Dr Tharaka Gunarathne
Consultant Child Psychiatrist for NHS Grampian
Dr Tharaka Gunarathne is a graduate from University of Aberdeen Medical School and now works as a Consultant Child Psychiatrist for NHS Grampian. He is passionate about helping young people battle mental illness and maximise their sense of self-worth and inner greatness. He loves teaching medical students and really enjoys public speaking.
Emre Üşenmez
Oil and Gas Law + Petroleum Economist
Emre Üşenmez is a lecturer in oil and gas law and an associate at the Aberdeen University Centre for Energy Law (AUCEL). He is a co-editor of the book Oil and Gas Law: Current Issues and Emerging Trends and a board member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers Aberdeen Section.
Previously, Emre worked in the natural resources sector in Azerbaijan with Caspian Alliance International Ltd. He holds an LLM in Oil and Gas Law and an MSc in Petroleum, Energy Economics and Finance from the University of Aberdeen, as well as a BSc in Economics and a BA in Political Science from the North Carolina State University. A love for coffee has supported this extensive academic career.
Ian Marr
YMCA Scotland General Secretary
Ian Marr is a University of Aberdeen graduate who was born and raised on the Orkney Islands. He has been working with YMCA for the past decades and will be sharing inspiring ideas about innovative ways to finance charities.
The focus of his work has been with disadvantaged young people to help them find their own path to adulthood. It is important to him that tools are recognised as such and emphasises that the individuals should always be in the focus of charity. His passions are people and ideas.
Tania Dr Fahey Palma
Programme Director of MSc Professional Communication
Dr Tania Fahey Palma is an Award Winning lecturer at the University of Aberdeen. Born in Chile and raised in Ireland, she has studied and worked in universities around the world.
Her work focuses on analysing and understanding the interactional dynamics present in workplace encounters with the view to developing successful and effective communication.
Toni Fisher
Distance Learning Coordinator and the Learning Enhancement
Toni Fisher has been on a lifelong adventure beginning in Canada settling most recently in Aberdeen. On her journey to understand how the mind of a learner works, she has used her degrees in Education, Philosophy, Environmental Studies and Geographical Information Systems, trying to discover new ways to teach so that learners can learn.
Toni has gathered experience while working in government, industry and education, in a number of different countries, fuelled by her continued interest in trying to empower and encourage learners to be able to learn anything and everything.