thrive. To this end he enjoys mentoring junior colleagues to build their own teacher identities and innovative practices, thus building an engaged community of pedagogic leaders in their own rights.