I’ve worked in higher education for a long time now and it’s easy for me to think that I have a pretty regular office job dealing with tasks, projects and deadline
s much like countless other employees. And yet, every once in a while I’m reminded that I work in a remarkable place, full of smart, creative, curious people looking to change the world. I arrived at work yesterday morning – bleary eyed from a 5 am start (more the will of a 9 month old baby, than any choice on my part) – to observe the first lecture of a primary school outreach visit that had been arranged by our Geography department as I’d wanted to see this one particular academic in action. I’d heard he was brilliant and I wasn’t about to be disappointed.
I think there are 3 types of presenters; the reluctant, just-get-through-it ones; the well rehearsed, professional types and my favourite ones – the passionately, enthusiastically captivating ones whose knowledge and love for their subject is infused in every word that comes out of their mouth. John Grant, a senior lecturer at Sheffield Hallam University, falls squarely into this group. His talk entitled ‘Energy and Food: Saving the World with Chocolate and Spaceships’ held the attention of 57 Year 5 and 6 pupils for 45 minutes (no mean feat), brought laughter from the lucky school teachers in attendance and blew the sleep deprived cobwebs from my fuzzy head. I left the lecture with renewed admiration for the diverse, eclectic individuals and groups all existing under one university roof attempting to change and influence their corner of the world and inspiring others to do the same.
For more information about this lecture and the work of the Schools & Colleges Engagement team get in touch with the team at sclo@shu.ac.uk or follow us on Twitter @SHUoutreach
