Alan is a molecular microbiologist and currently Co-Director of Education and Student Experience (co-DESE) for the Biosciences department at Exeter. As co-DESE, he is jointly responsible for the development and implementation of the department's education strategy, and overseeing the day-to-day delivery of all taught programmes within the department.

Although not currently research-active, his research interests have historically focused on understanding mechanisms of virulence and niche adaptation in pathogenic bacteria, particularly Pseudomonas aeruginosa and members of the Burkholderia genus.