I'm a highly-qualified, experienced tutor. I am passionate about education and love working with learners to find the best way for them to achieve their goals in whatever way is most suited to them. I am a friendly, open and down-to-earth person. I believe that studying and succeeding academically need not be a painful experience. With the right guidance, fulfilling your ambitions can be fun, as well as hugely rewarding!

Hello, my name's Patrick and I'm a highly qualified tutor with a wealth of knowledge and experience.

My main drive is a huge personal curiosity and a desire to explore, develop, and express creativity; to expand my understanding and insight; and to help others to do the same and become fully-rounded individuals who contribute and enrich the lives of others and society in general.

I went to school in Swansea, and then I studied for and was awarded a BA (Hons), and then a Certificate of Postgraduate Study in Natural Sciences (specializing in Chemistry and Maths), at Cambridge University, between 1988 and 1993. I obtained a PhD from Birmingham University in Mathematical Chemistry in 1996. As an "added extra," I  gained an MA from Cambridge University a few years after first graduating, and an MA from Oxford University when I worked there, both without any further formal study! Whilst doing all these things, I tutored extensively in Maths and Science.

I have worked as a Research Fellow at the Universities of Oxford, Exeter, and Sussex, where I also taught Maths and Science. Between 1999 and 2011 I had an extremely fulfilling and rewarding career working as a Senior Lecturer in Mathematics at Northumbria University in Newcastle. 

I have a professional profile on First Tutors.

I am very honoured to have been nominated for the following awards for my work in tuition and educational services; Welsh for Adults; and community outreach with Swansea Philosophy / Athroniaeth Abertawe.

The Creative Education Foundation "Dr Sidney J Parnes Global Fellowship" (2014); The Learning and Work Institute "Inspire! Tutor Award" (2022);  The Learning and Work Institute "Inspire! Tutor Award" (2023: Finalist); Swansea University "Chancellor's Award" (2022: Outstanding contributions to our University's role as a champion for heritage and culture in Wales); Senedd Cymru / Welsh Parliament "St David Award" (2023: Culture); Y Ganolfan Dysgu Cymraeg Genedlaethol / The National Centre for Learning Welsh "Tlws y Tiwtor / The Tutor's Prize" (2023). 

I have been elected to professional membership of the following organizations, and am very proud to support their aims and objectives by my contributions to education and educational outreach in the community:

Fellow of the Institute of Mathematics (FIMA)
Member of the Institute of Physics (MInstP)
Member of the Royal Society of Chemistry (MRSC)

Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA)

At Swansea University, I achieved Distinctions in 2 Certificates of Higher Education graduating in 2014 (these were in Egyptology, and Creative Writing / Therapeutic Practice).

I have studied modules ranging from Prose and Poetry; to Philosophy; Cognitive-Behaviour Therapy, Gestalt Therapy, and Counselling; Advanced Latin, Introductory Ancient Greek, Egyptology; and Origin and Evolution of Religion.

In Sandalle’s International “Five ’n’ Ten" Play Writing Competition (2014) I was Runner-up with a Five-minute Monologue; in the 12th Welsh Poetry Competition (International English Language Poetry Contest) in 2018, I gained a Special Mention for the poem 'Revenge of a Clockwork Orange'. In the Creative Futures Literary Awards Competition (2018), I reached the Short-list (18 out of 500) for 'Chemistry Lessens' (a poem) and 'Chemistry A - Z: An Ultra-Modern Fairy-Tale' (a prose piece); and yes, the theme was 'Chemistry'!

In 2020 two of my poems were published in "The Seventh Quarry" (Issue 32, Summer/Autumn 2020), edited by Peter Thabit Jones. This is a  poetry magazine published in Swansea, Wales, the birthplace of Dylan Thomas, with an international perspective.

Chris Norris, Emeritus Professor of Philosophy at Cardiff University, expert in English Literature and Literary Theory, and author of many volumes of philosophical poetry has described my poetry as "... very fine - formally spot-on, vividly imagined and intellectually as well as intuitively agile ... widely ... rang[ing] and with a light touch where needed."

A large selection of my creative output in English and Welsh is available here.

Since returning to Swansea, I've lectured in Philosophy at the Department of Continuing And Adult Education (DACE) at Swansea University (The Birth of Modern Physics; Introduction to Philosophy; Minds, Brains and Machines; How Can We Know Anything?). I've provided bespoke courses for the local community in science basics (The Birth of Modern Physics; Patterns in Nature; The Particle Zoo). I am active socially (and professionally!) in Swansea as coordinator of Swansea Philosophy / Athroniaeth Abertawe community discussion group, whose motto is "Exploring philosophy and building community together in Swansea". See: Swansea Philosophy Cafe

I am volunteer co-chair of the Patient Editorial Group for Swansea Bay University Health Board / Bwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Bae Abertawe, which vets all medical information supplied to users of health services in hospitals and doctors' surgeries throughout the area.

I have always been fascinated by languages and have done lots of work in creating my own. More information about Language Creation can be found at: Aleolinguistics: Creative Language Development