Dr Susan Pawley

Professional biography

Dr Susan Pawley is a Senior Lecturer and Staff Tutor.  She joined the Open University as an Associate Lecturer in 2005, contributing to various Stage One and Applied Mathematics modules, in 2014 she became a Staff Tutor.  She has a BSc in Mathematics and Engineering and a PhD in Theoretical Mechanics from Nottingham University.

She is Vice-Chair (Operations) of the sigma Network steering group, a network that champions the provision of maths and stats support in Higher Education, and a member of the Horizons in STEM Network committee.

In 2025, she was appointed as an Editor for MSOR Connections, a peer-reviewed research journal that publishes articles on innovative learning, teaching, assessment, and support in Mathematics, Statistics, and Operational Research in Higher Education.

She was the Deputy Director/Director of eSTEeM, the STEM centre of scholarship and innovation (2022-25) and the Chair of the University Scholarship Steering Group (2023-25). 

Dr Pawley is Co-Editor of the eSTEeM Annual Conference Proceedings which provides a supportive environment for Open University authors of SoTL papers  to gain valuable experience in peer-reviewed academic writing.  

She has recently been selected to join the EuroSoTL Collaborative Writing Group (ESCWG) programme, with a group theme of Contextual Influences on SoTL Support, which will explore how institutional and individual contexts influence SoTL engagement. It seeks to understand how departmental cultures, career policies, and disciplines shape SoTL practices.

Research interests (Scholarship of Teaching and Learning)

Susan's current research focuses on supporting students experiencing mathematics anxiety. Following a comprehensive investigation into the prevalence of maths anxiety at the Open University (paper in production) Susan conducted a series of in-depth interviews to explore the underlying causes of students' anxiety, how it affects their progress in STEM subjects, and the strategies they use to manage it while studying at a distance. Building on these insights, she is now a co-author of a bespoke OpenLearn module (Publication scheduled for 2025) designed to help students recognise the traits and behaviours associated with maths anxiety. The module equips learners with practical techniques to manage their anxiety and succeed in their studies.

Susan's research interests focus on student support.  Other recent projects include:

• Exploring online communities. 
• Supporting students preparing for remote exams.
• Supporting students preparing for study in mathematics with an online study site. 

Teaching interests

Susan is a module team member of MST124 Essential Mathematics 1 having previously been chair for a number of years.