Meet the team

Simon Heywood
Senior Lecturer, Creative and Professional Writing

Simon is Senior Lecturer, Creative and Professional Writing.

Joint Honours Lead (Academic)

David is the Academic lead for the Joint Honours programme. 

Profile image of Ava Hunt looking towards the camera
Associate Professor of Applied Theatre

Ava is a Senior Lecturer in Theatre Arts. She also works as a professional actor, director, programmer and producer. She has worked in theatre, film, commercials and television.

Samuel Kasule
Professor, Postcolonial Theatre and Performance

Sam is President of the African Theatre Association (UK), and is on the judging panel of the Wole Soyinka Pan African Prize for Literature and is a member of the jury for the Nollywood Film Awards (UK).

Joel in a classroom.
Assistant Head of Law Senior Lecturer in Law Programme Leader, Law Admissions Tutor LLM

Joel is currently Assistant Head of Law and Programme Leader for the Undergraduate LL.B Law Programmes. His areas of interest include Commercial Law, International Trade and International Economic Law. He has a further interest in ensuring that the Law School engages with the local community and subscribes to values of Social Justice for the benefit of the local community.

Ruth Larsen
Senior Lecturer in History; Programme Leader for BA (Hons) History and Subject Lead for Joint Honours History

As a Senior Lecturer in History, Ruth Larsen is the Programme Leader for undergraduate History programmes. She has research expertise in British History of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, especially relating to gender history and the history of the country house.

Kathleen McIIvenna
Lecturer in History

Kathleen is a Lecturer in History and teaches across the undergraduate and postgraduate courses. Specialising in nineteenth-century British history and with experience of working in the museums sector, Kathleen is module leader on a number of modules for the MA in Public History and Heritage. Her research focuses on the Victorian Post Office, occupational pensions and occupational health.

Keith McLay
Provost - Learning and Teaching

Professor Keith McLay is the Provost for Learning and Teaching.

Thomas Neuhaus speaking to colleagues at an event
Head of the Discipline of Humanities

Tom is Head of the Discipline of Humanities, responsible for managing programmes in History, English, Creative and Professional Writing, Publishing, American Studies, and Popular Music in Society.

Simon Philo
Senior Lecturer in American Studies

Simon is Programme Leader for BA Liberal Arts; and Subject Leader for American Studies and Popular Music in Society.