The Institute of Science & Technology (IST) is delighted to announce that Dr Gayle Calverley has been awarded Fellowship in recognition of her outstanding contributions to the Institute, the Science Council, and the wider professional community. Gayle has supported the IST in numerous ways over the years, including assessing registration applications, conducting PPD audits, and actively participating in the Women in Tech network. Her approachable and committed nature, combined with her willingness to represent the IST at events, has made her a strong advocate for professional registration and its benefits, both online and in person.
Gayle brings a wealth of experience spanning laser physics, thin film coatings, and the development and testing of standards and specifications, including simulation, visualisation, and learning technologies for physics and engineering education. A qualified project, programme, and portfolio manager, she has led multifunctional teams delivering complex projects across higher education, university operations, professional development, and training. Her career has also included reviewing for international peer-reviewed journals and learning technology conferences, judging media production awards, and contributing to service improvement initiatives in healthcare. Her broad expertise now extends into international examinations, block management, professional development, and healthcare outcomes, reflecting a multidisciplinary approach that aligns perfectly with the IST’s mission.
Dr Calverley commented on her Fellowship:
“I am naturally delighted to extend my support to the IST in the capacity of Fellow. The IST is notable for its diverse membership across many disciplines and its work in securing continued CSci recognition and connected awards that provide pathways for technical specialists. I am grateful for the support of both the IST and the Science Council in retaining my CSci recognition during a period when other organisations were withdrawing their commitment, and I look forward to contributing further to the community over the coming years.”
We are thrilled to welcome Dr Gayle Calverley as an IST Fellow and look forward to the continued impact of her expertise, leadership, and dedication across our networks and initiatives.
Congratulations Gayle, on your fantastic achievement!
Gayle Calverley Short Biography Statement
My career encompassed work in laser physics and thin film coatings, in which I hold my PhD. This formed a springboard from where I moved onto development and testing of standards and specifications, which were related to incorporating simulations, animation, visualisation, time-based media, repository materials, re-purposing and re-use technologies, and other software developments, particularly into the assessment and testing of physics and engineering learning for the purposes of promoting impact and effectiveness.
Being a qualified project, programme and portfolio manager, and a multidisciplinary specialist with a successful track record in running multifunctional teams associated with complex design, development & implementation projects, I also transferred this work to many other areas, including: Higher Education disciplines, the general business of universities in adopting and adapting scalable technologies, as well as managing the building and development of centres of learning to support modern professional continuing development and training.
Until the changes that were introduced into the events and publications arena by the novel corona virus pandemic, I continued to review and act on editorial panels of international peer-reviewed journals, and judging panels for learning media production awards that began during this period of my career. I still review for two international learning technology conferences and connect with a small handful of journal boards.
These experiences encouraged me to continue combining my technology capability with that relating to the physical environment. I took on a Directorship in a management firm which appoints a managing agent to provide business services for the firm and to contract and support on-site personnel in carrying out the majority of day-to-day operational requirements. I joined a renewable energy co-op and although unsuccessful in the Directorship elections there I remain a member. I also re-engaged with my original discipline in respect of the school examinations system for overseas candidates (the scope and volume of which has considerably increased since 2022) and standing for election onto that association’s Council, where I completed my maximum stipulated term, but now continue with trustee duties for a different yet related charity. This is my third such commitment (including once as Honorary Secretary) to professional membership organisations that promote learning and development alongside supporting Individual CPD. Additionally, during the pandemic years, I joined a service improvement group with the aim of addressing patient feedback for a wide-ranging regional healthcare organisation, and which I continue with today.
As a direct result, my primary interests are presently concentrated in the sectors of international examinations, block management, professional development and healthcare outcomes, with some capability informed by ongoing research from and qualifications in my prior fields of employment.
I am naturally delighted to now be able to extend my support to the IST in the capacity of Fellow. The IST is notable for its diverse and extended range of members across many related disciplines, and its work in securing the continued availability of the CSci recognition and the connected awards that provide a pathway of recognition for technical specialists accredited by the Science Council. I am grateful for the support of both the IST and the Science Council in being able to retain my CSci recognition during a period when a number of other organisations were withdrawing their commitment. I found the CSci a significantly valuable element in retaining multi-disciplinary support, and the IST itself in providing a grounding environment for helpful conversations to occur with colleagues in different fields outside of the areas in which I have been required to deliver. I trust that I will be able to return the favour over the coming years.