Personal statement

Employment experience

1998-2004  Research fellow, Strathclyde Centre for Disability Research, School of Social and Political Sciences, University of Glasgow

2004-present Senior Research Fellow, School of Education, University of Strathclyde

Current research projects include:

• Developing community based mentoring for young people experiencing socio-economic disadvantage;
• creeating school-based resources to increase understanding of people with learning disabilities;
• young people with learning difficulties' experience of anxiety and depression;
• developing literacy support for young people in areas of social/economic disadvantage.

Developing research:

• The potential of mentoring for children in families recovering from addiction;
• understanding schools and disadvantage – implications for school costs and community development;
• developing the use of new technologies in learning;
• the experience of mental health within higher education.

Alastair is the course director for the MSc in Applied Educational & Social Research and currently teaches research methods on a range of postgraduate courses.  He supervises 6 PhD students (including 2 ESRC studentships) working in the area of education, employment and social justice.  Alastair is currently a member of the school research strategy group with responsibility PGR and research training development.