Nicky is a highly skilled and experienced professional who has clearly demonstrated academic leadership and development in a range of roles including Business Development, International Lead, Division Leader and Course Leader both in the UK, Sri Lanka, China and Malaysia.

Nicky is completing a professional doctorate in Computer Science Education, and has post graduate qualifications in both Education and Management, as well as being a qualified Agile practitioner. She has over 20 years of teaching, research and enterprise experience. Nicky is a Member of the British Computer Society, a Chartered IT professional and a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy in the UK.

Her passion lies in trying to engage more young people (especially women) with computer science. She would like to see an increase in the number of girls studying computing, and works towards trying to address the gender stereotypes around professions in the discipline. Most recently, Nicky has contributed to a science textbook ‘The Science of Superheroes’ which aims to engage young adults with STEM.

Involvement in validation and verification is critical in building on our practice across the university and maintaining academic standards. Nicky has a keen interest in quality assurance and works closely with the BCS (British Computer Society) - The Chartered Institute for IT. She also plays an active role as an elected committee member for CPHC (Council of Professors and Heads of Computing) and for the BCS. Both roles allow Nicky to contribute, at a national level, to policy and practice relating to the Computer Science landscape in the UK. Her affiliation with the University of Gibraltar, as a key advisor, also enables her to influence at an international level.

After graduating from UCLan (University of Central Lancashire) in 1998, Nicky went to work as a developer for ID, a Lancashire based creative design agency specialising in responsive websites and bespoke application development. This gave her the opportunity to work with a wide range of clients, both large and small, across many different market sectors.

Nicky was appointed as a lecturer in the Department of Computing at UCLan in 2002. Since then, she has demonstrated a desire for supporting both students and staff in achieving the best they can in life. She is particularly interested in working towards providing an intentional approach in Computer Science to identifying and achieving equity, diversity, inclusion priorities and goals for all. This work is further powered by her involvement on the Equality and Diversity Executive Strategy Group at UCLan as well as her role as Chair of our Staff Profile Group (focusing on improving staff diversity), her membership of the school, faculty and university Athena Swan committees and her activities as Co-chair of the Women’s Network.

Prior to becoming the Academic Lead for Computer Science, she focused on both the development of teaching activities and the development of innovative/entrepreneurial activity. As Business Development and Partnerships Lead for Computing, Physics, Mathematics and Chemistry, she established, initiated, and optimised business development strategies. This was based on department targets, product specifications, market data and budget factors. She worked continually towards maintaining and improving our reputation and positive image in markets served, both in the UK and internationally.

As Head of School at Leeds Trinity University, Nicky performs an academic leadership role in the University's organisational structure and carries significant accountability for providing a coherent academic vision and direction for the School. She is responsible for the effective general management of the School, for ensuring the provision of academic leadership and strategic vision, and for the quality of the student experience. 

As an experienced science communicator, Nicky undertakes regular public engagement work. She has been called upon to comment on various issues, often appearing on news stories in the press, on the radio, and on TV. Nicky truly believes this is an area where the individuals can make a substantial difference to STEM subjects. She was returned to the last REF as part of a large faculty-based impact case study based around ‘The Science of Superheroes’, with current impact work around this funded by the Science and Technology Facilities Council.