Matthew

I possess a PhD in exercise physiology and nutrition, with particular emphasis on skeletal muscle and ageing. I studied exercise nutrition and general sports studies at postgraduate and undergraduate levels, respectively.

I would say that I have a laid-back personality, but I am highly passionate about everything that I do, and always strive for excellence in any endeavour. I have a wide range of hobbies and interests, ranging from sport and exercise, health and nutrition, to history, geography, politics, music, and philosophy. I read widely across a number of areas, including fictional works, and have recently caught the travel bug.

Prior to going to university I worked in the private sector for four years as a transport planner and warehouse operative, which gave me experience of the workplace and provided me with valuable skills. Therefore, I feel that I have gained some knowledge of both the "big wide world" and academia. I love learning and improving my knowledge and expertise in several areas of interest and enjoy inspiring this attitude in others.

Tutoring Experience

My experience to date includes supervising GCSE and A-Level students and instructing them in the use of nutritional analysis software. This teaching programme allowed me to show them how to use the software but also how to interpret the information in a practical manner. I planned the sessions and incorporated elements of feedback and assessment to monitor their progress. I also have experience of addressing larger groups of people in a teaching context, in that I have done a presentation at a national conference and also within smaller seminar environments during my university study. I have taught on modules at undergraduate and postgraduate level, and continue to supervise students with their individual research projects and dissertation submissions.

Tutoring Approach

I firmly believe that inspiring passion for the topic is a crucial part of learning. I have understood the value of this from my own experiences at school and at university. When enthusiasm and drive for a topic is high, there is undoubtedly greater success and application to the work at hand. Inspiring this process is the foundation of my tutoring philosophy and has formed the basis for my own studies.

I take an analytical approach to problem-solving and interpretation, seeking to simplify the subject matter before getting into the details. I think that enabling the learner/tutee to feel a sense of achievement and progression is paramount and the reinforcement of this mentality is key.