Melanie Radford, who has been in the forefront of teaching and training in the UK and overseas, will take up her new job as acting principal on 14 October, overseeing the launch of the innovative new £10 million college.
A former scientist who transformed blood transfusion services in Australia, she has worked in education and training for 20 years in the UK and America, where she currently works with teachers in the classroom to improve the quality of learning.
The new UTC, sponsored by Cambridge Regional College and Cambridge University Health Partners, will open in September 2014 and focus on Biomedical and Environmental Science and Technology - developing the key specialist skills needed in the region.
Melanie’s career includes leading a project to open two schools in the US, running a $40 million youth training project – where she reported directly to the president – and developing a programme for gifted children.
She said the UTC movement was the most exciting and relevant happening in education in the world today.
“Cambridge is a world class centre of innovation and learning. It is fitting and necessary that UTC Cambridge will utilise this excellence to inspire future leaders in medical and environmental science,” she said.
Laurence Wells. CRC assistant principal and UTC project manager, said: “We are delighted that Melanie will be leading the UTC Cambridge. She is a very talented and experienced scientist and educator and brings an enormous amount of relevant knowledge and skill to the role.
“Her career spans workforce, education and medical and health industries with corporations, governments, non-profit agencies and individuals in England, Australia and the USA.”
The UTC, backed by some of the leading bioscience and ecotech companies in Cambridge, will give young people a head start in careers in biomedical and environmental science.
Designed to accommodate 670 students, it will teach an innovative learning programme developed in partnership with leading employers such as Wellcome Sanger Trust, Napp Pharmaceuticals, Babraham Institute and the Medical Research Council who will deliver a series of real-world Challenge Projects.
For more information on the UTC, see utccambridge.co.uk
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