Dr Susan Brooks

Director of Researcher Development

Susan completed her PhD, in pathology, at University College London Medical School in 1990. She continued with post-doctoral cancer research at the same institution until 1995 when she joined Oxford Brookes University as a Senior Lecturer. She continues in her academic role, teaches undergraduates and heads a small research team. Since 2006 she has had a split role, spending half of her time as the University’s Director of Researcher Development. She was promoted to Professor in 2016, partly based on her researcher development work. 

In her role as Director of Researcher Development she is responsible for organising and overseeing training and professional/personal development programmes for research students and for all staff who undertake research. She also delivers a proportion of the training, either alone or with colleagues, and training in, and experience of, public engagement is a critical aspect of both the research student and staff programmes. She is a skilled public speaker and popular lecturer. She has been involved in school visits, talking to school pupils about science and about University life. She is regularly involved in University open days and applicant days, meeting with, and giving presentations to, prospective students and their parents about undergraduate and postgraduate programmes.