I have (rather immodestly) chosen to introduce myself using the citation from my Teaching Excellence Award from the University of Queensland in 1999.

The least important reason for presenting this citation is that it summarises my teaching philosophy succinctly. It also illustrates where I have come from: The University of Queensland was my first academic position, which I took directly after my PhD in 1992. I was there for nine years before joining the University of Glasgow in 2001.

But the most important part of this document is the typing error. It is small, hidden, and very easy to miss – and must have been overlooked by several people before being officially printed. A document that is meant to celebrate excellence has been marred by a small mistake. I see this as a reminder that even with the most careful attention to detail, the strongest commitment to quality, and the most extensive effort, nothing will ever be perfect. And recognising this is important. There will always be room for improvement, and accepting errors, reflecting, and dealing with them is better than worrying about the fact that they exist.

I have recently realised that one of the things I like most about being an academic is the cycle of the university year: there is always a chance to make improvements and fix one year's mistakes the following year.

My favourite saying is “If you want to master anything, first, you have to make a million mistakes - so start making them now!” I read it at the start of my PhD – I wish I could remember where!