Sam Illingworth
sam illingworth

Prof Sam Illingworth MPhys PhD PgCert MA PFHEA

Professor

Biography

As a Professor of Creative Pedagogies in the Department of Learning and Teaching Enhancement (DLTE), I bring internationally recognised expertise in higher education, interdisciplinary studies, and science communication. My leadership role encompasses leading pedagogical innovation across the University, through both DLTE and the Centre for Higher Education Research.

My research integrates poetry and generative AI into creative pedagogies, aiming to enhance staff and student well-being and foster a sense of belonging. This approach has proven effective in cultivating meaningful dialogues across diverse groups and amplifying the voices of marginalised communities. Highlighted works include studies that demonstrate the impact of interdisciplinary approaches to learning and teaching.

With over 100 peer-reviewed publications, I have an h-index of 23, an i10-index of 46, and a total citation count of 2,289 (source: Google Scholar). These metrics attest to my sustained excellence in pedagogic innovation and science communication. I have been successful in over £450,000 in funding from prestigious organisations such as AHRC, The Royal Society, Arts Council England, and The Leverhulme Trust, enabling significant projects that bridge disciplinary gaps and engage with societal challenges.

In terms of academic leadership, I have directed several undergraduate and postgraduate programmes globally, fostering a rich learning environment that encourages academic and professional growth. I hold a Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice and an MA in Higher Education and am a Principal Fellow of Advance HE (PFHEA).

My mentorship extends to supervising three current PhD candidates, with three completed supervisions and six external examiner appointments, underscoring my commitment to nurturing the next generation of scholars.

Beyond academia, I am an award-winning poet, games designer, and science communicator. My research has also generated extensive local, national, and international media attention, including features on BBC, NPR, Scientific American, Buzzfeed, and Times Higher Education. These engagements have not only spread awareness of my research but also highlighted the intersection of science and art in public discourse.

My contributions to the cultural landscape include writing for radio and stage, with productions performed by organisations including The Royal Shakespeare Company. Additionally, my poetry has resonated with audiences worldwide, including at prestigious events like the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and the Green Man music festival.

Through my diverse pursuits, I strive to blur the boundaries between academic research, pedagogical innovation, and creative expression, aiming to inspire, educate, and engage communities both within and beyond the academic sphere.

Date


108 results

Climate communication in practice: how are we engaging the UK public on climate change?

Report
McLoughlin, N., Corner, A., Capstick, S., Richardson, H., Bell, A., Muller, C., & Illingworth, S. (2018)
Climate communication in practice: how are we engaging the UK public on climate change?. NERC
What should the aim of engagement on climate change be? What principles should underpin the way it is carried out? What do climate communication practitioners agree on and dis...

Representing the majority and not the minority: the importance of the individual in communicating climate change

Journal Article
Illingworth, S., Bell, A., Capstick, S., Corner, A., Forster, P., Leigh, R., …Shuckburgh, E. (2018)
Representing the majority and not the minority: the importance of the individual in communicating climate change. Geoscience Communication, 1(1), 9-24. https://doi.org/10.5194/gc-1-9-2018
This research presents three case studies, through which a creative approach to developing dialogue around climate change is outlined. By working with three distinct communiti...

Geoscience Communication-Building bridges, not walls

Journal Article
Illingworth, S., Stewart, I., Tennant, J., & Elverfeldt, K. V. (2018)
Geoscience Communication-Building bridges, not walls. Geoscience Communication, 1(1), 1-7. https://doi.org/10.5194/gc-1-1-2018

Unhappy families: using tabletop games as a technology to understand play in education

Journal Article
Lean, J., Illingworth, S., & Wake, P. (2018)
Unhappy families: using tabletop games as a technology to understand play in education. Research in Learning Technology, 26, https://doi.org/10.25304/rlt.v26.2027
In this article, we argue that tabletop games provide a helpful means of rethinking the affordances of digital games in pedagogy. We argue that tabletop games offer a distinct...

Give me five! – reasons for two-way communication between experts and citizens in relation to air pollution risk

Journal Article
Loroño-Leturiondo, M., O'Hare, P., Cook, S., Hoon, S. R., & Illingworth, S. (2018)
Give me five! – reasons for two-way communication between experts and citizens in relation to air pollution risk. Advances in Science and Research, 15, 45-50. https://doi.org/10.5194/asr-15-45-2018
Air pollution is a major environmental concern for many populations worldwide. Communication efforts so far have been based on a one-way provision of evidence and information ...

Rhyme and reason-using poetry to talk to underserved audiences about environmental change

Journal Article
Illingworth, S., & Jack, K. (2018)
Rhyme and reason-using poetry to talk to underserved audiences about environmental change. Climate Risk Management, 19, 120-129. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crm.2018.01.001
The effects and consequences that environmental change will have on our society are not solely dependent on the ways in which the Earth system responds to anthropogenic effect...

The development and trial of an unmanned aerial system for the measurement of methane flux from landfill and greenhouse gas emission hotspots

Journal Article
Allen, G., Hollingsworth, P., Kabbabe, K., Pitt, J. R., Mead, M. I., Illingworth, S., …Percival, C. J. (2019)
The development and trial of an unmanned aerial system for the measurement of methane flux from landfill and greenhouse gas emission hotspots. Waste Management, 87, 883-892. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2017.12.024
This paper describes the development of a new sampling and measurement method to infer methane flux using proxy measurements of CO2 concentration and wind data recorded by Unm...

‘Saying it without saying it’: using poetry as a way to talk about important issues in nursing practice

Journal Article
Jack, K., & Illingworth, S. (2017)
‘Saying it without saying it’: using poetry as a way to talk about important issues in nursing practice. Journal of Research in Nursing, 22(6-7), 508-519. https://doi.org/10.1177/1744987117715293
The aim of this study was to explore the ways in which student nurses use self-authored poems to think about important aspects of nursing practice. Being a nurse can be reward...

Science communication in the field of fundamental biomedical research (editorial)

Journal Article
Illingworth, S., & Prokop, A. (2017)
Science communication in the field of fundamental biomedical research (editorial). Seminars in Cell and Developmental Biology, 70, 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.semcdb.2017.08.017
The aim of this special issue on science communication is to inspire and help scientists who are taking part or want to take part in science communication and engage with the ...

A cautionary tale: A study of a methane enhancement over the North Sea

Journal Article
Cain, M., Warwick, N. J., Fisher, R. E., Lowry, D., Lanoisellé, M., Nisbet, E. G., …Pyle, J. A. (2017)
A cautionary tale: A study of a methane enhancement over the North Sea. Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, 122(14), 7630-7645. https://doi.org/10.1002/2017jd026626
Airborne measurements of a methane (CH4) plume over the North Sea from August 2013 are analyzed. The plume was only observed downwind of circumnavigated gas fields, and three ...

Pre-Napier Funded Projects

  • Research Grant: Arts Council England, £14,750, Experimental Words 2, University of Western Australia, 2021
  • Research Grant: WUN, £9,994, Education in a Warming World, University of Western Australia, 2020
  • Research Grant: Advance HE, £2,500, Advance HE Connect, Manchester Metropolitan University, 2019
  • Research Grant: Kickstarter, £32,420, Carbon City Zero, Manchester Metropolitan University, 2019
  • Research Grant: EPSRC, £4,000, HEAT, Manchester Metropolitan University, 2019
  • Research Grant: Arts and Humanities Research Council, £56,000, The Imitation Game: Artificial Intelligence in Analogue and Digital Games, Manchester Metropolitan University, 2018
  • Research Grant: Royal Society of Chemistry, £1,800, Tabletop Chemistry, Manchester Metropolitan University, 2018
  • Research Grant: Arts Council England, £14,800, Experimental Words , Manchester Metropolitan University, 2017
  • Research Grant: Society for Applied Microbiology, £3,000, Antibiotics on the Tabletop, Manchester Metropolitan University, 2018
  • Research Grant: Natural Environmental Research Council, £119,000, Climate Consortium, Manchester Metropolitan University, 2017
  • Research Grant: The Royal Society, £2,800, History of Science Poetry, Manchester Metropolitan University, 2016

Current Post Grad projects

Non-Napier PhD or MSc by Research supervisions

  • PhD Supervison - Eleanor Dunn, University College Dublin
  • PhD Completion - Dr Tony Hall PhD (2017-2020) First Supervisor, Manchester Metropolitan University
  • PhD Completion - Dr Maria Loroño PhD (2016-2019) First Supervisor, Manchester Metropolitan University
  • PhD Completion - Dr Joanne Phillips PhD (2015-2018) First Supervisor, Manchester Metropolitan University