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Aberystwyth has a long tradition of teaching subjects through the medium of Welsh. During the past few years, the University has added to the strength and depth of Welsh medium provision by appointing Welsh medium lecturers through the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol’s Academic Staffing Scheme.
The following are all Welsh medium lecturers who have been appointed through the Coleg’s Academic Staffing Scheme. A number of other Welsh medium lecturers are also contributing to the teaching within departments:
Dr Hefin Williams
Hefin is a Welsh medium Agri-Environmental lecturer and his research interests focus on climate modelling of veterinary and agricultural pathogens, bovine tuberculosis and spatial habitat suitability modelling. A farmer’s son from Machynlleth, the countryside is an integral part of his life. After graduating and gaining a PhD he is now a lecturer at IBERS and is active in developing new Welsh medium provision and resources.
Dr Huw Morgan
Huw is an astronomer who specialises in the sun, and his work consists of analysing observations of the sun’s corona. He’s a prominent figure in the Eclipse scientific team – worldwide leaders in this scientific field. After a period of working at the Institute for Astronomy (IfA), University of Hawaii, he returned to work in Wales as a Welsh medium Physics lecturer at IMAPS.
Dr Rhys Dafydd Jones
Rhys was one of the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol’s research scholarship holders which came to an end in 2011. He specialises in Political Geography and the topic of his research thesis was 'Diversity’ and ‘Inclusion’?: in Wales and Québec in the wake of the war on terrorism.
He was appointed as a Welsh medium Geography lecturer in September 2011. Further reading...
Dr Sharon Huws
Sharon was born and raised on a farm in Cardigan. She graduated with a degree in Zoology, before going on to gain a masters and then PhD qualification. She completed her PhD which studied the interactions of protozoa with bacterial communities early in 2003, before moving on to a post-doctorate at the University of Bath, where she researched protozoan interactions with pathogens. She returned to Aberystwyth to work as a rumen microbiologist at the Institute for Grassland and Environmental Research (IGER). IGER was merged with Aberystwyth University in 2008, to create the Institute for Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences (IBERS), and Sharon and her team, specialise in the molecular biology of the rumen. She uses the latest technology, including genomics, metagenomics and metatranscriptomic analysis of micro-organisms’ functions in the rumen in order to ensure the availability of meat and milk of the highest quality for the future. Sharon has published over 30 papers in the area of animal science and has gained over £200k in funding to sustain research in this field. In 2012, Sharon was appointed Welsh medium lecturer in Animal Science at IBERS. Further reading…
Dr Tudur Davies
Tudur is a Welsh medium Mathematics lecturer at IMAPS, and was appointed in 2012. His main research interest is modelling rheological response of complex liquids such as foams, by using numerical emulation. He specialises in modelling the interaction of liquid foams with solid objects; work which has implications for industrial processes such as mineral separation and oil extraction from rocks.
Dr Owen Thomas
Owen is a lecturer at the School of Education and Lifelong Learning and his research fields include literature critique, translation theories in addition to Welsh Medieval poetry. He was a lecturer at the University of Wales Lampeter and Swansea University before taking up this post to develop a Welsh medium scheme for part time students.
From September 2013 Aberystwyth University will be offering a unique Welsh medium distance learning provision for students who wish to study part time. A number of qualifications and routes will be available for individuals. Students will be taught on-line and students on some modules will be able to attend residential courses. For more information contact Dr Owen Thomas.
Sara Penrhyn Jones
Sara was appointed Welsh medium lecturer in digital media production at the Department of Theatre Film and TV in 2012. She has a BA in English Literature from Aberystwyth University and a Diploma in Broadcasting Journalism from Cardiff University. She has undetaken camera and production work for documentary programmes shown on S4C and BBC2 and has won BAFTA Cymru and Royal Television Society awards for her work. She has participated in educative work and creating participatory films. Recently, she attended the UN discussions on Climate Change using new media in order to contribute to broadcasting culture and more direct campaigning. Her work in this field is truly interdisciplinary, combining the arts, international politics and the sciences.
Dr Rhun Emlyn
Rhun is a medieval historian, with special research interests in ecclesiastical and political history, in addition to Welsh history. His doctorate, which was sponsored by the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol, focused on medieval Welsh students, their careers and influences on Welsh and European society. He teaches Welsh history and Medieval history at the Department of History and Welsh History. He was appointed Welsh medium history lecturer in September 2011. Further reading...
National posts
A number of national posts funded by the Coleg are located at Aberystwyth.
- Gwerddon Editorial Assistant and Publications Officer
Gwerddon is an on-line, Welsh medium academic journal which publishes multidisciplinary articles in Welsh. Further information can be found on the Gwerddon website or contact Gwenllian Lansdown Davies
- Edward Llwyd Project Officer
The Edward Llwyd project works in collaboration with universities throughout Wales to maintain and extend the range of Welsh medium provision available to those studying the sciences. These subjects include Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics and Geography. For further information about the opportunities available to study the sciences through the medium of Welsh contact Ffion Hughes
- Development Officer: Social Sciences, Politics and Law
The Development Officer contributes to the exciting development in Welsh medium academic provision in the Social Sciences (which includes Law, Politics, Social Sciences and Philosophy). The Officer will closely collaborate with officers from the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol on a range of activities and projects which arise from the subject development plans and project schemes within these disciplines. For further information contact Siôn Jobbins.