Roland John Tormey

I am a sociologist and educational scientist, researching and teaching on engineering education and I manage the Teaching Support Centre at EPFL.My research focuses on diversity and equity issues in learning, and on the role of emotion and relationships in learning.In recent years this research has addressed a number of domains including:Engineering Ethics Education and Sustainability Education Transition from High School to University STEM EducationLearning Professional/Transversal Skills in EngineeringLearning to Teach in STEM Higher Education My recent books include:co-authoring Facilitating Experiential Learning in Higher Education: Teaching and Supervising in Labs, Fieldwork, Studios, and Projects (2021)co-editing The Routledge International Handbook of Engineering Ethics Education (2025). Prior to 2011, I worked in teacher education, where I researched on the role of emotional competences in learning to teach, and on the ways teachers and curricula can adequately respond to diversity and inequalities.  I played a central role in the development of Ireland's Intercultural Education Guidelines for Primary (2005) and Secondary (2006) schools, and in the development of the high school syllabus for Social and Political Sciences (Politics and Society [2016]).  I represented Ireland on the UNECE Steering Committee for the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005-2011), and I co-chaired the UNECE Expert Group on Educator Competences for ESD (2007-2011). My profile (text) is accessible here.An extended interview (audio) about my work on engineering ethics education is available here.An extended interview (audio) about emotion in education, teacher education and engineering education is here.A shorter interview (audio) on emotion in learning is here. Education Doctorate | Sociology 1992 – 1999 Trinity College Dublin Directed by James Wickham Post Graduate Certificate | Environmental and Development Education 1999 – 2000 London South Bank University Bachelor of Social Science | Sociology, Social Administration 1989 – 1992 University College Dublin Bachelor of Science | Mathematics, Statistics 2015 – 2024 The Open University Teaching & PhD PhD Students Jie Gao, Zhenyu Cai, Keertana Lakshmi Veerayah Courses Ethics for life sciences engineers BIO-508 The decisions that life science engineers make can have profound impacts on other people, on society, and on the environment. It is important, therefore, to be aware of the potential effects of decisions, and to have a set of ethical principles and analytical tools to make good ethical decisions. How people learn: Designing Learning Tools I HUM-432 The students will understand the cognitive and social factors which affect learning - particularly in science and engineering. They will be able to use social research techniques as part of the design process to understand end users. How people learn: Designing Learning Tools II HUM-433 The students will understand the cognitive and social factors which affect learning - particularly in science and engineering. They will be able to use social research techniques as part of the design process to understand end users. Introduction to Methods in Learning Sciences 1 LEARN-610 This is part 1 of a two part course that provides students with knowledge and skills in collecting, processing and analyzing educational data, including different lenses to view the nature of inquiry in the field, research designs, and an overview of quantitative and qualitative methods. Introduction to Methods in Learning Sciences 2 LEARN-611 This is part 2 of a two part course that provides students with knowledge and skills in collecting, processing and analyzing educational data, including different lenses to view the nature of inquiry in the field, research designs, and an overview of quantitative and qualitative methods. Science and Engineering Teaching and Learning - FALL ENG-624(a) This course develops teaching skills through the introduction of research-informed approaches and the opportunity to practice strategies appropriate for higher education science and technology contexts (exercises, labs, projects and traditional courses). Science and Engineering Teaching and Learning - SPRING ENG-624(b) This course develops teaching skills through the introduction of research-informed approaches and the opportunity to practice strategies appropriate for higher education science and technology contexts (exercises, labs, projects and traditional courses).