Role
Ed is a Principal Lecturer in Physics and Undergraduate Courses Manager at NTU with primary interests in both exotic NMR(I) experiments and a responsive and relevant physics degree. Ed acts as academic lead for undergraduate physics at NTU, as well as the principal undergraduate course developer. Ed lectures topics in Thermodynamics, Semiconductor Physics and Ionising Radiation, and takes pride in an engaging, multi-platform teaching style to convey advanced topics in physics.
Career overview
Ed obtained a 1st class MSci Physics degree at Nottingham Trent University before completing his PhD in Temperature-Jump Dynamic Nuclear Polarization at the University of Nottingham. Ed has worked in a number of commercial environments at companies such as Thomas Keating Ltd. and Cole Parmer, consulting on low-temperature physics, nuclear magnetic resonance and inductive electronics. Over the past 5 years teaching at NTU Ed has held 4 successful module leaderships, acted as cohort-wide 2nd Year Tutor, worked as an employability contact, and been an associate supervisor of a 5* rated Knowledge Transfer Partnership. Ed is a fellow of the Higher Education Academy, and has won awards for both his teaching (2019 Team Award for Teaching) and student support (2020 Student-Led Teaching Awards – Outstanding Pastoral Support).
Ed enjoys scientific communication and has been featured on national television (BBC’s The One Show) and radio, as well as having been invited to present international talks on topics in popular physics. The live shows and events he has been involved with have drawn a total footfall on the order of 70,000 people over the last 4 years, and Ed is currently looking into the diversification of his outreach portfolio.
Research areas
Ed’s career path at Nottingham Trent University is Teaching and Scholarship, meaning that his research interests align with innovative pedagogies, enhancement of the student experience, and student progression. Ed’s primary area of research outside of such pedagogy is in instrumental physics and novel magnetic resonance hardware and applications, although he is particularly interested in the natural world, specifically fascinated by minerals, invertebrates, and marine life.
External activity
Ed holds positions with the following:
- East Midlands Branch of the Institute of Physics (Regional Secretary)
- Green’s Windmill Trust, Sneinton (Charitable Trustee)
- Advance HE (Fellow of the Higher Education Academy)
- NTU Industrial Liaison Group (Co-Chair)
Publications
Breeds, E., 2018. Novel hardware for temperature-jump DNP (Doctoral dissertation, University of Nottingham).
Newton, M.I., Breeds, E.A. and Morris, R.H., 2017. Advances in electronics prompt a fresh look at continuous wave (CW) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Electronics, 6(4), p.89.
Press expertise
- MRI
- Low temperature physics
- Thermodynamics
- Physics of Invertebrates
- Physics of Marine Invertebrates
- Do-it-at-Home Science Experiments
- Scientific Communication