Rate My Professor Samantha Smidt

Professor Samantha Smidt is the Academic Director of King's Academy, the central education development team at King's College London, a role she assumed in 2022 after nearly seven years as Director of UCL Arena at University College London. With a background in physics, she previously held positions at the Open University from 1999 to 2016, including Director of Student Learning Experience and Associate Dean for Learning and Teaching in the Faculty of Science, as well as roles in the office of the Pro Vice-Chancellor for Learning and Teaching. She continues to collaborate with the Institute of Physics degree accreditations team. Her career encompasses extensive experience in staff and educational development, transitioning from teaching physics at school and university levels to higher education leadership.

Smidt's academic interests focus on physics and education, online and distance learning, programme design, and fostering a whole programme approach to learning design. She has conducted capacity-building projects and consultancies in Central Asia, Russia, and Bangladesh, designed MOOCs on the FutureLearn platform, and developed short courses for staff and students on UCL's eXtend platform. Key publications include 'A revised value for the neutron lifetime measured using a Penning trap' (1996), 'Investigating science communication in the information age: Implications for public engagement and popular media' (2009), 'Practising science communication in the information age: Theorising professional practices' (2009), and 'Engaging through dialogue: International experiences of café scientifique' (2009). A Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (PFHEA), she serves on Advance HE's Fellowship and Accreditation Expert Advisory Group. Smidt delivered the 2024 ECS Annual Lecture on 'The Future of Assessment in Higher Education' at King's College London and contributes to governance through the College Education Committee.