Professor Simmons (Eunice) became Vice-Chancellor of the University of Chester in January 2020. She is leading on a new strategy for the University entitled the ‘Citizen Student’ which sets a student’s studies firmly in the context of society and aims at equality not just of opportunities but of outcomes. Previously, Eunice was the Deputy Vice-Chancellor at Nottingham Trent University (NTU), where she led the Academic and Student Affairs directorate, encompassing the student journey from primary school through university to graduate employment.

Eunice gained an Honours degree in Biology at the University of Manchester and PGCE at Roehampton Institute. She taught secondary school science before obtaining a scholarship to the University of Kent for an MSc. This was followed by a research post with the University of London and the Forestry Commission, surveying sites throughout England and Wales, leading to a PhD in forest ecology and conservation in 1992. Her Professorship in Sustainable Environments was awarded for environmental teaching and research on ecosystems ranging from rainforest to downland.

Eunice is also a trustee and board member of Advance HE and the Environmental Association of Universities and Colleges (EAUC) and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology.

She is married with two sons, one currently at university and is a keen gardener, ecologist and walker in her spare time.