Ms Denise Rennie
School of Science, Engineering & Environment
Current positions
Interim Dean for SEE
Biography
Before appointment as a Lecturer in Environmental Sciences at Salford I worked in local government as an environmental health practitioner and food inspector. I was promoted to Senior Lecturer in 1995; serving as Head of the Department of Environmental Management from 1995 until 1999 and Head of the School of Environment and Life Sciences between 1999 and 2003.
I was then seconded as a Consultant to the Food Standards Agency (2003-05). Other external activities have included quality and audit of HE provision as a HEFCE QAA Subject Specialist Reviewer (other subjects allied to medicine) (1998-2000); and national and international development of Environmental Health education as a Member of the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health Task Group on Routes to Qualification and Core Curriculum Review (2002-2003) and Vice-chair International Faculty Forum for Environmental Health Education (1998-2000).
Since 2012, I have held a series academic management posts at Salford: Director of Geography and Environmental Science, Associate Head Academic, Associate Dean Student Experience, Deputy Dean plus a range of Interim Head and Acting Dean roles.
Areas of Research
My research interests include health education and promotion through training and environmental management interventions with particular application to food industry and enforcement agency staff.
Between 2002 and 2005 I was a member of a team funded by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) that developed ‘Safer food better business’ as an alternative model for the implementation of food safety management systems based on HACCP principles in small and micro catering businesses. During this period I was seconded part time to FSA to work with HACCP Branch staff on the dissemination and promotion of ‘Safer food better business’ with Local Authority Environmental Health Departments. I was also involved in adapting the model for use by other food business sectors in collaboration with HCIMA and the University of Strathclyde.
I have taught both UG and PG modules addressing the inter-relationships between environment and health: e.g. global determinants of environmental health, diet and health, public health intervention. I believe in the importance of students participating actively in learning and have developed consultancy modules where students work in groups to deliver projects for external clients and self assessment tools for student application both in university and during work placements.
Qualifications
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BSc (Hons) Environmental Health, 1st class
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MSc (By research) Health Promotion