About

I am a Senior Lecturer at Derby International Business School.  Alongside teaching and research, I am a Link Tutor responsible for the management of the University’s academic partnership with a group of hospitality schools in Switzerland.

Teaching responsibilities

I teach on undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in hospitality, events, tourism, and sustainable and ethical business management.  I also supervise undergraduate and postgraduate independent studies.

Professional interests

I have worked for the University of Derby since 2003, in addition to teaching and management of academic partnerships, I have held various roles.  These include Assistant Subject Manager for Distributed Learning, where I oversaw the delivery of online programmes within the Faculty and managed a team of online tutors and Faculty Curriculum Development Manager, where I was responsible for implementing the University's arrangements for curriculum development, validation and approval and monitoring, evaluation and review.

I have held External Examiner positions at seven different institutions over the last eighteen years.  I am also a reviewer for the International Journal of Spa and Wellness and Tourism Planning and Development. 

Research interests

My research interests focus on two main areas, consumer experiences and employee wellness. My PhD explored factors which contribute to memorable guest experiences in destination spas.  I am a member of the University's Experiential and Services Marketing Research Cluster.

Membership of professional bodies

• Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA)

Qualifications

Research qualifications

PhD - University of Derby

Postgraduate qualifications

MA Education - University of Derby

Postgraduate Certificate in Post Compulsory Education - Sheffield Hallam University

Undergraduate qualifications

BA (Hons) Training and Education Initiatives - University of Derby

University Advanced Diploma Manager as Coach and Mentor - University of Derby

Recent conferences

• Buxton, L. C. (2025) Destination spas: An exploration of factors that contribute to memorable guest experiences, Spa Education Academy Leadership Conference, 23^rd June 2025, online

• Cho, S. L. and Buxton, L. C. (2022) ‘Consumer Perceptions of the Potential Use of Service Robots in Spas’, Council for Hospitality Management Education (CHME) Conference 2022, The Human Touch in Hospitality, Edinburgh Napier University, Scotland, 24 – 27 May 2022

• Buxton, L. (2021) 'Destination Spas: an exploration of factors that contribute to memorable guest experiences', Council for Hospitality Management Education (CHME) Conference 2021, Creating Hospitality Experiences, Authenticity in an Emerging World of Hyper-Reality, Sheffield, England, 12-14 May 2021. *Awarded American Hotel & Lodgings Educational Institute Award for Best Doctoral Paper

• Buxton, L. (2020) ‘The spa service encounter: an opportunity to explore co-creation and co-destruction’, THE INC 2020: Revisiting value co-creation and co-destruction in hospitality, tourism and events, Leeuwarden, Netherlands, 10 – 11 June 2020

• Buxton, L., and Spring, C. (2019) ‘Wellness without borders: developing a global wellness community’ Tourism Naturally Conference, Buxton, 4 – 6 June 2019
• Stockdale, I., and Buxton, L. (2019) ‘Plastics and the Spa Industry.’ International Scientific Conference: Responsible Cosmetology and Healthcare, International College of Cosmetology, Riga, Latvia, 7 - 10 May 2019
• Buxton, L., Baker, L., Ebdon, Y. and Rosamond, V. (2018) ‘Supporting student transition to higher education through the application of a model of wellness’ UoD Learning Teaching and Assessment Conference, Buxton, 2 July 2018
• Batchelor, L., Buxton, L., and Loynes, A. (2018) ‘Workplace wellness: Measuring the success.’ THE INC 2018: Tourism, Hospitality and Events in a Changing World, Buxton, 28 June 2018
• Spring, C and Buxton, L (2018) ‘Steps forward: The journey of wellness education in the UK.’ International Breakout Session, National Wellness Institute Conference, Navigating Wellness, Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA, 18 - 20 June 2018
• Buxton, L., and Kruzikaite, R. (2018) ‘Supporting student transition to higher education through the application of a model of wellness.’  International Research Conference, CRCS, Brig, Switzerland, 28 May 2018
• Baker, L. and Buxton, L. (2018) ‘What can a graduate do for you?’ Beauty UK, Birmingham, 21 May 2018
• Buxton, L. (2017) ‘Designing and developing the first wellness management degree in the United Kingdom.’ National Wellness Institute Conference 2017: Cultivating Cultures that Flourish. Saint Paul, Minnesota, 19 - 21 June 2017

Experience in industry

Prior to working in education, I held customer facing roles in the visitor economy and the service sector.  For part of this time, I was self-employed and ran my own freelance business.

International experience

I have experience in managing transnational education through my responsibility as Link Tutor for the University’s academic partnership with a group of hospitality schools in Switzerland. I have delivered guest lectures and presented at conferences in Botswana, Latvia, Switzerland and the USA.

Additional interests and activities

I have been involved in projects with local and national employers supporting them to develop and evaluate their employee wellness initiatives. I am also interested in sustainability and I am certified as carbon literate after completing training through Nottingham Business School.

Recent publications

• Buxton, L. and Michopoulou, E. (2021) ‘Value co-creation and co-destruction: Considerations of Spa Servicescapes’, Tourism Planning and Development, 18:2 pp. 210-225
• Buxton, L., Batchelor, L. and Loynes, A. (2020) ‘Workplace wellness: measuring the success’, International Journal of Spa and Wellness, 2:2 pp. 123-131
• Buxton, L and Spring, C. (2019) ‘Wellness Roundtable Review’ International Wellness Connection, National Wellness Institute, August Issue
• Buxton, L. (2018) ‘Destination spas and the creation of memorable guest experiences’ International Journal of Spa and Wellness, 1:2 pp. 67-75
• Buxton, L. (2017) ‘Selling the total spa product’, in Rawlinson, S. and Heap, T. (eds) International Spa Management: Principles and Practice, London: Goodfellow Publishers
• Buxton, L. (2017) ‘Thermal and Mineral Springs’, in Rawlinson, S. and Heap, T. (eds) International Spa Management: Principles and Practice, London: Goodfellow Publishers