An economist by profession, my PhD is in the area of the economic impact of Scottish Gaelic, Arts and Culture, and I have continued to work in this area, producing reports and consultancy for Highlands and Islands Enterprise, The City of Glasgow Council, The Gaelic Arts Agency, (Proiseact nan Ealan), and the Gaelic Language Board.Until 2011 I was the current project co-ordinator at Glasgow Caledonian University for a Framework 6 European Union Integrated Project - DYLAN - Language management and diversity in the European Union. I am fluent French speaker and can also speak German, Spanish, and am a Gaelic learner.Since 1996 I have worked at Glasgow Caledonian University and am now Senior Lecturer in Media and Journalism there and am a member of the University's Senate and Court. My Court page can be found here: http://www.gcu.ac.uk/theuniversity/universitycourt/siarticlesofgovernance/governors/drdouglaschalmers/I am also a Caledonian Scholar, specialising in the use of new technology, Wikis and Blogs in teaching in Higher Education.From end May 2015, I served in a two year (lay) position as President of UCU Scotland - the main university lecturers' union. I became immediate past president in June 2017. At the same time, I was elected to the position of Vice President UCU at a UK level. Specialties: Economic Impact of minority languages, art and culture