{"id":65,"date":"2026-03-03T13:02:47","date_gmt":"2026-03-03T13:02:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.ncl.ac.uk\/epicncl\/?page_id=65"},"modified":"2026-03-04T22:14:55","modified_gmt":"2026-03-04T22:14:55","slug":"laura-heels","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/blogs.ncl.ac.uk\/epicncl\/laura-heels\/","title":{"rendered":"Laura Heels"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<ul class=\"wp-block-social-links is-layout-flex wp-block-social-links-is-layout-flex\"><li class=\"wp-social-link wp-social-link-linkedin  wp-block-social-link\"><a href=\"https:\/\/uk.linkedin.com\/in\/laura-heels-763a9536\" class=\"wp-block-social-link-anchor\"><svg width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"M19.7,3H4.3C3.582,3,3,3.582,3,4.3v15.4C3,20.418,3.582,21,4.3,21h15.4c0.718,0,1.3-0.582,1.3-1.3V4.3 C21,3.582,20.418,3,19.7,3z M8.339,18.338H5.667v-8.59h2.672V18.338z M7.004,8.574c-0.857,0-1.549-0.694-1.549-1.548 c0-0.855,0.691-1.548,1.549-1.548c0.854,0,1.547,0.694,1.547,1.548C8.551,7.881,7.858,8.574,7.004,8.574z M18.339,18.338h-2.669 v-4.177c0-0.996-0.017-2.278-1.387-2.278c-1.389,0-1.601,1.086-1.601,2.206v4.249h-2.667v-8.59h2.559v1.174h0.037 c0.356-0.675,1.227-1.387,2.526-1.387c2.703,0,3.203,1.779,3.203,4.092V18.338z\"><\/path><\/svg><span class=\"wp-block-social-link-label screen-reader-text\">LinkedIn<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n\n<li class=\"wp-social-link wp-social-link-github  wp-block-social-link\"><a href=\"https:\/\/github.com\/lauraheels\" class=\"wp-block-social-link-anchor\"><svg width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"M12,2C6.477,2,2,6.477,2,12c0,4.419,2.865,8.166,6.839,9.489c0.5,0.09,0.682-0.218,0.682-0.484 c0-0.236-0.009-0.866-0.014-1.699c-2.782,0.602-3.369-1.34-3.369-1.34c-0.455-1.157-1.11-1.465-1.11-1.465 c-0.909-0.62,0.069-0.608,0.069-0.608c1.004,0.071,1.532,1.03,1.532,1.03c0.891,1.529,2.341,1.089,2.91,0.833 c0.091-0.647,0.349-1.086,0.635-1.337c-2.22-0.251-4.555-1.111-4.555-4.943c0-1.091,0.39-1.984,1.03-2.682 C6.546,8.54,6.202,7.524,6.746,6.148c0,0,0.84-0.269,2.75,1.025C10.295,6.95,11.15,6.84,12,6.836 c0.85,0.004,1.705,0.114,2.504,0.336c1.909-1.294,2.748-1.025,2.748-1.025c0.546,1.376,0.202,2.394,0.1,2.646 c0.64,0.699,1.026,1.591,1.026,2.682c0,3.841-2.337,4.687-4.565,4.935c0.359,0.307,0.679,0.917,0.679,1.852 c0,1.335-0.012,2.415-0.012,2.741c0,0.269,0.18,0.579,0.688,0.481C19.138,20.161,22,16.416,22,12C22,6.477,17.523,2,12,2z\"><\/path><\/svg><span class=\"wp-block-social-link-label screen-reader-text\">GitHub<\/span><\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Biography&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-1 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:100%\"><div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"968\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.ncl.ac.uk\/epicncl\/files\/2026\/03\/IMG_2699-1-1024x968.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-92\" style=\"width:332px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.ncl.ac.uk\/epicncl\/files\/2026\/03\/IMG_2699-1-1024x968.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blogs.ncl.ac.uk\/epicncl\/files\/2026\/03\/IMG_2699-1-300x283.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blogs.ncl.ac.uk\/epicncl\/files\/2026\/03\/IMG_2699-1-768x726.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.ncl.ac.uk\/epicncl\/files\/2026\/03\/IMG_2699-1.jpg 1434w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left\">I am a lecturer in Computing Education at School of Computing&#8217;s EPiC (Education Practice in Computing) research group. My expertise is in researching equitable, inclusive computer science education practices through a critical pedagogical lens.&nbsp; This is coupled with my work responsibilities in&nbsp; Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI), where I am the current Director of Culture and Inclusion for the faculty of Science, Agriculture and Engineering.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Projects<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>I am interested in advancing equity and inclusive cultures within STEM fields. My work also focuses on critical approaches to AI, particularly examining issues of bias, fairness, and social impact. In addition, I am interested in developing effective approaches to teaching DevOps within Computer Science, ensuring students gain both technical expertise and an understanding of collaborative, industry-informed practice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Publications<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Barnes J, Colquhoun J, Devlin M, Heels L, Lord P, Marshall L, Napier C, Solaiman E, Speirs N, Talbot L, Ushaw G, Witty C.&nbsp;<a class=\"pubPreview\" title=\"View full details of this publication.\" href=\"https:\/\/eprint.ncl.ac.uk\/261918\">Designing a Portfolio-Oriented Curriculum using Problem Based Learning<\/a>.&nbsp;<em>In: CEP 2020: Proceedings of the 4th Conference on Computing Education Practice<\/em>. 2020, Durham, United Kingdom: ACM.<br>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Marshall L, Heels L.&nbsp;<a class=\"pubPreview\" title=\"View full details of this publication.\" href=\"https:\/\/eprint.ncl.ac.uk\/263881\">Brief Encounters<\/a>.&nbsp;<em>In: CEP 2020: Proceedings of the 4th Conference on Computing Education Practice<\/em>. 2020, Durham: ACM.<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Heels L, Devlin M.&nbsp;<a class=\"pubPreview\" title=\"View full details of this publication.\" href=\"https:\/\/eprint.ncl.ac.uk\/254590\">Investigating the Role Choice of Female Students in a Software Engineering Team Project<\/a>.&nbsp;<em>In: CEP &#8217;19: Proceedings of the 3rd Conference on Computing Education Practice<\/em>. 2019, Durham, United Kingdom: ACM.<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Heels LE, Marshall LF.&nbsp;<a class=\"pubPreview\" title=\"View full details of this publication.\" href=\"https:\/\/eprint.ncl.ac.uk\/290345\">&#8220;Two heads are better than one&#8221; in Collaboration and mentoring to enhance professional learning in higher education<\/a>.&nbsp;<em>In:<\/em>&nbsp;Prof Helen King, ed.&nbsp;<em>Developing Expertise for Teaching in Higher Education<\/em>. London: Taylor and Francis, 2022<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Marshall L, Heels L, Riddle S.&nbsp;<a class=\"pubPreview\" title=\"View full details of this publication.\" href=\"https:\/\/eprint.ncl.ac.uk\/242359\">Developing assessment literacy in Stage One BsC Computing Students<\/a>.&nbsp;<em>In: HEA Transforming Assessment in Higher Education Symposium: Assessment literacy<\/em>. 2017, HEA, York, UK: HEA.<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Devlin M, Heels L, Marshall LF.&nbsp;<a class=\"pubPreview\" title=\"View full details of this publication.\" href=\"https:\/\/eprint.ncl.ac.uk\/242279\">It&#8217;s the transition that&#8217;s troublesome<\/a>.&nbsp;<em>In: HEA STEM Annual Learning and Teaching Conference<\/em>. 2014, Edinburgh, UK.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Biography&nbsp; I am a lecturer in Computing Education at School of Computing&#8217;s EPiC (Education Practice in Computing) research group. My expertise is in researching equitable, inclusive computer science education practices through a critical pedagogical lens.&nbsp; This is coupled with my work responsibilities in&nbsp; Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI), where I am the current Director of &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.ncl.ac.uk\/epicncl\/laura-heels\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Laura Heels<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6508,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-65","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ncl.ac.uk\/epicncl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/65","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ncl.ac.uk\/epicncl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ncl.ac.uk\/epicncl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ncl.ac.uk\/epicncl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6508"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ncl.ac.uk\/epicncl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=65"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ncl.ac.uk\/epicncl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/65\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":314,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ncl.ac.uk\/epicncl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/65\/revisions\/314"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ncl.ac.uk\/epicncl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=65"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}