Associate Professorships have been awarded to four academics by the University of the Highlands and Islands: Antonia Thomas, UHI Archaeology Institute; Jen Harland, UHI Archaeology Institute; Michelle Beattie, UHI Centre for Rural Health Sciences; and Tom Wilding, Scottish Association for Marine Science, a partner of UHI.
Professor Brian Williams, Deputy Principal Academic and Research, commented:
“I’m delighted to congratulate our new associate professors. Their work is grounded in collaboration with students, colleagues and communities, and reflects the real-world impact that defines UHI. Through their research and teaching, they are addressing meaningful challenges and creating positive change locally and beyond.”
Antonia Thomas is a lecturer and interdisciplinary researcher with a strong international profile in applied research, teaching, and knowledge exchange.
She leads the MA Contemporary Art and Archaeology, an innovative programme she developed and launched in 2020, which attracts students from around the world.
Her research spans two connected areas: mark-making in archaeological contexts (including rock art and graffiti), and the relationship between archaeology and contemporary art practice. Her work ranges from Neolithic studies, such as analysis of carved stones from the Ness of Brodgar to contemporary projects like TRANSECTS, which explores how creative and archaeological approaches can inform understanding of marine energy transitions in Orkney, north-east Scotland, and the Humber.
In 2025, she was named ‘Most Inspiring Lecturer’ at the Highlands and Islands Students’ Association (HISA) awards.
Antonia said:
“I’m so happy to have my research and teaching recognised in this way. Becoming Associate Professor of Art and Archaeology is the start of an exciting new chapter in my academic career, and I am proud to be doing this as part of the UHI team.”
Jen Harland is a zooarchaeologist specialising in historical marine ecology, focusing on the study of fish, marine mammals, and molluscs from archaeological contexts.
Her research explores how people have used marine resources over time, for food, tools, and ornamentation, and how these practices have evolved across millennia, with a particular emphasis on Scotland.
Alongside traditional analysis of physical remains, she collaborates with specialists to apply biomolecular techniques, unlocking new insights from bones and shells recovered during excavations.
She is a co-investigator on LIFTE: Looking in From the Edge, a project investigating archaeological and historical evidence for trade between the Northern Isles and continental Europe during the early modern period. Her current project, TRANSECTS, adopts a multidisciplinary approach to study marine energy transitions, including the historical and ongoing significance of whaling and whale products in Scotland.
Jen said:
“I am pleased to be awarded the title of Associate Professor. This is in large part due to networks of colleagues and specialists within archaeology and associated disciplines; by working together and sharing materials and methods we can learn more from the past.”
Michelle Beattie is a Senior Lecturer and Postgraduate Research Lead at the UHI Centre for Rural Health Sciences in Inverness.
As a registered nurse and academic, she has made a sustained academic contribution to healthcare improvement through teaching, applied research, and collaborative practice.
Her recognition as a National Teaching Fellow reflects her innovative approach to quality improvement education. Alongside this, her applied research demonstrates meaningful impact across both local and international healthcare contexts.
Michelle’s scholarship is centred on amplifying underrepresented voices in healthcare, with the aim of informing more inclusive, meaningful improvements for individuals, communities, and healthcare services.
Michelle said:
“I am delighted to be awarded Associate Professor, a recognition that belongs as much to the students, colleagues, and communities who shape my work as it does to me. My focus remains on creating future change agents in health and applied research that supports meaningful improvements in healthcare.”
Tom Wilding is a benthic ecologist, statistical modeller, and data specialist focused on advancing marine monitoring.
He leads the development of innovative computer vision and eDNA approaches to assess communities on man-made structures and across the seabed.
Working at the intersection of research, policy, and regulation, Tom collaborates closely with industry and regulators in the renewables, oil and gas, and aquaculture sectors. With his team, he won at the Scottish Green Energy Awards 2025 and achieved a global first by integrating eDNA-based monitoring into statutory fish-farm compliance assessment.
Tom said:
“I am delighted to be awarded the title of Associate Professor and look forward to further championing innovative methods for assessing communities growing on structures and the seabed.”
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