I started at Bangor University, as a teaching-focused lecturer in zoology, in 2014. My research background is in amphibian biology and biomechanics and I contribute sessions drawing on this expertise to modules compulsory to our unique 'Zoology with Herpetology' degree. As a biomechanicist, I am particularly fascinated by the links between form and function as it applies across a whole range of organisms, meaning my interests are broad, so I am able to contribute to a wide range of modules across the biology, zoology and marine zoology degrees (see Teaching and Supervision link). 

As a teaching and scholarship lecturer, I am also interested in pedagogical approaches to teaching zoology. Both at Glasgow, where I started teaching, and at Bangor I have been mainly involved in teaching in a large-class environment, with particular focus on the first year. I was awarded a teaching excellence award in 2008 in recognition of “effective, responsive and creative approaches to administering, teaching and supporting the learning of a large group of students in their first year at University”. I completed a PGCHE in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education in 2009 and have been a Fellow of the HEA since 2014.  

Name              Joanna Smith

Position           Senior Lecturer in Zoology

Email               j.smith@bangor.ac.uk

Phone              +44 (0)1248 38 2298

Location          Memorial Building

Module lead:

BNS-1002 Organismal Diversity

BSX-1028 Tutorials

Contribute teaching to:

BSX-2021 Bioscience Skills

BSX-2032 Field Courses (India)

BSX-2035 Field Courses (Local)

BSX-2028 Introduction to Herpetology

BSX-3158 Advances in Herpetology

BSX-3070 Dissertations

Previous teaching on:

BNS-3001/3 Freshwater Ecosystems

BSX-1027 Comparative Zoology

BSX-2022 Vertebrate Biology

BSX-2030 Integrated Zoology

BSX-3151 Animal Design

BSM-4000 Masters Research Project

ONS-1001 Introductory Research Skills

OSX-3203 Airbreathing Marine Vertebrates

I supervise ~10 UG dissertation students a year, and have co-supervised MScRes students.