Dr. Fabiana Fausto Mccracken
Dr. Fabiana has supported students in the development of their linguistic, academic, and research skills for over twenty years, in both her native Brazil and NI.
Looking back, where do you think your academic journey started?
When I was about five years old, my dad bought a set of cassettes and books to learn English, as it was a requirement of his role, and I remember listening to the tapes and asking if I could learn English as well.
University wise, I studied English and Portuguese Languages and Literatures at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro and completed two additional years of teacher training in primary and secondary education at the same institution. I also taught English to university students during my undergraduate years and still remember my first ever lesson, in August 2000!
Was teaching and academic an ambition of your from then on?
I fell in love with teaching and my reflections on my teaching practice led me to pursue a Master’s degree in Applied Linguistics. I collaborated with researchers from various academic institutions across the globe as part of IGEL (Internationale Gesellschaft für Empirische Literaturwissenschaften) and learned how to use computational tools for the analysis of linguistic patterns in literature. It was through IGEL that I learned about Queen’s University Belfast and PhD opportunities in the area of Stylistics. I was very fortunate to have Dr Andrea Mayr and Professor Paul Simpson as my supervisors, who guided me through the PhD journey and encouraged me to work on all aspects of my development as a researcher.
What was your career journey before you started working at The Graduate School?
I have taught General English and English for Academic Purposes for the last twenty-three years. I have also worked as a researcher in a large educational project in partnership with a telecommunications organisation in Brazil, in an effort to incorporate technology into the classroom and support students with the development their reading skills.
As part of my PhD journey, I taught English Language seminars and tutorials to undergraduate students at Queen’s, and also worked as a research assistant transcribing and categorising qualitative data in an educational project led by Stranmillis College. From 2014 to 2022, I worked as an English for Academic Purposes teacher and Programme Manager at INTO Queen’s, where I supported hundreds of international students to develop their linguistic, academic, and research skills to achieve success in their undergraduate and postgraduate studies.
What led you to pursue a career in higher education and student engagement?
My journey as an international PhD student at Queen’s University Belfast has helped me shape the direction that I wanted to take in my career, which is to support other students in their journey, either through the development of effective communication skills or research expertise.
What's your role at The Graduate School, and what do you enjoy most about it? How has your previous academic or professional experience prepared you for your current role at The Graduate School?
I started working at the Graduate School in January 2023. I am a Researcher Development Consultant, and what I enjoy the most about my role is to learn from our students on what inspired them to choose their topics of research. Apart from my own PhD experience, having supported many students going through their postgraduate study journey at INTO Queen’s helped me to develop effective materials and resources for my workshops as a Researcher Development Consultant at the Graduate School. As I taught students from so many different countries at INTO, this experience has helped me identify the specific needs of international students and to develop an individualised strategy to support them.
What’s the most challenging thing about your job?
Time management is a challenge for me, but I try to practise what I preach and keep on top of my to-do list!
Can you share some examples of the types of challenges or concerns that students often approach you with, and how you assist them?
Students often request one-to-one appointments with me to get guidance on how to start writing or to overcome writer’s block. We work on a plan to break down the required number of words in more manageable chunks and commit to writing a little bit every day. I then schedule a follow-up meeting in a couple of weeks’ time to check how the students are doing, and in most cases, they have been able to complete a sizable amount of work!
If you could give one piece of advice to incoming students, what would it be?
Take a photo of yourself on the first day of your student journey at Queen’s. Print it off and write on the back how you were feeling, what went through your head, what you saw and heard on that day. Go back to that photo during challenging moments and reconnect with all the excitement and hope that you felt on your first day.
Are there any unique resources or opportunities available through your department that students might not be aware of?
Students are often surprised when I tell them that they can book a one-to-one appointment with myself and/or Abbie to practise for an upcoming presentation. It is an opportunity that I wish I had availed of when I was a PhD student!
Name one thing you can’t survive a working day without. Why’s it so important?
Coffee! Brazilians are so passionate about coffee that our word for breakfast is literally ‘morning coffee’ (or ‘café da manhã’, in Brazilian Portuguese).
How do you stay up-to-date with the latest developments in your field to better serve students' needs?
I connect with other Researcher Development Consultants across the globe via Twitter and LinkedIn and attend conferences in the areas of Higher Education Teaching and Learning and English for Academic Purposes. I am looking forward to my first presentation at the Vitae Conference in September 2023, together with my colleague Dr Abbie Edgar and our manager, Donna Hyland.
Do you have any favourite inspirational quotes or mantras that keep you motivated in your work?
I have always felt inspired by Paulo Freire’s quote on the indissoluble relationship between teaching and research: “To question, to search, and to research are parts of the nature of teaching practice.”
Do you think there are any unique challenges that students face today which are different to the challenges students faced in previous generations? What are they?
Students have expressed concern about the rise of Artificial Intelligence and how it may affect their job prospects. My advice is to keep abreast of its development to help them develop a critical view of AI’s actual capabilities.
What's your favourite thing about Belfast that students should definitely check out?
I love going for a walk in Stormont and then pop in to one of the many cafes in Ballyhackamore. Please try the custard tards in Guillemot and you will thank me later!
What's your go-to spot for grabbing a quick bite to eat near campus?
Madame Pho and Umi Falafel are my favourites!
If you could switch roles with any student for a day, which program or course would you choose, and why?
Either Product Design or Architecture. I actually got accepted into BSc Architecture back in the day, but chose English and Portuguese instead.
What's your favourite book or movie that you think every student should experience?
This is such a hard question! Probably “We Should All Be Feminists”, by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. I remember reading it around the time of my viva and it helped me feel empowered.
What types of music or podcasts do you enjoy listening to in your free time?
I listen to a lot of samba and bossa nova in my free time and recommend any song by Marisa Monte for a nice introduction to Brazilian music.
If you were stranded on a deserted island and could only bring three things, what would they be?
A lighter, a knife, a fishing net?
Share a fun fact about yourself that might surprise your colleagues and students.
I have been to forty countries and hope to get to fifty, by the time I am fifty! Recently, I went to Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia and it was such a memorable trip. The luscious nature and the warm weather reminded me of Brazil, but the mix of cultures and languages stood out for me as the most fascinating aspect of the trip.
If you could travel back in time, which historical era would you visit and why?
I would love to travel back in time and visit Brazil in pre-colonial times.
What are your favourite hobbies or pastimes outside of work?
I have been going to salsa lessons! Contrary to popular belief, I am not a skilled dancer but have really enjoyed the lessons so far.