Author, dramatist, musician and nurse Jonathan Falla will be welcomed as the University of Dundee’s newest Royal Literary Fund Writing Fellow at a special event this week.

Mr Falla, who lives in Fife, has been widely praised for his novels "Blue Poppies" and "Poor Mercy", received awards for his BBC-produced feature film "The Hummingbird Tree" and achieved critical success in both London and the Edinburgh Festival for his theatre work.

Mr Falla will work with the University's Academic Skills Team in the Learning Centre on their 'Just Right' programme, helping undergraduates develop their academic writing skills. Students can get free consultation from Jonathan on appointment.

"It is immensely satisfying to meet with someone who is scared witless of academic prose and be able to pass on a few craft skills and see their writing blossom," said Jonathan on working with students on developing their skills.

Jonathan Falla was born in Jamaica and read English and Art History at Cambridge. He went to Java to edit magazines for an Indonesian publisher, then worked for Oxfam in Uganda. This led him to qualify as a nurse; he was nursing children until 2006. He has trained paramedics for insurgents in Burma, was medical coordinator for Save the Children in Darfur, and their Field Director in Nepal.

His writing is mostly based on experiences abroad. A study of Burmese rebels, True Love & Bartholomew, was published by Cambridge University Press. His Ugandan play, Topokana Martyrs' Day, was produced at the Bush Theatre (London). He has written scripts for a Nicaraguan theatre group and for community theatre in Edinburgh, and a musical for Perthshire schools. His feature film - The Hummingbird Tree - was produced by the BBC, winning several awards. He has had many stories and two novels published: Blue Poppies (set in Tibet) and Poor Mercy (set in Sudan).

Jonathan has held a Fullbright Senior Fellowship in screenwriting, and has also taught creative writing for the Arvon Foundation.

Mr Falla replaces Dr Bill Kirton, who was the University’s first RLF Writing Fellow and has now completed his two-year placement. He joins well-known author Brian Callison, who is also a Writing Fellow at the University, in working with students on developing their writing style.

Developing clear and imaginative writing skills is key for students at all levels if they are to successfully communicate their ideas. The Academic Skills Team has developed a wide range of activities to encourage students to develop these skills.

"Students - postgraduate and undergraduate - in all areas of study, even areas such as mathematics and engineering, must be able to get their ideas across and having good, clear writing skills is a key element in that," said Kathleen McMillan, academic skills advisor at the Learning Enhancement Unit.

"It is wonderful that we are able to have skilled, successful writers such as Jonathan and Brian working with the students and passing on the benefits of their vast experience."

NOTES TO EDITORS

The Academic Skills teaching team is based in the University's Learning Centre. Their core activities promote advanced student learning within the University through the Academic Support Programme alongside the the central eLearning Service.

In addition to the Write Right Programme, the Academic Support Programme also hosts another Royal Literary Fund Writing Fellow, BrIan Callison,a renowned author. Brian works works with students in all disciplines.

A further programme called 'Writing by Appointment' offers similar tuition to students from other faculties. The aim of all the Academic Support Programmes is to encourage students to explore and develop the very particular skills of academic writing at higher education level. This involves working with students of all levels and abilities in order to help them develop their full potential within their courses of study.

For media enquiries contact:

Roddy Isles
Head, Press Office
University of Dundee
Nethergate Dundee, DD1 4HN
TEL: 01382 384910
E-MAIL: r.isles@dundee.ac.uk