Dr Frances Laughton, Director of Teaching and Resources, Department of Physics, University of Bath and SW Regional Director, National HE STEM Programme.

Dr Laughton’s PhD research at the University of Glasgow involved studying optical nonlinearities in semiconductor waveguides and she went on to join the University of Bath as a lecturer in 1993, researching semiconductor lasers. She was Director of Advanced Research at Bookham Technology from 2001 to 2003.

Dr Laughton is currently South West Regional Director of the National HE STEM Programme, a HEFCE-funded initiative that aims to broaden participation in STEM subjects and to increase HEIs’ engagement with employers. She leads a team that is working with universities across the region to broaden participation, support innovation in teaching and learning, and enhance the skills and knowledge base of undergraduate students and the workforce in STEM subjects.

Dr Laughton is also Director of Teaching and Resources in the Department of Physics at the University of Bath, with responsibility for leading and managing undergraduate teaching and enhancing the student experience within the department. The dissertation research for her MBA explored the links between departmental service culture and student satisfaction, and she received the University’s “Leadership in Learning and Teaching Award” in 2009.