Michael J. Reiss

Michael J. Reiss Ph.D. ( Cambridge) was born and brought up in London. His father was an obstetrician and gynaecologist and his mother a nurse and midwife. Michael is Professor of Science Education at University College London, a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences, a member of the Nuffield Council on Bioethics, Visiting Professor at the Royal Veterinary College, Honorary Fellow of the College of Teachers, Docent at the University of Helsinki, President of the International Society for Science & Religion, President of the Association for Science Education, President of the International Association for Science and Religion in Schools, and a Priest in the Church of England, having been ordained in 1990.

Michael read Natural Sciences at Cambridge, before staying on to do a PhD and post-doc there. He then trained to be a teacher and taught in schools for five years, before returning to higher education, initially at the University of Cambridge and then Homerton College, Cambridge before moving to UCL in 2001. He also worked for ten years as a part-time psychodynamic counsellor. He was Director of the Salters-Nuffield Advanced Biology Project (2000-15), a member of the Farm Animal Welfare Council/Committee (2004-12), Director of Education at the Royal Society (2006-08), a member of the GM Science Review Panel (2002-04), Specialist Advisor to the House of Lords Select Committee on Animals in Scientific Procedures (2001-02) and Chair of EuropaBio’s External Advisory Group on Ethics (2000-01).

Michael’s academic interests are in science education, sex education and bioethics. Books of his include: Briggs, A. & Reiss, M. J. (2021) Human Flourishing: Scientific Insight and Spiritual Wisdom in Uncertain Times, Oxford University Press; Mazorodze, R. & Reiss, M. J. (2019) Cognitive and Metacognitive Problem-Solving Strategies in Post-16 Physics: A Case Study Using Action Research, Springer, Cham; Barmania, S. & Reiss, M. J. (2018) Islam and Health Policies Related to HIV Prevention in Malaysia, Springer; Abrahams, I. & Reiss, M. J. (Eds) (2017) Enhancing Learning with Effective Practical Science 11-16, Bloomsbury; Reiss, M. J. & White, J. (2013) An Aims-based Curriculum, IOE Press; Jones, A., McKim, A. & Reiss, M. (Eds) (2010) Ethics in the Science and Technology Classroom: A New Approach to Teaching and Learning, Sense; Jones, L. & Reiss, M. J. (Eds) (2007) Teaching about Scientific Origins: Taking Account of Creationism, Peter Lang; Braund, M. & Reiss, M. J. (Eds) (2004) Learning Science Outside the Classroom, RoutledgeFalmer; Halstead, J. M. & Reiss, M. J. (2003) Values in Sex Education: From Principles to Practice, RoutledgeFalmer; and Reiss, M. J. (2000) Understanding Science Lessons: Five Years of Science Teaching, Open University Press.