My memories of Nigel span the whole 40 years of my involvement in the Centre, from being a student of the 1983/84 cohort to him being instrumental (along with Richard Macrory and John Beddington) in my employment in 1995 as a Lecturer in Environmental Assessment. Nigel epitomised the synergy of excellence in research and in teaching that underpinned the Centre and the MSc in Environmental Technology from the very start - the coming together of academics across Imperial with a shared interest in environmental research and a passion for teaching.
I had the pleasure of working alongside Nigel for many years as Deputy Director of the MSc and as Director of the Core Course, and through the growth of the course from 30 students to over 150 as new Options were added. I then had the challenge of taking over from him on his retirement as Director of Careers/Departmental Careers Advisor. No one could ever match Nigel's knowledge of alumni, recalling all by name, year and specialist option across 30 years or more! Not that it was without effort - he studied the cohort photos diligently until a face matched the name, and he could evidence that knowledge over Policy Seminar drinks by referring to each student he talked to by name. He always made time for students. His love of teaching extended beyond the MSc to his extensive external examining that he did over many years for undergraduate and postgraduate courses in so many institutions, not to mention the many PhDs he examined. It was this that contributed so much to his depth and breadth of knowledge around teaching and learning that he was able to bring to the development of the MSc course over the years. That passion for teaching for some of us was quite infectious.
Policy seminar drinks, incidentally, became an institution that continues to this day - an opportunity to network informally with external experts, always a weekly event that Nigel could be guaranteed to attend and one that so many alumni recall with fondness. It was where friendships were forged and contacts made.
His lasting legacy is the thousands of students he supported and advised and continued to maintain contact with right across the world. Those of us that owe so much to Nigel will cherish those many vivid memories of times past.
There could only ever be one Nigel!
Bill Sheate, Emeritus Reader, CEP: Therapist at Imagination Therapy.
My memories of Nigel span the whole 40 years of my involvement in the Centre, from being a student of the 1983/84 cohort to him being instrumental (along with Richard Macrory and John Beddington) in my employment in 1995 as a Lecturer in Environmental Assessment. Nigel epitomised the synergy of excellence in research and in teaching that underpinned the Centre and the MSc in Environmental Technology from the very start - the coming together of academics across Imperial with a shared interest in environmental research and a passion for teaching.
I had the pleasure of working alongside Nigel for many years as Deputy Director of the MSc and as Director of the Core Course, and through the growth of the course from 30 students to over 150 as new Options were added. I then had the challenge of taking over from him on his retirement as Director of Careers/Departmental Careers Advisor. No one could ever match Nigel's knowledge of alumni, recalling all by name, year and specialist option across 30 years or more! Not that it was without effort - he studied the cohort photos diligently until a face matched the name, and he could evidence that knowledge over Policy Seminar drinks by referring to each student he talked to by name. He always made time for students. His love of teaching extended beyond the MSc to his extensive external examining that he did over many years for undergraduate and postgraduate courses in so many institutions, not to mention the many PhDs he examined. It was this that contributed so much to his depth and breadth of knowledge around teaching and learning that he was able to bring to the development of the MSc course over the years. That passion for teaching for some of us was quite infectious.
Policy seminar drinks, incidentally, became an institution that continues to this day - an opportunity to network informally with external experts, always a weekly event that Nigel could be guaranteed to attend and one that so many alumni recall with fondness. It was where friendships were forged and contacts made.
His lasting legacy is the thousands of students he supported and advised and continued to maintain contact with right across the world. Those of us that owe so much to Nigel will cherish those many vivid memories of times past.
There could only ever be one Nigel!
Bill Sheate, Emeritus Reader, CEP: Therapist at Imagination Therapy.
