Let's Meet ... Faith Nightingale

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your role at Queen Mary

I am a Senior Lecturer in Skills for Science and Engineering Transnational Education which means I develop the transferable skills of competencies of the students.  I have developed the three professional skills modules at Queen Mary Engineering School (QMES) in Xi’an, China, which is where I teach. I have significant international teaching experience, and I’ve been working in S&E for the past 10 years.

In addition to teaching, I am Director of Education for QMES and Deputy Director (Scholarship) for the Centre for Research in Engineering Materials and Education in SEMS, London. I enjoy both of these roles as my expertise is in education and I love to help people develop their scholarship skills.

What do you enjoy most about your job?

I enjoy travelling the most and spending time out in China. I love to learn about other places and cultures, so this job really works well for me. I also have some amazing colleagues in China and it is a pleasure to work with all of them every day.

Tell us how you are using QMplus Hub for your teaching. Will you recommend it to others?

I use QMplus Hub with my second year students on a project called the QMES Material Library where they create websites. Students create multiple pages and add them to a collection, where they need to think about layout, design and navigation. Students showcase a material and show its application in daily life, engineering and even in superheroes! You can checkout the Material Library here: QMES Materials Library 2026 - QMplus Hub.The websites are also supported by a physical library of Materials in Xi’an. QMplus Hub has its limitations, but it can be used creatively and get the students to think in different ways.

Are there any interesting projects you are currently working on?

I am currently working on a project to develop professional skills using virtual reality.  

Quick‑Fire Questions

What are your hobbies and interests?

• Baking cakes, keeping fit, volunteering (I work as a shop assistant for a charity on the weekends).

Do you prefer tea or coffee?

• Coffee

What is your dream holiday destination? 

• I'd love to visit the Carribean.

What book are you currently reading?

• Peter James, Find Them Dead.

What is your favourite app on your phone?

• Hob Learning

What is a skill you would like to learn?

• To play the harp