Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy Election

“Being a member of the university’s Senate has been a privilege and an incredibly meaningful experience for me. It has given me the opportunity not only to contribute to important discussions but also to represent and amplify the views of colleagues and communities across the university. I have particularly valued being able to bring my experience of teaching and of EDI into these conversations helping to advocate for a socially just and inclusive university."

- Dr Ioanna Kapantai, Senior Lecturer Psychology, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences

Professor Achim D. Brucker

As a Professor in Computer Science, I am standing for Senate to ensure Exeter’s academic governance remains robust, forward-thinking, and strategically agile. In a UK higher education landscape defined by fiscal constraints and the rapid integration of AI, Senate must safeguard our financial sustainability without compromising the academic quality that defines us. If elected, my four main priorities are: 
1.  A Future-Proof Learning Environment: I will advocate for an inclusive, technology-enhanced environment across all pathways—from traditional degrees and online programmes to Degree Apprenticeships and Lifelong Learning. It is vital that both students and academics have seamless access to the latest technologies, including AI, to remain at the forefront of modern pedagogy.
2.  Global Employability for Diverse Careers: Our graduates must be the first choice for employers in the UK and internationally. Drawing on my global industry background, I will champion curricula that balance the academic rigour required for research careers with the agile, high-demand skills sought by industry. An Exeter degree must be a global badge of excellence, whether in a laboratory or a boardroom.
3.  World-Leading, Reproducible Research: I am committed to driving initiatives that improve the rigour and reproducibility of our "digital" research. This requires reliable, scalable IT infrastructure that supports not only data storage but also industry-standard quality assurance. Enhancing these processes will improve our research reputation and simplify knowledge transfer to industry, academia, and the public sector.
4.  A Fair and Unified Academic Community: I am dedicated to fostering a culture where all staff and students thrive. Specifically, I want to bridge the perceived divide between E&S and E&R roles. By supporting both profiles equitably, we ensure Exeter remains a cohesive, world-leading research university where every contribution is valued.

Professor Barrie Cooper

I stand for election to Senate conscious of the huge responsibilities of the role.  We are blessed with extraordinary staff whose expertise and experiences should be central to the development of policy and strategy, and who live out the daily reality of the decisions Senate makes.  I know first-hand that there are gaps between what Senate sees and those lived realities of our staff and students. We can make better decisions, and I want to help bridge the gap to make that possible.

I believe that the breadth of my roles and experiences enables me to understand and represent effectively the interests of staff across the University.  I have been Director of PGT, Director of Digitally Enhanced Learning, Director of Education, Branch President for UCU, Academic Lead, and I teach on our Academic Professional programme for new academic staff, giving me a rounded view of the experiences of our diverse staff and insight into how the University works at various levels and across different Departments and Services.

I also have a keen eye for detail, scrutinising papers carefully, and never being afraid to ask difficult questions or challenge the narrative presented. These attributes are important on Senate, which determines policy and ultimately provides assurance to Council about our academic standards, processes and governance.

We face immense challenges – growing income streams while operating in a hostile funding environment; championing social justice and inclusion as global politics becomes more insular and polarised; ensuring our awards remain relevant and graduates are equipped technically and ethically for a world with ChatGPT – but these are also opportunities to decide what sort of institution, employer, regional partner and global leader we aspire to be. I will challenge and champion policy and decisions in a balanced way and hope to represent you effectively on Senate.

Mr Raphael Dennett

I am standing for Senate because my work crosses education, research and external policy in a combination I think would be genuinely useful.
I advise the UK Parliament through the APPGs on Entrepreneurship and on AI, and I work with the United Nations and the Office for the Impact Economy. That means I spend a lot of time in rooms where employers and policymakers are being very direct about what they need from graduates, and it gives me a sharp sense of where our ambitions under Strategy 2030 are already well matched to that demand and where we need to improve to gain advantage.
Inside the University, I know how strategy translates into delivery. As a Programme and Pathway Director I have led curriculum development end to end. I sit on the AI Taskforce and have been working with the Business School's digital team to improve employability outcomes and student satisfaction. I am a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, a board member of Young Enterprise UK, and I have also worked with over 400 early-stage ventures and spin-outs.
I also founded IRIEP, an international partnership now spanning researchers and practitioners across 8 countries and touch on the education of 250,000 students, focused on regenerative innovation. Beyond its research contribution, the network has real value for Exeter's international recruitment and global positioning, particularly in regions where reputation and innovation are the terms on which universities are being chosen.
On Senate, I would want to push on three things: embedding AI capability effectively across disciplines, building interdisciplinary programmes that produce graduates ready to lead positive change in their sectors, and making sure governance can respond effectively in ever increasingly uncertain and volatile conditions.

Dr Helena Fornwagner

Universities thrive when diverse voices help shape their future. As a mid-career researcher, mother, and international academic, I am standing for Senate and wish to contribute a perspective shaped by the realities many colleagues face today. 

Indeed, a successful academic career today requires balancing research, teaching, leadership, and other responsibilities in an environment where budgets are tight and external funding is increasingly competitive and uncertain. Having experienced these pressures myself, I am committed to advocating for fair and supportive career structures that enable colleagues to thrive at different stages of their professional development. 

I have supported the career progression of women and underrepresented groups through my involvement with the RES UK Women in Economics network and other national and international roles. As Co-Director of Ethics for the Business School, I help strengthen responsible research and ethical reflection. I am also a dedicated lecturer and Innoplay champion, supporting innovation in education as AI reshapes teaching and learning.

Colleagues know me as someone who speaks openly, raises important issues, and works constructively to find solutions. I believe Senate plays a vital role in shaping the academic direction of our university. If elected, I will bring a thoughtful, engaged and proactive voice to Senate, advocating for an inclusive academic environment and for policies that allow us all to flourish.

Dr Sarah Hodge

*Requires re-election to complete term of office as Senate Representative on Council*

I am an Associate Professor in the E&S job family, based in the Centre for Ecology & Conservation at the Penryn campus. I joined Senate in 2023 and have greatly valued the opportunity to represent our academic community and help shape decisions relating to University strategy. During my time on Senate, I have drawn on my experience in education leadership and delivery (e.g. Director of Education, 2017–2022) and departmental management (e.g. current Deputy Head of Department) to actively contribute to discussions that have a real impact on our academic community. Senate has also provided me with opportunities to become involved in the wider governance of the University. This includes acting as Senate representative on the University Education Board (2024–26), where I co-chair a task and finish group reviewing University-wide external examining processes. I am also the Senate representative on the University Council, where I represent the academic community at the highest level of University governance.

I have thoroughly enjoyed my time on Senate and, if elected again, I will build on my experiences over the past three years to champion the importance of supporting our academics in achieving our goal of maintaining research excellence while delivering world-class education. I am also keen to represent staff and students in decisions relating to inclusivity and widening participation, as well as promoting the opportunities and needs of the Penryn campus. A second Senate term would also allow me to complete my three-year tenure on Council, providing valuable continuity. I believe that my track record, broad experience, and diverse connections across job families and campuses leave me ideally placed to continue effecting positive change in this important forum, to the benefit of our wider community.

Professor Nathan Mayne

I work in the Physics and Astronomy department and study the climates of planets, from Earth to planets in the solar system and those discovered orbiting distant stars. My main aim in running for senate is to try and improve things at Exeter for all current and future staff. 

One particular element I feel needs significant improvement is the way we work across the professional services (PS) and academic partnerships. Our systems, processes, communication, policies and structures often create divisions between PS and academic staff. I want to push to form much closer partnerships, and encourage initiatives which recognise the fact we are all contributing different skills to the same ultimate aims; high quality research and teaching. Additionally, I believe that we should evaluate things in a holistic and transparent way, particularly when making decisions around efficiency. Often, adjustments to improve efficiency in our approaches lead to systems which are too uniform, inflexible and under resourced, acting to simply transferring workload to other staff who are less appropriate and thereby damaging longer-term performance in research and teaching. A short-term `win' at a longer term cost. Accounting for the complete "cost" of our changes will enable more transparent decision making.  

Professor Ana Neves

Higher education in the UK is under significant pressure, and Exeter is not immune. After years of going above and beyond, through a pandemic, through restructuring, through the steady erosion of support structures, many staff are running on empty. They are worried, under pressure, and increasingly disengaged. That is not sustainable, and it matters, because motivated staff are essential to delivering the high-quality teaching and research this university should be known for.

I have been part of departmental leadership, dealing with difficult situations involving both staff and students. I understand the gap between institutional ambition and day to day reality, and I have seen enough to know what questions need asking. I know how to ask them in a way that moves things forward rather than just creating noise.

This faculty is genuinely diverse in background, experience, career stage, and perspective. That is a real strength, and it should be reflected in how we are represented at the highest levels of governance. I want to make sure that the people most affected by decisions, and least likely to be in the room where they are made, have a clearer voice.

I will not always agree with every decision or direction. But I will always be honest, transparent, and constructive about why.

Professor Misha Portnoi

During my 27 years at Exeter, I have witnessed significant changes, including policy reversals. These experiences have led me to believe that, as an elected member of Senate, I could make a meaningful contribution to university decision-making. My commitment to Exeter is long-standing, and my perspective has been shaped by experience in several academic systems: an MSc from the former USSR, a US PhD, and visiting positions in Germany, Brazil, China and Finland.

My priorities would focus on strengthening checks and balances ensuring that the values most of us cherish – academic freedom, collegiality and integrity – are not eroded by the influence of corporate culture. One area of interest is developing a clearer code of academic conduct addressing practices in authorship and credit, including both “gift” authorship and failures to acknowledge contributions properly in publications and grant applications.

Another priority is the relationship between staff and students. Universities should foster a culture in which students see themselves not as customers but as learners engaged in partnership with mentors. I have always aimed to build such relationships; many of my PhD and MPhys students have gone on to successful academic careers worldwide.

My formative years coincided with the period of Glasnost and the end of the Iron Curtain, which instilled in me a belief in openness and constructive dialogue. I am prepared to engage with difficult issues facing universities today, including tensions between managerial and academic values, questions of merit and fairness, and balancing international collaboration with security considerations.

If elected, I will promote openness and communication through an “open door” approach to hearing colleagues’ concerns and representing them responsibly.

My goal is simple: to help strengthen the reputation of the University of Exeter internationally, nationally and among its own staff, so that it remains an institution we are proud to serve.

Professor Katy Sheen

I am an Associate Professor in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences on the Penryn campus, and I’ve spent the past ten years building my career here. In that time, I’ve been deeply involved in education—developing and leading undergraduate modules and field trips as well as serving as Programme Director for Marine Science (2021-2025), a new programme I helped shape and grow. As Admissions Tutor (2017-2021), I’ve seen first-hand the importance of recruitment alongside the challenges facing departments and the barriers many prospective students face. As Widening Participation Officer (2018-2024), I have sought to improve access to education for all, and I remain strongly committed to fostering an inclusive and equitable environment within the university.

More recently, I’ve shifted toward research, securing several grants, including a UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship, which has allowed me time to focus on developing my own research and team. Alongside this, I’ve navigated maternity leave and raising two children, gaining a personal understanding of how career progression intersects with family life—and the importance of meaningful institutional support. 

These experiences have given me a clear view of both the Education and Research landscape within the University, as well as the realities faced by early-career Education and Research colleagues. Many of us are balancing multiple roles—teaching, research, administration, gaining grant funding, mentorship, tutoring, leadership, and personal commitments—and those pressures are real.

I want to join Senate to bring these experiences into the conversation. I’m well connected across academic colleagues, students, and professional services—particularly on the Penryn campus—providing a platform to represent those voices alongside my own. I care deeply about my place of work and the people in it, and I’m motivated by the chance to contribute to practical, positive change, and to ensure that decisions reflect the realities of the community they affect.