Dr Mike McGibbon was awarded a BA Hons in geography from the Queen's University of Belfast in 1982 before moving to the University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada to complete an MA focusing on citizen participation in urban land use planning. In 1990, he completed a PhD funded by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation examining the effects of participatory urban planning on housing and neighbourhood quality under the supervision of Professor P.J. Smith.

Dr McGibbon combined teaching in the Department of Geography as a sessional lecturer with contract research for planning consultancies before returning to the UK to take up an appointment as Lecturer in Geography at Thames Polytechnic (now University of Greenwich). He went on to become Subject Group Leader, then Head of Department for Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences and is currently Principal Lecturer in Geography and Environmental Science. Dr McGibbon has also been running field courses for geography and environmental sciences students in Southern Spain for many years.

Dr McGibbon is Employability Officer for the School of Science, promoting personal development planning amongst students and encouraging their involvement in work placements and volunteering as part of their preparation for careers after graduation.