Meet the Team
Find out about the Academic Skills Team tutors who are here to help.
Our tutors draw on their professional training and expertise as well as their own academic experience of studying from undergraduate to PhD level, to offer study advice across all subjects and levels of study at Newcastle University. Our role is not that of subject specialist; our expertise lies in understanding the requirements of academic study and effective approaches to learning and assessment.
Liv Jonassen
Liv is the Academic Skills Development Manager and joined Newcastle in 2021. She has worked in education for 24 years, and in higher education for 19 years as a learning developer and an EAP lecturer. After working in a range of countries teaching English, Liv worked in the Department for the Enhancement of Teaching, Learning and Assessment at Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen leading the pre-sessional and in- sessional English Language provision as well as working as a learning developer working across a wide range of subjects.
She has an MA in Scandinavian Studies (University of Edinburgh) and an MSc in Education with Applied Linguistics (The Open University). She is also a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.
Dr Caroline Crow
Caroline is a Learning Development Officer in the Academic Skills Team. Since joining the team in 2010, she has gained a wealth of experience in developing teaching materials and delivering one-to-ones and workshops. She is a member of the Association of Learning Developers in Higher Education (ALDinHE). She holds a PhD (Newcastle), MA (Durham) and BA Hons (Sunderland) in English Literature.
Sarah Cullen
Sarah joined the University as a Learning Development Officer in January 2021, having held a similar post at the University of Sunderland for over two years. Prior to becoming a learning developer, Sarah worked supporting learners in a variety of contexts including post-16 vocational training, teaching English as a foreign language, and delivering undergraduate seminars in English Literature here at Newcastle University. She is particularly interested in helping students understand and negotiate the transition to university level study.
She holds an MA in Modern and Contemporary Studies and a BA in Classical Studies and English, both from Newcastle University, and has also studied here for a PhD (incomplete). She also holds a Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults (CELTA).
Dr Nicky Gardiner
Nicky is a Learning Development Officer in the Academic Skills team. He joined Newcastle University in 2019 having taught in a variety of different contexts and institutions. He holds a PhD (University of Huddersfield), MA (Universiteit van Amsterdam) and BA Hons (Warwick University) in English Literature, and a Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults (CELTA). Nicky has also worked as an associate lecturer at the University of Huddersfield and has taught English for Academic Purposes (EAP) at the University of Southampton for several years.
Dr Gemma Wain
Gemma is the Academic Skills Development Officer and joined Newcastle in 2021. She has taught in higher education for twelve years as both a subject academic and learning developer. Gemma taught in the departments of History and Combined Honours at Durham University before moving into learning development as the academic skills lead at New College Durham.
She has a BA in History (York), an MA in medieval and renaissance literature (Durham), and a PhD in medieval history (Durham). She has a postgraduate diploma in higher education teaching practice (Durham) and is an Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.
Simon Young
Simon joined Newcastle University as an Academic Skills Development Officer in 2022, after spending four years teaching across a range of programmes at Durham University’s Centre for Academic Development. Prior to teaching in higher education, Simon worked in interpretive design, creating exhibitions and educational materials for the arts and heritage sector. He has a BA in History (Oxford), an MA in Museum Studies (Newcastle), and a Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults (CELTA).
Claire Walker
Claire joined the Academic Skills Team in 2022 having previously worked for many years in the Language Resource Centre at Newcastle University in a student support and information role. In her role as Academic Skills Assistant, Claire provides administrative and teaching support to the team and is the first point of contact for student and staff enquiries.
