Dr. Laura Patel

Biography

Laura Patel is a Principal Teaching Fellow in the Department of Chemistry at Imperial College London, specializing in laboratory learning and inquiry-based experiments. She oversees the department’s Practical Chemistry curriculum and co-leads the Chemistry Education Centre's Enhancing Laboratory Teaching theme. In 2018, Patel led a comprehensive review of the undergraduate curriculum, redefining learning objectives and designing new modules that emphasize active learning and authentic assessment while supporting students' transition to university education. She guided the implementation of this new curriculum from 2019 to 2023 and currently chairs the departmental Learning and Teaching Strategy Group, facilitating ongoing discussions about curriculum development. As the Practical Chemistry lead, she co-developed the ChemTrack project aimed at improving laboratory learning and received a £100k grant from the Excellence Fund for Teaching and Learning Innovation in 2017. Her contributions extend to the development of a digital Research Skills Passport and serving as an External Examiner for the University of Exeter’s BSc MSci Natural Sciences programmes. Patel’s educational interests include reflection in learning and sustainability in teaching, with a background in inorganic synthesis, obtaining her PhD in 2011 and MSci in 2006.

Research Interests