Projects per year
Personal profile
Teaching Interests
Teaching Philosophy
I seek to deliver a student learning experience that promotes intellectual curiosity. My epistemic beliefs reflect a dominant constructivist perspective and the pedagogy that I deploy supports student agency through innovative Assessment for Learning activities (i.e. Flipped Learning / Book Jigsaw / Rich Pictures/ Vlogging for reflection).
As a Senior Teaching Fellow I have directed my efforts to creating reciprocal knowledge exchange between students and employers. This has resulted in significant ‘time in kind’ and direct financial contributions by employers for undergraduate curriculum & co-curriculum activities:
Graduate Mentoring 3rd year Students 2010-2024. As of May 2024, 1130 student mentees have participated, 80 employers have assisted and 306 industry mentors have providing guidance to the mentees.
Constructionarium (ConStructEd Scotland) 2010-2024. Co-curricular 5 day summer camp (experiential learning) since where student teams project manage and build replica structures. As of May 2024 this has resulted in 275 undergraduates participating and this has created circa 11'000 hrs. of voluntary student CPD and circa £160,000 of industrial sponsor support through materials, construction plant and management costs.
Civil Engineering 4 Real (CE4R 2012-2024) co-curricular problem based workshops facilitate peer (voluntary attendance, N=533) learning across all five years of the undergraduate course. As of May 2024, 133 workshops have been delivered by 218 engineers representing 76 employers. 2867 student attendances has resulted in 5734 hrs. of student CPD.
My pedagogy has been commended by the Quinqennial Review Panel (2015 & 2021) and recognized by the Joint Board of Moderators (JBM) Accreditation panels 2010, 2015, 2020; External Examiners Report 2020, and is explicitly referenced in the annual National Student Survey (NSS) free-text positive responses.
Awards / Nominations / Shortlist
05/09/2024: University of Strathclyde Medal Awards 2024:Making a significant contribution to others. Presented by Professor Sir Jim McDonald (Principal & Vice-Chancellor) for an outstanding contribution to the success of the University of Strathclyde and for demostration of the University Values.
17/05/2024:Winner-Staff Collaboration, Strtahlcyde Student Union Teaching Excellence Awards.
18/05/2023: Short Listed (Going the Extra Mile) Strathclyde Student Union Teaching Excellence Awards
08/06/2021: Winner- Faculty of Engineering Excellence in Teaching Awards.-Excellence in Supporting Students during the 2020-21 academic year.
30/04/2019: Nominated (Long Listed) Most Enthusiastic Teacher. “It was great to have you as my teacher Mike. You are definitely one of the most enthusiastic lecturers I have ever known or will ever know, probably”.
11/05/2018: Winner- 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: Winner-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”.
Personal Statement
I joined Strathclyde in January 1998 (EPSRC Grant 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 with no formal qualifications (1980) 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. Thereupon, I lectured (plumbing and building studies) in three Further Education colleges (1986-1992) before embarking on full time studies in construction management (BSc (Hons) 1st Class, Napier University, 1992) and (MSc, Heriot Watt University, 1996). Between 1996 and starting at Strathclyde in 1998 I lectured at the Robert Gordon University and Fife College.
I am currently a Senior Teaching Fellow in the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering).I completed a Certificate in Education (Cert-Ed) in 1992 and a PG Certificate Learning and Teaching in HE (PGCLTHE) in 2016. I have been a Senior Fellow of the HEA (PR234083) since 2021.
Since 2013 I have been an active in pedagogical research and have published in several journals (i.e. Teaching in Higher Education; European Journal of Engineering Education, Higher Education Pedagogies; Industry & Higher Education) and have disseminated my scholarship and research through the Strathclyde Sharing Practice in Effective Learning & teaching (SPELT) webpage (https://spelt.strath.ac.uk/display/SPELT/Faculty+of+Engineering) and at QAA Scotland; Advance HE, and Engineering Education conferences:
Murray, M. (2022). An Industry-Student Mentoring Scheme 2010-2022, Engineering Professors Council Crucible Project, 16th February, Session 1: Collaborating with industry for teaching and learning, Video3470518334, http://epc.ac.uk/recent-events/ & Toolkit available (Members Portal) @ http://epc.ac.uk/crucible-project-toolkit/
Murray, M., Hendry, G, & McQuade, R. (2019). Workplace Experience: Co-curricular Learning for Undergraduates 2012-2019. In, New approaches to engineering higher education in practice, The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) and Engineering Professors’ Council (EPC). pp 36-39, http://epc.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/New-Approaches-Proceedings-Nov19.pdf
I am proposer and co-chair for an International Symposium of Engineering Education (ISEE), to be held 1-2nd September 2022 at Strathclyde, https://www.strath.ac.uk/engineering/iseeconference/
Expertise & Capabilities
External Examiner
University College of Estate Management: External Examiner, MSc Construction Management programme, October 2020- October 2025.
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
Peer Reviewer (Journals)
- European Journal of Engineering Education, 2016 onward.
- Civil Engineering and Environmental Systems, 2017 onward.
- Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, 2017 onward.
- International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education- 2018 onward.
- Higher Education, Skills and Work-Based Learning-2018 onward.
Research Interests
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) beliefs shape my approach to learning, teaching and research activities. Recent Publications:
Murray, M., Pytharouli, S & Douglas, J. (2022). Opportunities for the Development of Professional Skills for Undergraduate Civil and Environmental Engineers, European Journal of Engineering Education DOI/MS ID: 10.1080/03043797.2022.2031897 / 210690459
Murray, M. (2022). An Industry-Student Mentoring Scheme 2010-2022, Engineering Professors Council Crucible Project, 16th February, Session 1: Collaborating with industry for teaching and learning, Video3470518334, http://epc.ac.uk/recent-events/ & Toolkit available (Members Portal) @ http://epc.ac.uk/crucible-project-toolkit/
Pilcher, N., Galbrun, L., Craig, N., Murray, M., Forster, A., Tennant, S. (2021).'Role requirements in Academic Recruitment for Construction & Engineering’ European Journal of Engineering Education, 46(2):247-265.https://doi.org/10.1080/03043797.2020.1725451.
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
Education/Academic qualification
Senior Fellow Higher Education Academy (SFHEA), Senior Fellow Higher Education Academy (SFHEA)
Award Date: 15 Dec 2021
Fellow Higher Education Academy (FHEA), Fellow Higher Education Academy (FHEA)
Award Date: 20 Jul 2017
PG Certificate learning and teaching in HE, PG Certificate Learning and Teaching in HE, University of Strathclyde
Award Date: 12 May 2016
Doctor of Engineering, University Strathclyde
Award Date: 1 Jan 2003
Master in Science, Heriot-Watt University
Award Date: 1 Jan 1996
Bachelor of Engineering, Edinburgh Napier University
Award Date: 1 Jan 1995
External positions
External Examiner, University College Estate Management (UCEM)
15 Oct 2020 → 10 Oct 2025
External Examiner, Cork Institute of Technology
20 Jun 2012 → 20 Jun 2016
External Examiner, University of Central England
2 May 2006 → 10 May 2009
MSc Course Validation Panel, Edinburgh Napier University
12 Jun 2004 → 12 Jul 2004
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Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
Projects
- 9 Finished
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PEERS: Pathways for Equal access to the Energy Research Sector
Beattie, S. (Principal Investigator), Switzer, C. (Principal Investigator), Kremer, Y. (Principal Investigator) & Murray, M. (Principal Investigator)
10/07/23 → 10/10/23
Project: Research
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Exploring the use of Chat GPT by Engineering Employers: Informing Authentic Assessment in Higher Education Engineering
Murray, M. (Principal Investigator), Flockhart, G. (Principal Investigator), MacLachlan, R. (Principal Investigator), Adams, R. (Principal Investigator), Magueijo, V. (Principal Investigator), Connolly, S. (Principal Investigator) & Hasty, W. (Principal Investigator)
1/06/23 → 3/08/23
Project: Internally funded project
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Civil engineering employers engagement in work-integrated learning
Murray, M., 5 Nov 2024, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Proceedings of Institution of Civil Engineers: Management, Procurement and Law. p. 1-13 13 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile13 Downloads (Pure) -
Chat-GPT: a clever search engine or a creative design assistant for students and industry?
Maclachlan, R., Adams, R., Lauro, V., Murray, M., Magueijo, V., Flockhart, G. & Hasty, W., 6 Sept 2024. 6 p.Research output: Contribution to conference › Paper › peer-review
Open AccessFile11 Downloads (Pure)
Prizes
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Short Listed- Going the Extra Mile, Strathclyde Student Union Teaching Excellence Awards (TEAs)-
Murray, M. (Recipient), 18 May 2023
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
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University of Strathclyde Medal Awards 2024 (Making a Significant Contribution to the Success of Others)
Murray, M. (Recipient), 5 Sept 2024
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
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Plumber Procrastinator and a Lover of Learning
Murray, M. (Speaker)
11 Dec 2024Activity: Talk or presentation types › Invited talk
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Civil Engineering Employers Engagement in Work Integrated Learning (WIL)
Murray, M. (Speaker)
20 Nov 2024Activity: Talk or presentation types › Invited talk