Pamela is a public health epidemiologist and now Professor Emerita at Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) where she served as Vice Chancellor for 17 years. She worked for 44 years in the Academy, serving from 1984 as a Lecturer, Senior Lecturer, Professor, then Head of Department and Head of School at Nottingham University Medical School and finally as the University’s first female PVC. She has worked with the World Health Organisation on HIV/AIDS prevention, been a Harkness Fellow at the Harvard School of Public Health and was seconded as the Executive Director of Research at the Health Education Authority for England working to Tessa Jowell. In her time at GCU she led the establishment of the first successful Scottish campus in London; obtained the first international charter to establish a degree awarding campus in New York City ; with Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus supported the creation of the Grameen Caledonian Nursing College in Dhaka as a social business; partnered with Fred Swaniker and Graca Machel to establish the African Leadership University and also with Transnet Freight Rail Company to provide degree education for their employees.

She has served on many Boards including the CBI, Institute of Directors, Saltire Foundation, British Council and RFK UK Human Rights. Amongst other roles , she currently Chairs The Circle Charity founded by Annie Lennox to provide economic and educational opportunities for women and girls around the world and to reduce gender-based violence. Most recently she led the investigation into the financial collapse of Dundee University commissioned by the Scottish Funding Council.