Stephanie completed a BSc in Mathematics, a MSc in Applied Mathematics and a PGCE in Secondary Mathematics at the University of Hull. She then worked as a Teacher of Mathematics at secondary school level, at a tertiary college and at university level prior to coming to Loughborough to take up a PhD in Mathematics Education. Stephanie completed her PhD in 2012 and taught various mathematics modules to engineering students (at Loughborough University) while studying.

She has been employed as a lecturer at Loughborough University since August 2014 and now leads the mathematics provision on the Foundation programme. She also teaches first year engineering students and is active in research in Mathematics Education. For links to her publications, see her personal website.

I teach the Foundation mathematics module FYF001 to 160+ students. I also contribute to the teaching of mathematics in the Maths Department, most recently the Engineering module MAA306. As I am a researcher in Mathematics Education I often trial new ideas and design teaching innovations for my students. 

I have been nominated by my students for several of the Loughborough University School of Science Teaching Awards and gained most votes for:

• 2019    Most Approachable Lecturer in Foundation
• 2018    Most Outstanding Lecturer in Foundation
• 2017    Most Outstanding Lecturer in Foundation

My research interests in mathematics education lie with investigating teaching and teaching practices and their development. I use socio-cultural education theories and activity theory in particular. I publish in research journals and in conference proceedings (see http://publications.lboro.ac.uk/publications/all/collated/mast5.html).

2018-21: Partnership for Learning and Teaching in University Mathematics (PLATINUM).

• Investigators: Barbara Jaworski, Paola Iannone, Stephanie Thomas
• Funder: Erasmus Plus

2018-2020: Inclusive Resources in First Year Engineering Mathematics.

• Investigators: Stephanie Thomas, Clare Trott
• Funder: Teaching and Student Experience Development (TeStED) Programme. Loughborough University

2017-2019: The relation between lecturers’ views and practices of Mathematical Modelling in Higher Education in Norway and England.

• Investigators: Paul Hernandez-Martinez, Stephanie Thomas, Olov Viirman, Yuriy Rogovchenko
• Funder: Norwegian Centre for Research, Innovation and Coordination of Mathematics Teaching (MatRIC)

2017-2019: Inquiry based approaches using nonstandard problems in advanced Ordinary Differential Equations courses.

• Investigators: Svitlana Rogovchenko, Stephanie Thomas, Yuriy Rogovchenko
• Funder: Norwegian Centre for Research, Innovation and Coordination of Mathematics Teaching (MatRIC)

My main responsibility is the teaching of mathematics on the Foundation  Programme. I also contribute to Engineering mathematics teaching for the Mathematics Department. In addition, I carry out administrative duties, namely Admissions Tutor (with Sian Williams as main contact) and Equality and Diversity Officer for Foundation.