Responsible for managing the School of Social and Health Sciences which delivers programmes and applied research in the areas of mental health nursing, counselling, psychology, sociology, and sport and exercise. A nurse and sport and exercise scientist, Andrea joined Abertay in 2003 and has held several roles since: Lecturer in Health and Sport Physiology, Programme Leader (Sport and Exercise) and Director of Academic Programmes. She has won awards for her work on enhancing student employability and works with a number of charitable organisations within Dundee as well as the Diabetes Research and Wellness Foundation.
Professor Nigel Seaton
Principal and Vice-Chancellor
Nigel Seaton joined Abertay University as Principal and Vice-Chancellor in 2012.
Professor Seaton began his academic career at the University of Edinburgh, where he gained a BSc (Honours) in Chemical Engineering in 1982. He went on to do an MSE and a PhD in Chemical Engineering at the University of Pennsylvania. After completing his PhD in 1986, he worked as a research engineer with Atkins Research and Development and with BP.
From 1989 to 1997, he was Lecturer in Chemical Engineering at the University of Cambridge and a Fellow of Clare College. He was a visiting professor at Cornell University in 1996-97. In 1997, he returned to the University of Edinburgh as Professor of Interfacial Engineering. Between 1998 and 2007, he was successively Head of the School of Chemical Engineering, Head of the Division of Engineering, Head of the Institute for Materials and Processes, and Dean of Undergraduate Studies in the College of Science and Engineering. He then became Assistant Principal (Taught Programme Development) and later Vice-Principal (Academic). In 2008 he moved to the University of Surrey, firstly as Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic Development) and then as Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor.
Professor Seaton is a Chartered Engineer, a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, and a Fellow of the Institution of Chemical Engineers.
Professor Liz Bacon
Deputy Principal & Deputy Vice-Chancellor
Professor Liz Bacon joined Abertay University as Vice-Principal and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) in 2018.
A former President of BCS – The Chartered Institute for IT, Professor Bacon is also current President of EQANIE (European Quality Assurance Network for Informatics Education) and a past Chair of the BCS Academy of Computing and the CPHC (Council of Professors and Heads of Computing) national committee.
She is also a Trustee of Bletchley Park Trust.
A Professor of Computer Science at Abertay, Professor Bacon’s research interests include computing policy, smart systems, security and technology enhanced learning.
She is passionate about the development of her discipline and is keen to inspire more people to choose computing as a career, with a particular commitment to supporting women in entering, and progressing in, the profession.
Professor Mohamed Branine
Dean of the School of Business, Law and Social Sciences
Mohamed is a Professor of International Human Resource Management and an Academic Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD).
Over the last 20 years, Mohamed’s work has focused on culture and human resource management with special emphasis on flexibility, diversity, equal opportunities and social inclusion.
Mohamed’s research is recognised for its contribution to the contemporary understanding of people management in different cultures and the efficient use of flexible working practices, equal opportunities in relation to gender and age, employment initiatives, and employment prospects for young people leaving third level education.
He has conducted research and consultancy work in the following areas:
- Human resource management
- Cross-cultural management
- Graduate recruitment and labour market trends
- Environmental awareness in the workplace
- Job creation and social inclusion
- The response of employees to organisational change
Mohamed has published two books, over 60 research papers – many of which have been presented at national and international conferences - and examined more than 50 PhD and MPhil students.
He is a guest lecturer at universities in the UK and abroad including the University of British Colombia and the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing.
Ms Andrea Cameron
Dean of the School of Applied Sciences
Ms Eilidh Fraser
Director of People and Organisational Development
Responsible for the strategic leadership of Abertay's HR function, and for taking the lead in the University's development as an organisation. Eilidh joined Abertay in January 2014 and has extensive experience in HR in higher education, including leading the delivery of university HR strategy and services across the range of HR and organisational development.
Ms Jackie McKenzie
Director of External and Corporate Relations
Jackie joined Abertay in April 2016 to lead the new External and Corporate Relations Directorate which encompasses our work in Recruitment, Marketing and Communications, Alumni and Development, International and Business Engagement. Jackie has diverse experience at a senior level in the third, HEI and public sector and expertise in innovation. The External Relations team’s remit is to lead and support engagement with our many audiences including prospective/existing students, our graduates, the wider business community, third and public sector community and our staff. Jackie can be contacted directly at j.mckenzie@abertay.ac.uk.
Dr Luke Millard
Dean of Teaching & Learning
Dr Luke Millard is Dean of Teaching and Learning at Abertay University and is a Principal Fellow of the UK’s Higher Education Academy. At Abertay, Luke leads the work of the AbLE Academy and works with the Deans and Senior Management Team to guide activities that seek to improve student and staff experiences, and outcomes, through collaborative engagement. The Principal Fellowship award was based on his experiences in developing student success through collaborative working with staff and students on the areas of student engagement and co-creation, student employment, transitions and the first year experience. His doctoral research continued this theme and considered the impact of students being employed on campus on students’ learning and their relationship to the institution.
In recent years, Luke has been invited to deliver keynotes at University Learning and Teaching events at Bath, Nottingham Trent, Liverpool John Moores, Munster Technological University, Worcester and Winchester Universities. In addition, he has chaired the European First Year Experience conference; provided a presentation to the OECD in Paris on Learning Gain and chaired a national conference in London on ‘Increasing Student Retention Across Higher Education’. In 2019, Luke delivered a keynote on student engagement and quality enhancement at the University of Tsukuba (Japan) and presented at the Japanese Association of Higher Education Research. Most recently, he has worked with the University of Szeged and members of the EULOGH university alliance to explore issues around student engagement and success. Luke has published widely and has substantial experience of developing partnership arrangements with Universities across North America, Asia and Europe as a vehicle to improve institutional performance and the student experience.
Luke continues to investigate and research in the field of student retention and success with a particular focuses on the first year student experience and the addressing of inequalities through course design and student opportunity. Luke has written extensively on student engagement, success and employability.
Mr James Nicholson
Director of Student and Academic Services
Leadership and responsibility for student experience, equality and diversity, the Careers Service (including placements), Abertay Sport, Student Counselling, Student Advisory Service (including, student welfare, student funding, disabled student support and international student support), the Learner Development Service (including, study skills support), the Abertay Language Centre, and Chaplaincy. Having previously worked within Student Services at two universities in England, James joined Abertay as Head of Student Services in April 2001. He is also a governor for the City of Dundee Educational Trust.
Ms Sheena Stewart
University Secretary
As University Secretary, Sheena is responsible for corporate governance as Secretary to Court; and for the provision of legal and audit services and Registry functions. Sheena is a non-executive director of APUC Ltd and has recently been appointed to the board of the Highlands & Islands Students’ Association.
Sheena has worked at the University since 1991, working in a number of central roles with a focus on quality assurance and then on corporate governance. She worked for the QAA episodically from 1995 to 2005 as a review co-ordinator on three institutional reviews in England and Scotland and a review of UK universities’ overseas collaboration. She became Secretary to Court and Head of Secretariat in 2009 and University Secretary in 2012.
Sheena was an archaeologist at the Museum of London from 1987 to 1990 having previously studied archaeology at the University of Glasgow.
Ms Caroline Summers
Vice-Principal and Pro Vice-Chancellor (Strategy and Planning)
Responsibilities include developing and monitoring the University's Strategic Plan, internal planning processes and the University's Outcome Agreement with SFC. Caroline joined Abertay in October 2013, having previously worked at Glasgow Caledonian University, the Scottish Funding Council and the University of Stirling.
Mr Gordon Weir
Director of Finance, Infrastructure and Corporate Services
Biography and photo to come.
Professor Gregor White
Dean of the School of Design and Informatics
Gregor became Head of School in 2015. A graduate of Grays School of Art (BA Hons Design and Applied Art) and St Andrews University (Master’s in the History of Art), he has also worked at Dundee University, Duncan of Jordanstone and Angus College before joining Abertay University as Lecturer in Computer Arts in 2002, subsequently serving as Division Leader, Director of Academic Enterprise and latterly Research Director.
Professor Nia White
Dean of Research and the Graduate School
Responsible for strategy, leadership and operational management of University Research and Knowledge Exchange activity and member of the University Research Executive. A graduate of University College Cardiff (BSc Hons Microbiology) and the University of Wales College of Cardiff (PhD SERC/CASE ICI Biological Products), she gained post-doctoral experience at the University of Wales College of Medicine before joining Abertay as a researcher in 1992. Nia has had several roles since; lecturer in environmental microbiology, SIMBIOS researcher, Honorary Research Fellow of the Scottish Crop Research Institute, Masters Programme Leader, Division Leader, Head of the School of Science, Engineering and Technology and now Head of the University Graduate School, which was launched in 2014. She has over 20 years of research experience in Microbiology and Mycology and is Chair of the University Athena SWAN Self-Assessment Team.
