Peter Peacock began his career during the heyday of Nortel Networks as a telecoms engineer working with flagship technology controlling telephone traffic for BT. Those origins of voice over internet protocol technology supported a staggering 64,000 calls per second, empowering business connectivity. Peter’s early interest in finding solutions emerged as he worked on prototyping for test and repair and diagnostics.
When Nortel was impacted by the challenges in global supply chains, Peter moved on to progress his telecoms engineering career working in satellite engineering for Sky.
But it was his move into a role post primary education that was to set a career path in technology for learning. Peter explains:
“I moved from working in electronics with signals to a much broader scope of applied technology as a Technology and Design technician at Methodist College Belfast. I was working with lathes, table saws, materials, plastics, wood, laser cutters, 3-d printers and electronics. The breadth or material and equipment was an interesting expansion for me I found what I most enjoyed was sharing, teaching and applying industry methods to a wide range of student projects.”
From Methody, Peter joined the School of Engineering at Ulster in 2014, bringing with him a combination of industry and teaching experience. The thread of electronics from his early career carried into his new role supporting active learning in one of the most technically complex Schools at Ulster.
Peter is most often found in the electronics lab – very much his home in the new Belfast campus - where he teaches first year students and supports master’s students from our German university partner in the use of equipment, project specification and programming. Peter adds:
“The work with our German exchange students can be very rewarding because I have the chance to support them throughout the academic year and see the final product of their work in the lab.”
Peter also works extensively with undergraduate students undertaking their final year project.
“The time students spend in this lab is always additional sessions beyond their timetabled classes. It’s very much about them having time and a specialist space in which to become familiar with the technology and how it can create solutions. I like to continually refresh what we offer in the lab space to make it as engaging and current as possible for students and staff.”
Peter acts as induction buddy for placement students in the School and was one of several technicians instrumental in the relocation from Jordanstown to Belfast in 2022, and the readiness of the labs for staff and students. During the pandemic, along with many other technicians in diverse disciplines, Peter returned to campus earlier as part of the phased return, in support of those practical sessions that would have been impossible to deliver remotely. In preparation for the eventual safe return of all students, Peter created a video library on Blackboard of the lab technology in use, replicating the skills that would have ordinarily shared in one-to-one teaching sessions.
A keen portrait photographer in his spare time, Peter sees some similarity between career and hobby.
“When I switch my camera to manual mode, it’s a chance to bring creativity and technology together.”
Peter maintains a keen focus on his career progression – completing the First Steps to Teaching, Associate Fellowship of HEA, PGChep certification and then his full fellowship. He is about to embark on a Masters in management within the Business School, adding:
“I’m keen to add these management skills to my technical skills and my teaching and I hope this will further enhance my contribution in the school and faculty, as it manages research, teaching and relationships with industry partners and professional bodies.”