Dr Holly Hedgeland is Senior Tutor at Clare Hall. She has an established research background in surface science, with a particular interest in dynamical phenomena at surfaces.

Dr Hedgeland began her research career at the Cavendish Laboratory in the Helium Atom Scattering group, conducting doctoral work to benchmark the novel experimental technique of helium spin echo spectroscopy against its established neutron scattering parent.

Subsequently awarded a Leverhulme Trust Early Career Fellowship at the London Centre for Nanotechnology, University College London, Dr Hedgeland continued her research into modifications of surfaces for molecular electronic applications and providing the targeted experimental data required to inform the latest development in computational approaches. Latterly a Senior Lecturer and Staff Tutor in the School of Physical Sciences at The Open University, she has continued her work through a programme of experiments at central facilities, with around 40 publications in the field to date.

Following two years in the secondary sector as a teacher of mathematics and physics prior to moving to UCL, Dr Hedgeland developed an interest in Physics Education Research from study for an MA in Education. While at The Open University, she supervised doctoral work on the automated marking of free text responses and the evolution of standard tools to survey the development of learners’ understanding. She has also recently published on demographic gaps in attainment in physics and the potential for reducing them through good design in technology enhanced assessment.