Dr Cathy Collett (she/her)

I joined the School of Chemical, Materials and Biological Engineering as a University Teacher in September 2024. That said, my connection to the University of Sheffield goes back to my school work experience placement - Sheffield is my home town! 

I hold an MEng degree in Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology from the University of Cambridge (and a BIIAB Level 1 Qualification in Responsible Alcohol Retailing from Sidney Sussex College Bar). In 2019 I was awarded my PhD in Sustainable Heterogeneous Catalysis from the University of Sheffield, where I researched the application of biochar in catalysis. I chose to pursue a career in teaching as I found this one of the most rewarding experiences of my PhD. I continue to reflect on my early teaching experiences when training my own graduate teaching assistants (especially when I'm mistaken for one - I'm enjoying it whilst it lasts). I am proud to be accredited as a Senior Fellow of Advance HE (SFHEA), reflecting my commitment to my own teaching practice as well as supporting colleagues to develop their teaching skills.

Over the past 10 years I have held several teaching roles in Higher Education, in both academia and Professional Services. Alongside my PhD, I worked as a Graduate Teaching Assistant in Chemical Engineering, and as a Graduate Academic Skills Tutor at 301 Academic Skills Centre. I have also taught at the University of Nottingham as a Foundation Year Teaching Associate in Engineering, and coordinated Peer Learning programmes as an Academic Skills Adviser here at Sheffield. From 2022-2024 I worked in the Diamond, Sheffield's cutting-edge Engineering teaching laboratories, as a University Teaching Associate. Here I designed lab activities for Engineering students across all disciplines, with a particular focus on sustainability-themed practicals. 

As a University Teacher my role is teaching-focused, with responsibility for leading, designing and delivering modules including Chemical Engineering Principles, Materials and Energy, and Industrial Management. I enjoy teaching students on a range of programmes, including Chemical Engineering, Materials Science and Engineering, and General Engineering. This includes supervising final-year research projects in Chemical Engineering, and supporting Materials Science students as an academic tutor. 

My research focuses on developing best practice in Engineering Education. My current focuses are the impact of GenAI on assessment, embedding sustainability into the Engineering curriculum, and effective short-form videos for student learning.