I joined the university in January 1998 (research assistant) and secured a lectureship post in 2000. I gained a PhD in 2003 and this brought to a close a 23 year educational journey of part-time and full-time studies. On leaving secondary school (1980) before turning 16 (with no formal qualifications) I embarked on a 4 year apprenticeship as a plumbing and heating engineer and subsequently worked for a further two years applying my craft in domestic and industrial settings.

I lectured (plumbing and building studies) in three further education colleges (1986-1992) before embarking on a full time degree qualification at Napier University in Edinburgh (1992-1995) and post-graduate study (MSc) at Heriot Watt University (1995-1996). Between 1996 and starting at Strathclyde in 1998 I lectured at Robert Gordon University and Fife College.

Since 1998 I have undertaken guest tutoring at Heriot Watt University (1998-2000) and on-line distance learning tutoring for the College of Estate Management and the University of Bath. Between 2005-2012 I undertook consultancy work as a monitor and presenter for the Considerate Constructors Scheme (CCS).

From January 2013 I have undertaken my scholarly work as a teaching fellow and through my former consultancy work with the CCS I have been able to develop strong links with industry that has helped inform my own Continuous Professional Development (CPD) and shaped the student experience at Strathclyde.

My PhD studies and early publications have focused on construction management topics. However, since 2010, I have found a comfortable home within what I would consider to be ‘active’ pedagogical studies, grounded through my immersion in teaching and learning activities. My personal ontological (reality is subjective) and epistemological (knowledge creation is socially constructed) assumptions and believes shape my approach to learning, teaching and research activities. Forthcoming publications:

• Murray, M, Hendry, G, and McQuade, R (????) Civil Engineering 4 Real (CE4R): Co-curricular Learning for Undergraduates. European Journal of Engineering Education (IN REVIEW).

Teaching Philosophy

I am a passionate, caring and inspirational Teaching Fellow. My epistemic believes reflect a dominant constructivist and dialogical perspective and the pedagogies that I adopt support student agency through a series of innovative (flipped learning / jigsaw / rich pictures / storytelling /problem based learning / internationalisation) assessment for learning (Afl) activities across the curriculum. Evidence gathered from students suggests that these activities can help students to stay and succeed at university. In addition, I have developed several co-curricular activities (international society / book reading club / debating society) to enable students to socialise with peers from across the programme and to foster opportunities for informal learning.

I seek to deliver a student learning experience that promotes intellectual curiosity and problem finding attributes so as to ensure students’ retain a strong desire to learn (habits of mind). I believe that the learning journey should be an enjoyable and emotional (sometimes fun) experience with an appropriate balance between a liberal education and a curriculum with an emphasis on employability skills and industry networking opportunities. My CPD has allowed me to reflect “in” and “on” my academic role through extending, transforming and applying knowledge from pedagogical development to my teaching & learning practice. As such, I am a scholarly and collegiate teacher and an advocate for emergent leadership in higher education through pedagogy.

11/05/2018: Most Innovative University Teacher  & Shortlisted Best Teacher in Faculty of Engineering- “ The amount of different ways this man has found to engage students with the wider Civil Engineering community is too long to list and I hope he finally gets the recognition he deserves”.

17/05/2017: Shortlisted Best Teacher in Faculty of Engineering “He goes above and beyond his role as a lecturer. Mike encourages students to take part in further reading and broaden their education with site visits and workshops. His passion for the course and genuine interest in the industry really encourages students to have ambition whilst pursuing their career”.

14/05/2015: Shortlisted Best Overall University Teacher “I feel I owe an incredible amount to him. He has built relationships with companies, organises site visits and forwards job advertisement to us”…“He makes such an effort for his students, and I think he should be recognised for this”.

07/05/2014: Best Teacher in Faculty-Engineering “He has such enthusiasm and ensures his students know what working life is like”.

15/05/2013: In Recognition of Teaching Excellence “Not a week goes by when he doesn’t go beyond the call of duty as a lecturer to try to introduce something extra or new, not just to us students but to the department as a whole. He inspires us to set our goals high and engages with students as equals”.

24/03/2010: Award in Recognition of Outstanding Teaching “Mike Murray is one of the best lecturers I have met so far, and has helped immensely in my learning in the department”.

29/11/2015-Commended by the Quinqennial Review Panel, November 2015

• The Panel commended the Department on the support provided to students, particularly the ‘Big Buddies - Little Buddies’ programme.
• The Panel commended the Department on the active involvement of industry in student mentoring through the Industrial Mentoring Scheme.
• The Panel commended the Department for the innovative CE4R initiative.

I believe our students should receive an interesting, exciting and inspirational educational experience and I consider my students to represent the most explicit beneficiaries of knowledge creation and transfer between faculty and student; between peer students; industry and student. Through various interventions with industry, I ensure that my teaching and guidance offers students an opportunity to link theory to practice. I also believe in the joy of learning and seek to promote a liberal approach to university studies whereby I seek to encourage my students to achieve their aspirations and establish habits of mind consistent with lifelong learners.

As a result of my own educational journey, I have a personal interest in encouraging our students to become active independent learners who recognise and take resposibility for their own learning. I seek to promote learning as a deep, meaningful and rich experience and believe that scholarly fortune favours the prepared mind. I am an advocate for the study of humanities in civil engineering studies. In 2010 I developed a “reading for your degree” initiative and I have been responsible for establishing a department book club and I have published research papers on associated reading of industry magazines and the use of the National Geographic Magazine with students. Further reading requires our first year students to use the inaugural addresses (from 1820 onwards) of former ICE presidents (standing on the shoulders of giants to see further) in preparation of their own ICE student president address

I have been personally responsible for the development and management of the following curricular and Co-curricular teaching and learning activities. These activities facilitate a blended approach to both explicit and tacit knowledge creation and are intended to encourage our students to conceptualise their own learning as a transformational process.

Sharing Practice in Effective learning & Teaching (SPELT)- *Commended by the Quinqennial Review Panel, November 2015

• Rich Pictures for Creative and Imaginative Learning

              http://spelt.strath.ac.uk/display/SPELT/Rich+Pictures+for+Creative+and+Imaginative+Learn         ing

   

  Transition to employment: Alumni stories about dyslexia from the Civil Engineering and Law disciplines.

              http://spelt.strath.ac.uk/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=14453988

   

  Uncovering the Boundaries for Learning through a Legitimate Peripheral Participation and            Communities of Practice Lens: A case of civil engineering students in post-summer

              placement transition through university

              http://spelt.strath.ac.uk/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=14453990

   

  Assessment for Learning (Book, Chapter, Jigsaw)

              http://spelt.strath.ac.uk/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=14090436

   

  Using Graduate Engineers (Alumni) to Mentor Undergraduate Students.

  http://spelt.strath.ac.uk/display/SPELT/Using+Graduate+Engineers+%28Alumni%29+to+Mentor+Undergraduate+Students

   

  Co-curricular Academic Studies: Civil Engineering 4 (CE4R) AS Problem Based Learning.

  http://spelt.strath.ac.uk/display/SPELT/CoCurricular+Academic+Studies%3A+Civil+Engineering+4+real+%28CE4R%29+as+Problem+Based+Learning

   

  Introducing Fresher Civil Engineers to the Institution of Civil Engineers.

  http://spelt.strath.ac.uk/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=8979426

   

  Reading for a Degree: A Compulsory Book Reading Coursework and Associated Book   Club.             http://spelt.strath.ac.uk/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=8979432

   

  Reading for a Degree: Using the national Geographic magazine to introduce Humanities into Undergraduate Civil Engineering Studies.     http://spelt.strath.ac.uk/display/SPELT/Newspaper+Coursework+for+1st+year+Civil+`            Engineering+     students

   

  Using a Weekly Trade Magazine (New Civil Engineer) for learning and Assessment.

  http://spelt.strath.ac.uk/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=8979428

   

  An Undergraduate International Society 2014-15 Session.           

  http://spelt.strath.ac.uk/display/SPELT/An+Undergraduate+International+Society+2014-15+SessionEU / International Coursework

   

  EU / International Coursework 2015-2018.            http://spelt.strath.ac.uk/display/SPELT/Encouraging+engineering++students+to+develop+a+g     lobal+a            nd+cultural+awareness+mind-set+through+collaborative+coursework

   

  Newspaper Coursework for 1^st year Civil Engineers.

  http://spelt.strath.ac.uk/display/SPELT/Newspaper+Coursework+for+1st+year+Civil+Engineering+Students

   

  Industrial Placement Big Buddies- Little Buddies Initiative.          

  http://spelt.strath.ac.uk/display/SPELT/Industrial+Placement+Big+Buddies-Little+Buddies+Programme

   

  Education or Edutainment?: the use of televison programmes for teaching & learning with            undergraduate civil Engineers

              .http://spelt.strath.ac.uk/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=8980570

Contribution to Engineering Insights (Faculty Magazine)

• Autumn 2017- Constructionarium Scotland – A Life-Changing Experience. Issue 24, p.25,https://cloud.3dissue.com/1957/2626/5582/insight24/index.html

   

  Autumn 2017- Strathclyde Engineering Students Visit Landmark Glasgow Construction Site. Issue24, p.27,https://cloud.3dissue.com/1957/2626/5582/insight24/index.html

   

  Summer 2017-New Civil Engineering Coursework Encourages International Student Engagement.  Issue 23, p.22,https://cloud.3dissue.com/1957/2626/5582/insight23/index.html

   

  Autumn 2016-Students given Opportunity for Industry Experience through Civil Engineering Mentoring      Scheme, Issue 22, p.25, https://cloud.3dissue.com/1957/2626/5582/insight22/index.html?r=39

   

  Spring 2016- Civil Engineering Students Volunteer in Malawi, Issue 20, p.3-4 https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/110796764/insight20/index.html

   

  December 2015- International Students visit Impressive Engineering Structures, Issue 19, and p.8 https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/110796764/insight19/index.html

   

  September 2015- Undergraduate Civil Engineering Students Secure Prestigious QUEST Scholarships, Issue 18, p 21-22,

  https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/110796764/insight18/index.html

   

  Autumn 2014- Undergraduate International Society Launched by Department, Issue 14, pp.25, https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/110796764/insight14/index.html

   

  Autumn 2014- Sara Comes Out on Top after Winning Student Competition, Issue 14,

   pp.20, https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/110796764/insight14/index.html

   

   

  Summer 2014- Mentoring Scheme Allows Students Greater Insight into Possible Careers, Issue, 13, pp.24, https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/110796764/insight13/index.html

   

  Engineering Insights (2013) Female students participate in Constructionarium project, Issue, 10, pp.14

  Engineering Insights (2012) Civil Engineering 4 Real (CE4R)

  Engineering Insights (2012) Successful Alumnus, Barry Colford (Recommended by Mike) Issue, 5, pp. 26

  Engineering Insights (2011) Civil Engineers students dive into refurbishment project, Issue, 4, pp. 14

  Engineering Insights (2010) Success for the first Constructionarium Scotland event, Issue, 1, pp. 17

Mentor:

I am a mentor for MRC Pathways Foundation and support a ‘looked after’ secondary school pupil in Glasgow through a weekly meeting during school term time. My role as a mentor involves listening to, nurturing, supporting and encouraging a young person to enable them to strive and be the best they can be both academically and personally. MCR stands for Motivation- Resilience- Commitment and the initiative is actively supported by the University of Strathclyde, June 2015 onward

External Examiner:

Cork Institute of Technology, Ireland: External Examiner, BSc (Hons) Construction Project Management, Faculty of Engineering & Science, 2012-2016

University of Central England, Birmingham: External Examiner MSc Construction Project Management, School of Property, Construction and Planning, 2006-2009

Member of external Course Validation Panel: MSc Construction Project Management, School of the Built Environment, Napier University, Edinburgh, June 2004

Committees:

Committee member (Representing HE Scotland): Construction Skills Strategic Partnership Panel (Skills Provision Committee) London, chaired by ICE   President Professor Barry Clarke, 2009-2013

Representative for Considerate Constructors Scheme: Cross Party Group (Construction) Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh, 2010-2012

Industry:

Bespoke workshop & seminar presenter for the Considerate Constructors Scheme (CCS) (Barr Construction, Farrans, Lend Lease, Laing O’Rourke, Sir Robert McAlpine) June 2008-2012

Development of leadership case studies for PCR Limited/Project Leadership Forum 2005 Profitability through Project Leadership, 2004-2006 & Chairing session ( The Model Client and the Perfect Construction Team: Welsh national Assembly and Holyrood Projects at Project Leadership Forum, 01/11/06, Bridgewater Hall, Manchester