Mill pond, Shepshed

Mill pond, Shepshed

About Sue Hutton >

All about Sue Hutton

Thanks to the Education Act of 1944, I was able to win a place to grammar school in 1959. My father was a carpenter, my mother a farm worker's daughter. I was the first in my family to reach grammar school and university.

After graduating in Geology from Leeds University in 1971, I worked as librarian and information officer in the Botswana Geological Survey. I was the first woman geologist to be sent overseas by the Overseas Development Administration (ODA) of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

I managed Botswana's contribution to the Landsat-1 project, and carried out research into the benefits of using satellite imagery for geological mapping.

Subsequent assignments in UK extended my experience in public awareness, press and public relations, publication production and project management.

I have taught Earth Science as a tutor for The Open University, as a lecturer at Loughborough University and at Makerere University, Uganda.

In 1991, I returned overseas to the Sultanate of Oman, where I progressed from being line manager of Information Centre in the Ministry of Water Resources to being Advisor to the Supervisor-General of Information Centre, and subsequently Information Expert in the Office of the Minister of Water Resources.

I prepared briefings for HE the Minister of Water Resources from 1993 to 2000, using Internet resources from 1994 onwards. While in Oman, I began designing my own websites, as well as that of the ministry.

Recent research projects include the impact of ICT on teaching, technological change and social inclusion. Writing assignments have included preparing website modules on contract law and privatization options for the water services industry, and best practice in using ICTs for political engagement.

From 2003-2004, I was a contributor to Oman Economic Review. I built and maintained newsBriefsOman, a legacy blog which featured political, economic and business news from the Sultanate of Oman. This has been superceded by the newsBriefsOman twitter feed.

Since 2014, I have been working with Captcha Photography of East Leake in wedding, events and studio photography. View SoozVyooz, my photography website.

I was awarded a Licenciate of the Royal Photographic Society (LRPS) in November 2013. View the successful panel of photos.

I published three photobooks in 2017 available for sale on Blurb. Hong Kong, La Serenissima: Venice at the time of Carnival, both of which are also available as ebooks for iPad, and On the Cusp of Africa: scenes from northern Morocco.

My family has a special interest in north Morocco as we own an apartment in Tangier just 100m from the Mediterranean. Available to rent. See the photos on the apartment's website.

I look forward to hearing from you!

Extra-Curricular

I have raised funds for ActionAid in UK, as chairman of the Shepshed-Kotturu Link in the 1980s, and for Unicef in Oman.

I am a keen amateur thespian and singer, acting regularly in productions by East Leake Amateur Players since 2000. I directed Pinocchio for the group in 2002, and Excalibur, in 2005. In Oman, I played numerous roles with Muscat Amateur Theatre, a semi-professional company.

I also planned my own singing recital in 2005 and scripted an entertainment based on John Betjeman's poetry and life performed with four others in Leicester in 2007

I have sung with the Leicester Bach Choir since 2005.

I achieved Toastmasters International Advanced Communicator Silver and Advanced Leadership Bronze awards.

In 2010 I took Distinction in the Open University's new Geology course.