Meet our University Centre Tutors

Leonardo Morantes-Africano

"I combine two of my passions in my job as teacher educator: research and the art of teaching. I teach across all programmes at the School of Education, including our Diploma in Teaching, PGCE and Masters in Education. My academic work is available online via Google Scholar, which focuses on social justice, queer and critical theory, as well as technology in education."

Richard Cave

"The great thing about this course that I’m teaching is that it’s a professional course, so by the end of the two years, my students have a professional qualification to go out and be a counsellor and speak to real people with real issues."

"My experience encompasses various areas of the music business, with a specialisation in artist management, live shows and touring, A&R development, as well as extensive experience collaborating with record labels and studios. I firmly believe in fostering a positive and motivating environment, employing strategies such as praise, inspiration, mentoring and motivation."

Gary Hall

"I still work in the industry; it is important to me and my students that I am always up to date with current ways of working. I work together with my industry contacts and students to organise additional training, which complements their studies."

Paul Smyth

"I run my own 3D animation company and I'm one of the lecturers on the BA (Hons) Animation course. I try to not only bring in industry skills, but also push experimentation with new technologies to further our students' skills."

Murray Lambert

"I enjoy delivering technical modules with a practical outcome. I get to use my experience working on industry projects to help students develop their skills in 3D modelling, texturing and animation. It's very rewarding to see students bring their own ideas to life, from a simple concept all the way to a character they can move around in a game."

Sonia Gray

"I have worked in the childcare sector for over 15 years as a Nursery Manager, SENCo and a Safeguarding Lead. Over this period, I have supported students within the sector to gain skills, experiences and knowledge which supported their placement experiences."

Jim King

"In my six years at Newcastle College, I have seen many students go on to achieve great things. I love using the experiences I have had working in the Royal Air Force to inspire the next generation of aircraft engineers."

Hazel Bone

I joined Newcastle College in 2003 as a Mechanical Engineering lecturer, teaching from Level 1 up to degree level. I’ve been involved in projects like WISE, Young Engineer for Britain, Greenpower, and Jaguar F1 in Schools, often representing the college in regional and national finals. Before this, I completed a Rolls Royce apprenticeship and worked with Parsons and Siemens while gaining my BEng (Hons) in Mechanical Engineering. I’m also a qualified Design Draughtsman with experience in multiple 2D and 3D design packages. And if I look familiar, you may have seen me on Robot Wars or Techno Games with my robot FireStorm.

Jonny Burgess

"My favourite modules to teach are studio-based. My area of expertise is working with musicians in recording studios and helping them to develop their material. It's great to hear students come in with raw ideas and then see them develop over time."