Sue Hutton's resume
I hope that this site will speak for itself. Also see my professional website.
Starting out - 1971 to 1976
Research in Africa - 1974 to 1978
Publication for education - 1978 to 1979
Uganda and after - 1979 to 1982
Awareness programmes - 1983 to 1987
Wider experience - 1987 to 1990
Open University tutor - 1981 to 1991
Oman - 1991 to 2000
Back in UK
Starting
out
I graduated from Leeds
University with a BSc honours degree in Geology in 1971 and was lucky enough
to be offered a job in the Botswana Geological Survey as Information Officer.
The responsibilities ranged from organizing the library and aerial photograph
collections to compiling Annual Reports of the Geological Survey and other
information briefings as well as editing other publications.
By the time I left, the Survey had the reputation of having the best organized geological library in Commonwealth Africa. I was made project manager of the Botswana ERTS-1 (now Landsat-1) programme for which I compiled a series of reports for NASA on the use and benefits of using small-scale satellite imagery. In 1974, I attended an African workshop on remote sensing held in Nairobi, representing the Botswana government.
Research
in Africa
As a result of my work
with the Landsat-1 programme, I embarked on a research degree with the
Open University in U.K. The late Ian Gass was my first supervisor
and mentor. I finally presented my thesis on geological evaluation
of satellite geology of Botswana in 1978 being one of the very first
part-time post-graduates presented by the Open University. The thesis
was completed while living in Libya and after a temporary position held
in the Earth Sciences department at the OU as course coordinator.
Publications
and learning how to inform
Back in U.K., I worked
with a company specializing in the production of educational materials,
where I continued to learn not only about publication production but also
on how to tailor materials according to educational and awareness needs.
My particular assignment was to co-ordinate a package written in Spanish
for the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations.
I had a great week in Rome out of that!
Uganda
and after
Following a six week assignment
in Uganda in summer 1979 as part of an Inter-Universities Council mission
to assess rehabilitation needs for Makerere University following the flight
of Idi Amin, I took a 12 month Masters’ course in Information Studies at
Loughborough University. Graduation was postponed until 1982, after
the arrival of my daughter Rosie, and a stint in Sri Lanka.
Awareness
programmes
Early in 1983, I was asked
to become Information Officer and coordinator for the East Midlands Microelectronics
Programme, a contract awarded to Loughborough Consultants, the consulting
arm of Loughborough University, U.K. Several measures were used
to attract attention of small companies in the East Midlands to assess
the value of using microelectronics, including mail shots, exhibitions
and a press campaign focusing on case studies. The approach that
seemed to work best was to promote the visit of an experienced senior consultant
to individual companies to try and encourage them to take up government
funded consultancy.
EMMAP forged an alliance between the regional office of the Department of Trade and Industry, the original fund providers, the five local authorities of the East Midlands and a body of technical consultants in the region. Building on the experience of EMMAP, the programme moved to the sponsorship of TEK Management Consultants where it broadened its scope to informing companies generally of the availability of government support. Now known as CAT (Consultants in Advanced Technology), activities focused on direct contact with companies as well as supporting local authority advice days.
Wider
experience
I left CAT in mid-1987
and did a variety of jobs thereafter. In 1986 I had become chairman
of a local group which raised funds for an aid programme in India.
In 1987 I did a spell as geology lecturer with WEDC at Loughborough University,
corporate fund-raiser for Action Aid in 1988 and research associate in
the Department of Library and Information Studies at LUT from 1989 to 1990.
I visited Sri Lanka and the aid programme in India during 1988, especially valuable in light of my special interest in promoting awareness back in the UK. I took special responsibility within our group for press relations and presentations to local groups and schools.
Open
University
tutor
My son, George, arrived
in 1990, which meant a break from practically everything except for the
Open University, for which I worked as a part-time tutor in Earth Science
from 1981 to 1991.
Summer schools remain a fond highlight for the intensive experience of working with people who were there because they wanted to learn. We had great fun.
Oman
At the end of 1991, I travelled
to the Sultanate of Oman with my husband and family. My first year was spent relaxing and getting very involved
with all sorts of music and drama groups as well as raising money for Unicef.
In 1992, my application to become a Chartered Geologist was approved.
At the end of 1992, I was appointed Assistant Head of Information Centre in the Ministry of Water Resources. I took responsibility for the library, information services and publication production in charge of some twenty staff. The work was varied and challenging.
Early in 1995, we had the deadline of producing a full-colour 100 page handbook and two volumes of proceedings for an international conference on water resources management in just under three months. All artwork was prepared in-house. I took on the role of production coordinator as well as editor.
During the conference, I had a highly visible public relations role and interviewed many conference speakers for information which has subsequently been used in awareness programmes of the need for water conservation.
From September 1996, I became Advisor/Expert in the Information and Public Awareness Centre. In this role I wrote advisory papers relating to issues of management organization, computing, information provision and awareness. I also helped with the planning and preparation of awareness products including design and construction of the web site for the Ministry. Sadly this is no longer online since the ministry ceased to exist from May 2001.
From February 1999 to April 2000, I transferred to the Department of Planning, office of H.E. the Minister, where I continued to prepare information briefings for H.E. the Minister and senior management. I acted as advisor and counsellor to the Director of Planning, including monitoring of and commentary on reports to senior management.
Back in UK
I offer information services, research, analysis and report-writing, website design and
production, advice on website usability, writing and editing, as a freelance consultant. My specialist
background is in natural resources and political and economic development of the
Persian Gulf countries, particularly the Sultanate of Oman.
Recent projects have included the impact of social inclusion on the strategy for transition to digital TV and resources for ICT teaching in schools.
See my professional website.
I continue to update this website and am monitoring the news from Oman. I am now a Microsoft Office User Specialist (MOUS) Master, support ICT classes in a nearby middle school, and am a member of the AIIP (Association of Independent Information Professionals).
In the meantime, please take a look at my synopsis of the Geology of Oman.
If you'd be interested in the latest business news on Water, try out this news link from NewsNow.
Taking notes at a presentation on international water law given by Dante Caponera