Dr Emma Rawlings Smith

Geography Teacher Education

Globalisation and Education Policy

Mentoring and Professional Development

Emma has a first degree in Geography (University of Sussex), a Masters in Environmental Archaeology and Palaeoeconomy (with Distinction from the University of Sheffield) and a Secondary Geography PGCE (University of Sheffield), Emma taught school geography for 15 years in the United Kingdom and abroad. Emma¡¯s disciplinary expertise was recognised by the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) when she became a Fellow (FRGS) and Chartered Geographer in 2009. While working in Abu Dhabi, she gained an MA in Education (with Distinction), and became increasingly interested in practitioner research and professional learning. On return to England Emma completed her doctorate exploring the professional capital of authors who recontextualise knowledge about place in geography textbooks.

Emma has worked in Higher Education since 2016, first at the University of Leicester as PGCE Geography Lead, SCITT Academic Lead and MSc Education module lead (Research Methods). Emma then moved into the role of Postgraduate Research Lead at Bangor University, leading six programmes and supporting research as the School Ethics Chair and CaBan ITE Partnership Research Lead. Emma was awarded Welsh Government funding for a Student Transitions to University project in collaboration with colleagues at Cardiff Metropolitan University. Emma then took up a post as Departmental Lecturer at the University of Oxford teaching across postgraduate education programmes and engaging in research on mentoring in ITE. She has published widely on geography education and initial teacher education (ITE) and her research interests focus on teacher education, professional development, teacher and teacher educator identity, student transitions, lesson study in ITE, and place pedagogy. An edited volume with Dr Susan Pike titled Encountering ideas of Place in Education was published by Routledge in December 2023.

Emma volunteers in a range of societies and associations and was awarded the GA Distinguished Service Award 2025 in recognition of her sustained service to geography education. She is a trustee and sits on the Council of the Royal Geographical Society (RGS- IBG) as Honorary Secretary (Education) and is a Chartered Geographer final-stage assessor. Emma is Chair of the Geographical Association¡¯s (GA) Teacher Education Phase Committee and a member of the Teaching Geography Editorial Board. Through her consultancy work with the GA, RGS, the Field Studies Council, NASBTT and others, Emma has supported the professional learning of geography teachers and she has co-authored a number of 11-18 school geography textbooks. Emma has examined GCSE and A level geography for AQA and Edexcel, has written A level exam questions for OCR and most recently worked as an Assessment Specialist with CAIE to develop a new A Level Geography qualification.