Profile
Fiona has been an educator for over 20 years and is dedicated to fostering a dynamic and inclusive learning environment that empowers students to take an active role in their education. Fiona believes that learning is most effective when students engage directly with the material, rather than passively receiving information. To facilitate this, Fiona incorporates participatory teaching methods that encourage collaboration, critical thinking, and hands-on problem solving. These approaches help transform the classroom from a space of passive learning into one of active exploration, where students deepen their understanding through engagement and shared perspectives.
Background
Fiona's career as an educator started as a volunteer teaching grade 1 ABRSM piano to primary school children in the London Borough of Islington. This led to several different types of teaching experiences from reception to Year 12 across the London Borough of Islington and Hackney in music and sports. Fiona has significant professional experience in the public sector, having worked with a number of Local authorities on various projects and programs from digital health to music and sports provision. As a consultant, Fiona has worked for Industry clients including At Scale, BADU sports, Catch Impact, GLA, Here East, London Legacy Development Corporation, Sport England and LOCOG.
Qualifications
- 2018 - 2024 PhD, Regional innovation. (Loughborough University London).
- 2016 - 2017 MSc 1st Class honours. Sport Business Innovation, Institute for Sport Business, (Loughborough University London).
- 2005 – 2006 - Diploma in Music Production and Sound Recording (IMW Campus)
- 2000 - Grade 1 ABRSM Piano
- 1996 - 2000 BA 2nd Class honours. Psychosocial Studies -combined degree Social Psychology and Sociology (University of East London).
Teaching
Within the Institute of International Management and Entrepreneurship, Fiona leads modules on Creative Industries business models, The Collaborative Project, and Sustainable enterprise management. Fiona supports learning in Innovation management, Strategy and market analysis and New venture creation modules. Fiona has been invited as a guest speaker at both the Institute for Creative Futures and the Institute for Sport Business, where she shares her research on regional innovation and local development. Using case studies, Fiona shares key insights into how innovative practices have been implemented within the context of actors located at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, offering valuable perspectives on the intersection of collaboration, creativity, sustainability, innovation activities that have been implemented in various industry sectors.
Fiona uses techniques such as group discussions, experiential learning, and problem-solving exercises to promote both individual and collective learning. These activities not only reinforce academic concepts but also help students develop essential communication, teamwork, and analytical skills. By creating a supportive atmosphere where diverse viewpoints are welcomed, Fiona encourages students to share ideas and learn from one another.
In addition, Fiona integrates a variety of visual aids, including charts, infographics, multimedia presentations, technology-enhanced learning and interactive demonstrations. These tools make complex ideas more accessible and engaging, catering to different learning styles while enhancing retention and application of knowledge.
Ultimately, Fiona’s goal is to create a learning experience that is both enjoyable and meaningful, where students gain not only knowledge but also the confidence to express their ideas, take intellectual risks, and explore new concepts in a collaborative, interactive setting.
Fiona also takes great care in supervising graduate students, providing mentorship that encourages independent research, intellectual growth, and professional development. Generally, Fiona takes pride in her role as an educator, teaching supporting and mentoring the next generation of scholars, fostering diverse academic talent and inspiring students to pursue careers in a range of different fields.
Research
Fiona’s research examines micro-level processes and outcomes of regional innovation and development. Fiona’s work specifically investigates the factors that drive inter-organisational innovation outcomes at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park Inclusive Innovation District in London, UK. Fiona employs a mixed-methods research design to investigate micro-level processes and outcomes of regional innovation and development. Her approach integrates secondary data collection techniques, social network analysis and qualitative research to examine regional inter-organisational innovation activities.
Drawing on her significant professional experience as an educator, Fiona recently conducted a quasi-experiment that examined the effects of a network intervention designed to alter the informal innovation networks of the QEOP ID. Fiona’s research found that when diverse actors locate in cities with various industry sectors and organisational identities regular face to face social interaction continued to play an important role in facilitating regional inter-organisational innovation. In particular when you bring diverse actors together physically, to work on fun activities – not work related, individuals connect on an inter-personal level and go on to exchange new ideas and information with actors across different industry sectors. The mechanisms of face-to-face social interaction, facilitates cross industry knowledge exchange which eventually creates both social and economic value.
This research contributes to an emerging field of regional development studies which have examined at a micro level, how behavioural factors contribute to enhanced innovation activities and local economic outcomes.
Research Outputs
Journal Publications
Holloway, Catherine; Morgado Ramirez, Dafne Zuleima; Bhatnagar, Tigmanshu; Oldfrey, Ben; Morjaria, Priya; Moulic, Soikat Ghosh; Ebuenyi, Ikenna D; Barbareschi, Giulia; Meeks, Fiona; Massie, Jessica; Ramos-Barajas, Felipe; McVeigh, Joanne; Keane, Kyle; Torrens, George; Rao, PVM; MacLachlan, Malcolm; Austin, Victoria; Kattel, Rainer; Metcalf, Cheryl D; Sujatha, Srinivasan; (2021) A review of innovation strategies and processes to improve access to AT: Looking ahead to open innovation ecosystems. ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY, 33 (sup1). pp. 68-86. ISSN 1040-0435.
Book chapters
Swanson, Steve; Collison, Holly; Burnett, Cora; Skinner, James; Meeks, Fiona (2021): Sport for Development and Olympic Movement Stakeholders: A Social Network Analysis. Deakin University. Report (book chapter in Sport and International Development Handbook 2023).
Conference papers
- RSA student & early career conference 2018
- British academy of management Paper development workshop 2019
- RSA winter conference 2019
- EGOS winter conference 2020
- Organisational Studies and Organisational theory Paper development workshop 2020
- Sunbelt and Netsci summer conference 2021
- British academy of management student & early career winter conference 2021