Our staff

Dauvit Alexander

Programme Leader

Rusty bolts lie by the side of the road. A coffee jar filled with corroded spring washers sits on the windowsill of a disused engineering works. Someone throws a cast-iron fencing spike into a skip. A piece of pitted steel washes up on the beach. These are not the images normally associated with the worlds of either...

Professor Jivan Astfalck

Senior Lecturer, China Officer

Jivan Astfalck lectures on MA and BA courses and is the School of Jewellery's China Officer. She combines teaching with studio practice, which she exhibits internationally. A visual artist, jeweller and academic, Jivan was born in Berlin, where she trained and qualified as a goldsmith. She has lived in the UK for more...

Stephen Bottomley

Head of School

Previously senior lecturer at the University of Edinburgh / Edinburgh College of Art Stephen was head of the department of Jewellery and Silversmithing (2008-17), Design School Director for Post-Graduate Research (2015-17) and served on the Design School management group. In an academic career spanning over 25 years, he has...

Beaulagh Brooks

Programme Leader - BA (Hons) Jewellery and Objects

Beaulagh is the Programme Leader and Level 6 Co-ordinator for the BA (Hons) Jewellery and Objects course, she is also personal tutor to a year group and will have some involvement with all students throughout their studies. She has been lecturing in Higher Education Institutions for over 20 years, alongside running a...

Frank Cooper

Senior Lecturer & Centre Manager

Frank Cooper is a jewellery industry professional who has worked in the UK jewellery industry for all of his working life. He is now a Senior Lecturer in Jewellery Manufacturing Technologies and Manager of the Centre for Digital Design and Manufacturing at the Birmingham School of Jewellery a position he has held since 2003....

Sian Hindle

Lecturer in Contextual Studies

Sian has a background in English Studies, with a Master of Research exploring Modernist literature and theories of the self. After studying at the School of Jewellery from 200305, Sian initially combined freelance design work for a range of jewellery manufacturers with teaching on a growing portfolio of Contextual Studies...

Jeremy Hobbins

Deputy Head of School & Course Leader

Originally graduating with a Business background, Jeremy transferred his skills into the horology world following his study of HND Horology at the School of Jewellery. Jeremy worked as a professional horologist for others, and himself, for 20 years before returning to the School to share his love of the subject and train a...

Andrew Howard

Lecturer

Andrew has been lecturing on the Jewellery and Silversmithing - Design for Industry (DFI) course since January 2016. He has strong links to the Jewellery Industry and uses these to his student’s advantage from organising group visits to allow students to see behind the scenes in large companies to sign posting them to the best...

Drew Markou

Lecturer - BA (Hons) Jewellery and Objects

Drew Markou is a full-time lecturer and Level 4 Co-ordinator for the BA (Hons) Jewellery and Objects course at the School of Jewellery, alongside which he undertakes his own creative professional practice as an Art Jeweller and Object Maker. With a background in Landscape Design and Horticulture, then moving into jewellery...

Toni Mayner

Lecturer - Jewellery

Toni Mayner lives and works in Birmingham as a part-time lecturer at the School of Jewellery and an independent Jewellery Artist exhibiting in the UK and abroad. Initially training as a jeweller, during her Master's studies she developed large-scale work which led to her spending a year in the Netherlands working with Dutch...