Gwenda Rhian Jones

Biography

Gwenda Rhian joined the School in the mid 1980’s as a Welsh medium Sociology undergraduate on the Cymdeithaseg â Pholisi Cymdeithasol degree which was forefront of Welsh learning, the one of its kind to offer a social science degree entirely through the medium of Welsh. After finishing postgraduate study, Gwenda has worked teaching Sociology within the School, the Coleg Normal and the Open University. Joining Research Centre Wales based at the University, Gwenda subsequently worked on 11 EU funded projects developing regional community development and language planning, working with diverse groups and key network partnerships within public and private sectors, economic development and training bodies. Upon return to teaching on the Welsh medium Cymdeithaseg â Pholisi Cymdeithasol degree, initiated pioneering development of Criminology and Criminal Justice modules which led to the modernisation, growth and the distinctiveness of the degree scheme, and has also developed and maintained external partnership working whilst enhancing the student experience through placement learning. Gwenda completed her PhD (Sociology and Social Policy) in 2010 based on University choice factors in choosing Welsh medium Higher Education and the reasons for choosing HE outside Wales.

Research Interest

Research interests reflect a diverse interdisciplinary base in the Social Sciences. Crucially these link to the promotion of the Welsh Language in a number of sectors: Identifying the decisive factors in choosing Higher Education through the medium of Welsh and the reasons for choosing HE outside Wales; Widening participation in HE; Low job availability and recruiting problems in setting up heavy manufacturing industry in sparse rural locations as part of regional development policy in Wales; Developing e-commerce and e-learning within Welsh medium broadcasting independent media producers and multimedia companies; All contemporary issues relating to policing.