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Welcome to the Student Choice Awards, Provost Education Awards and Academic Rep of the Year Awards
 

The Student Choice Awards give students the chance to thank members of staff who have inspired and supported them during their time at UCL, letting these staff members know that their hard work makes a difference. A list of all staff who received a nomination can be found on our Roll of Honour webpage.

Exceptional individuals and teams receive the Provost’s Education Award. These awards recognise staff making outstanding contributions to the learning experience and success of our students.

The Academic Rep of the Year Awards celebrate those reps who went the extra mile to represent students and have worked with staff to make student’s academic experience better.

See the shortlist for all of the awards - or scroll down to see today’s winners announcement.

Award for Inspiring Teaching Delivery

Winner: Dr Caine Rolleston

Associate Professor for Education and International Development, Institute of Education

Caine is Programme Leader for the MA Education Planning, Economics and International Development. His teaching focuses on Planning for Education and Development and Economic Perspectives on Education Policy.  His research centres on education systems in low and middle income countries including Ghana, Ethiopia, India and Vietnam. In a previous career Caine taught in secondary education in London, including Philosophy and Economics A levels.

“In every single teaching session, it was very refreshing to see how he paid attention to everyone’s question and enthusiastically engaged with each one of us to make sure that we felt that our question was valuable.”

Runner-up: Manzur Rashid

Senior Teaching Fellow, Faculty of Engineering Sciences

“He was always happy to diverge from the script and syllabus to make sure that everyone understood the content.”

Manzur loves teaching (don’t tell anyone, but if he didn’t have to earn a living he would do it for free) and has taught economics at UCL since 2009. He has also taught at Cambridge and LSE. In a previous life, Manzur spent time training as a pilot with the RAF, worked on the trading floor of Barclays Capital and for Jeremy Corbyn MP in the House of Commons. Manzur is the author of ‘Macroeconomics for Dummies’.

Runner-up: Ramin Nassehi

Teaching Fellow, Faculty of Social & Historical Sciences

 “His lessons create an atmosphere where even the most quiet people are engaged and are not afraid of sharing their thoughts, questions or ideas.”

Dr Ramin Nassehi is a Teaching Fellow at the Department of Economics at University College London. Ramin has also taught at King’s College London & SOAS. He has studied at the University of Oxford, LSE, Queen Marry & Tehran University.

Award for Excellent Personal Tutoring

Winner: Angela Cooper

Teaching Fellow, Institute of Education

Angela has worked at UCL in CLIE since 2005 when she originally started teaching on the pre-sessional course. She had previously worked teaching English at universities in Turkey, China and the Gulf countries. Angela now teaches on the UPCSE, the foundation programme at UCL as well as the Thesis Writing Option for PhD students. During the summer she designs and delivers the 8 week preparation course for UPC students who are applying for department of Laws and must take the competitive LNAT exam.

“An inspirational person in so many fronts, not only as a teacher but mainly as a personal tutor, committed worker and, above all, someone who devotes everything for her students.”

Runner-up: Alireza Mani

Principal Teaching Fellow, Faculty of Medical Sciences

“His attitude whilst teaching should be used as an example of how lecturers should teach students; with clarity, elegance, enthusiasm and passion.”

Alireza Mani teaches basic medical sciences to undergraduate students at UCL. He enjoys working on interdisciplinary projects both as a teacher and researcher. His main area of interest is understanding the complexity of physiological control in critical illnesses, and he has had success in combining mathematical modelling and clinical medicine in his research. Alireza studied Medicine at Tehran University and moved to UCL through a Wellcome Trust fellowship. His previous appointments were Assistant Professor of Physiology at Tarbiat Modares University, and Visiting Professor at the University of Padua.

Runner-up: Nikolitsa Nomikou

Associate Professor, Faculty of Medical Sciences

“A lovely, open-minded person, here to listen and help students in all sort of needs”

Nikolitsa completed her doctorate in Biomedical Sciences at Ulster University in 2008. She was appointed as Lecturer in Targeted Therapeutics at UCL in September 2013 and was then promoted to Associate Professor in October 2019. As an academic at UCL, Nikolitsa has active roles in both research and education. Her current research focuses on the development of translational drug delivery approaches for the treatment of cancer.  In terms of her education-related role, Nikolitsa is the Programme Lead for the intercalated BSc (iBSc) in Surgical Sciences and the BSc in Applied Medical Sciences (Year 3).

Amazing Support Staff

Winner: Stefanie Anyadi

Teaching and Learning Team Manager, Faculty of Brain Sciences

Stefanie joined UCL as an affiliate and then a Masters student more than three decades ago and liked it so much that she took up a role as departmental secretary. A lot has changed since then but it’s still a great place to work - it must be the fantastic students and colleagues!

“She creates an environment where students can learn and perform to the best of their abilities.”

 
 

Runner-up: Ian Evans 

Teaching and Learning Administrator, Faculty of Arts & Humanities

A consistently warm and welcoming presence within the department.

-Ian has worked at UCL since 2002, when he first moved to London. Ian is a Teaching and Learning Administrator in the Department of Information Studies. Ian is lucky enough work with wonderful colleagues, and considers UCL an exciting and satisfying place to work. Ian particularly enjoys supporting students and academics; the people he gets to meet and work with. Outside of work Ian loves exploring London, playing with his 8-year old son, writing music and playing in bands.

Runner-up: Kathryn Ball

Biological Sciences Teaching Administrator, Faculty of Life Sciences 

“A lovely, open-minded person, here to listen and help students in all sort of needs”

Kathryn has worked as the Biological Sciences Teaching Administrator for almost 14 years.  A lot has changed over that time, both in the way TAs work and the structures they work within.  Some of these changes led to less personal contact with students, so for the past few years Kathryn has prioritised developing and maintaining more personalized communication with students, and encouraged more staff and student interaction through informal means.  Meeting and getting to know the students is one of the highlights of the job, so Kathryn am pleased to play an active part in developing this area.

Award for Exceptional Feedback

Winner: Chris Yates

Lecturer in International Education, Institute of Education

Chris is a Lecturer in International Education at the Institute of Education, specialising in distance and online learning. His research and development work has been concerned with helping marginalised people access education in lower income settings, and he has worked for many international development agencies and governments particularly in the field of mass teacher development in Africa.

“He was proactive in providing me with extra guidance and personal tutoring when I did not believe in my own abilities, and he reassured me that I was on the right path when I was in doubt.”

Runner-up: Dr Keri Wong

Lecturer in Psychology, Institute of Education

“A fantastic tutor who always goes above and beyond to meet the needs of her students.”

Keri is a developmental psychologist and criminologist by training. She received her PhD in Psychology from the University of Cambridge and her BA (Hons.) in Psychology and MA in Criminology from the University of Pennsylvania. Her research interests are youth mental health, schizophrenia-spectrum disorders, and antisocial behaviours. She joined UCL in 2018 and is the co-chair of the IOE Early Career Network.

Runner-up: Dr Mark Kristiansen

Senior Teaching Fellow & UCL Genomics Facility Manager, Faculty of Population Health Sciences

“His comments were very useful, and his ability to give detailed feedback during the class was possible because he was continuously paying attention to our interaction dynamics.”

Mark is currently a Senior Teaching Fellow for the MSc Cell and Gene Therapy programme, module lead in Applied Genomics and Director for the MSc Personalised Medicine and Novel Therapies. He is based at the Zayed Centre for Research into Rare Disease in Children, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health. Mark is also the manager of the UCL Genomics collaborative research core facility where education plays a huge role in the training of outstanding collaborators and colleagues in the rapidly advancing field of genomics.

Award for Outstanding Research Supervision

Winner: Dr Jennie Golding

Associate Professor of Mathematics Education, Institute of Education

Jennie very much enjoyed her career teaching mathematics to learners age 5 to 18, integrating that with teacher development and education policy work across most continents. That now feeds into her own research work, which focuses on the ‘classroom-close’ policy-practice interface in mathematics education. A key motivator in Jennie’s UCL role is M- or doctoral level supervision, especially when working with practising education professionals. It is deeply satisfying to support novice researchers in their (sometimes bumpy) journeys to think, act, communicate and contribute to the educational endeavour in new ways that then enrich their own, and wider, knowledge and practice.

“She is superb at providing challenge, and thinks carefully about when the correct time for this challenge is”

Runner-up: Dr Karen Edge

Reader in Educational Leadership, Institute of Education

“An outstanding eye for detail and knowledgeable support based on consummate knowledge and directive suggestion.”

Dr Karen Edge is a Reader in Educational Leadership and served as Pro-Vice Provost (International) at University College London, UK. Karen has led research and teaching in over 35 countries and most recently completed a 6-jurisdiction study of teacher motivation and retention. Karen’s ESRC-funde Global City Leaders Project worked with Generation X (under 40-year-old) school leaders in London, New York City and Toronto to understand more about their work, lives and ambitions. Karen has two upcoming books on on Generation X leaders (Routledge) and city-based education policy contexts and their influence on school leaders (Bloomsbury).

Runner-up: Kaśka Porayska-Pomsta

Professor of Artificial Intelligence in Education, Institute of Education

“She has embedded within her students the importance of leveraging enquiry for the benefit of all stakeholders involved.”

Kaśka Porayska-Pomsta is Professor of Artificial Intelligence in Education. She joined UCL Knowledge Lab as an RCUK Academic Fellow following her postdoc at Edinburgh University, School of Informatics.  At UCL KL, she leveraged her work in natural language processing and user modelling to research and develop educational applications for neurodiverse learners and those at risk of social exclusion.  She is passionate about her research, which she is keen to share and develop further with new generations of researchers, through teaching and research supervision. Kaśka is Head of Research for the CCM department, UCL IOE and an active member of the Centre for Educational Neuroscience.

Active Student Partnership

Winner: Klara Olofsdotter Otis

PhD Programme Coordinator, Faculty of Life Sciences

A doctoral student in the Swedish Foundation for Strategic Research programme, Klara did her PhD in Neuroscience at Lund University. From there, she moved to Kelsey Martin’s lab at University of California in Los Angeles, where she first worked as a post-doc and then as a researcher and laboratory manager. All of this has given Klara experiences that are useful in her current role as coordinator for the PhD programme at the Sainsbury Wellcome Centre. Klara is also interested in sustainability and has worked extensively with waste and resource management, particularly in lab settings.

“It is her kindness, attentiveness, and thoughtfulness that makes the PhD programme run smoothly and improve from year to year.”

Runner-up: Amanda Cain

Principal Teaching Fellow, Faculty of Life Sciences

“From first year through to final year she has always actively engaged with students at the highest level.”

Amanda is a principal teaching fellow and Head of Teaching in Structural and Molecular Biology. She looks after students on the Biochemistry, Biotechnology and Molecular Biology degrees and organises several modules including a first year course taken by over 400 students from across multiple Faculties

Runner-up: Declan Clear

Student Experience and Wellbeing Officer, Faculty of Engineering Sciences

“He has an outstanding attitude, finding ways to provide students with the social and mental support they need in order to facilitate their wellbeing while studying.”

Declan has been working to promote student wellbeing and engagement for over a decade and is proud to be Student Experience and Wellbeing Officer at the UCL School of Management, supporting over 1,500 undergraduates and postgraduates. Declan’s primary goal is to enhance the student experience, fostering inclusivity and community within the student body. He is equally at home planning wellbeing, cultural, and programme-based events as he is consulting with individuals regarding personal wellbeing. Originally from Dublin, Declan obtained his qualifications and foundation in professional services at University College Dublin. Declan is also a certified Mental Health First Aid Instructor, helping other academic professionals to identify and provide support to students in need.”

Brilliant Research-Based Education

Winner: Tim Gibbs

Lecturer in African History, Faculty of Social & Historical Sciences

Tim’s research and teaching specialises on sub-Saharan Africa, particularly South Africa where he did his MA degree and post-doctoral fellowships, living much of his twenties in Durban and Johannesburg.  His first book was on ‘Mandela’s Kinsmen’, and he is now trying to write a book about the controversial president Jacob Zuma, crash-testing his research ideas on a 3rd year UG special subject module that he teaches here at UCL.

“He displayed the ability to break the barriers between disciplines and made me understand that the best way to learn is through a multidisciplinary approach.”

Runner-up: Ad Neeleman

Professor of Linguistics, Faculty of Brain Sciences

“His ability to explain complex concepts in a way that is easy to understand while still conveying it in its’ fullest was absolutely brilliant.”

Ad Neeleman was born in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, in 1964. He did his PhD at Utrecht University in 1993, followed by a postdoc. In 1997 he moved to London to take up a lectureship in Linguistics at UCL. His teaching and research have always been closely connected, with various articles and books growing out of material discussed in class and problems tackled in cooperation with BA or MA students. His most recent monograph (Features of Person, MIT Press, 2018) was co-authored with Peter Ackema, a friend from his student days and now a Professor at Edinburgh.

Runner-up: Rana Khalife

Senior Teaching Fellow, Faculty of Engineering Sciences

“She demonstrates a clear passion for the subject she teaches and inspires students to talk, discuss and debate about novel treatments in the industry and how they could be improved.”

After she finished her PhD in biochemical engineering at UCL, Rana worked for one year as PDRA (Postdoctoral Research Associate) and then started a new position within the same department as Teaching Fellow. After only one year and a half she was promoted to Senior Teaching Fellow in the Department of Biochemical Engineering.

Diverse and Inclusive Education

Winner: Anson Mackay

Professor, Faculty of Social & Historical Sciences

Anson works in the Department of Geography at UCL, and has been teaching here since 2000. Anson teaches on all levels of the curriculum, convening courses for first, second, and third years, and at the Masters level. His research is focussed on understanding climatic and human impacts on freshwater ecosystems, especially lakes and wetlands. Recently he has become more involved in issues of equality in academia, and currently co-Chairs the Geography Equality, Diversity and Inclusion group (G-EDI). This year he was also appointed Faculty Vice Dean for EDI (Social and Historical Sciences).

“His commitment to the ethos of Equality and Inclusion is unmatched”

Runner Up: Beverley Butler

Reader in Cultural Heritage, Faculty of Social & Historical Sciences

“The first professor at UCL to truly accept and acknowledge ideas from all around the world and take them into her lecture.”

Beveley’s Key interests Include: Critical Heritage; Cultural Memory; Heritage Health and Medicine: - explorations of wellbeing, diversity, creativity and care in contexts of marginalisation, displacement, conflict, illness and extremis (including refugees, asylum-seekers, cancer patients): -  the creation of diverse ‘cosmologies’/sites of care, protection and healing’: - the transformative ‘pharmakonic efficacies of heritage’ as quests to grasp ‘that which makes life worth living’: - strategies of memory-work and meaning-making within alternative, and popular encounters and engagements with heritage and/as care in diverse global settings: the exploration of ‘life-making’ and  ‘care’ as that which cannot be captured or possessed by power.  Long-term research in Middle East notably cf. Palestinian refugee camps.

Runner-up: Jenny McArthur

Lecturer, Faculty of Engineering Sciences

“She made me believe that my voice should not be viewed as competing with the status quo but in alignment with what we as a society ought to do..”

Jenny is a lecturer and co-director of the Urban Innovation and Policy Lab at UCL STEaPP. With a background in civil engineering and economics, Jenny completed her PhD at UCL in 2017. Her research focuses on the governance, planning and financing of urban infrastructure systems, with experience across Europe, Australasia and the Gulf region. Jenny leads the Policymaking core module and Sustainable Infrastructures and Public Policy elective for the STEaPP Master of Public Administration.

Team Awards

Winner: Experimental Psychology, Faculty of Brain Sciences

Dr Katie Fisher - Teaching Fellow, Dr Stephanie Lazzaro - Teaching Fellow, Professor Alastair McClelland - BSc Psychology Programme Director, Professor Daniel Richardson - Affiliate Tutor, Mr Miles Tufft - Graduate Demonstrator

“They have provided a step change in the way that UCL educates students of psychology, with real potential for significant national and international impact.’

It cannot be overstated how enthusiastic the Department is about the work this team has done. The feedback from the students has been outstanding and is driving the Department to produce similar innovations at subsequent year levels. The feedback from staff has been equally keen. The integrated programme has provided new ways to frame knowledge, connect ideas to current research, apply learning to the real world, add a new coherence for seminars to truly add value, and provide real increments to the field’s corpus of knowledge.

The Department are very proud that BSc Psychology has been rated so highly not only by national and international peers, but by the students themselves. The work from this team is a significant contribution to that rating. They have provided a step change in the way that UCL educates students of psychology, with real potential for significant national and international impact.

Winner: UCL Medicine (MBBS) Curriculum Mapping Team, Faculty of Medical Sciences

Dr Taylor Bennie - Senior Education Technologist, Dr Faye Gishen - Curriculum Mapping Lead/ Associate Head of the MBBS Programme, Dr Katie Wardle - Clinical Teaching Fellow, Tor Wright - Curriculum Mapping Project Manager, Daniel Ntuiabane - Medical Student

“A student-staff collaboration to build a student-centred MBBS Curriculum Map”

This large project was a student-staff collaboration with the aim of producing a bespoke student-focused electronic Curriculum Map for UCL Medical School’s complex MBBS curriculum. This very small internal team (0.2 academic lead; 0.4 clinical teaching fellow; 0.4 learning technologist; 0.2 project manager; student lead) worked together intensively to meet an ambitious ten-month timeframe for delivery. The team continues to work together to update the map’s content and structure in response to real time academic and student feedback.

Winner: Clare Lewis

Teaching Fellow and Personal Tutor, Faculty of Arts & Humanities

Clare has Masters qualifications in Engineering, Economics and Management and Egyptology,  ten years in Equity Research in the City. She has been at UCL since 2013 web she began a PhD in the History of Egyptology. She is currently co-convenor of two of the core courses on the BASC degree, the first-year interdisciplinary research methods and the final year dissertation. She is also the lead personal tutor on the Societies Pathway of the degree. She believes that personal tutoring is key to the programme and aims to provide a personalised experience to enable students to enjoy a deeper sense of belonging and engagement with the degree.

“She has drawn positive inspiration from her own experiences to help her students achieve levels they did not think they were capable of reaching.”

Winner: Stephen Potts

Senior Teaching Fellow, Faculty of Medical Sciences

Dr Stephen Potts is a Senior Teaching Fellow in the Department of Chemistry, having joined UCL in 2016. He is currently the Year 1 Lead and Careers Liaison Tutor for the department. His interests concern pedagogy and its evaluation, which involves designing or updating teaching methods, such as assessment, and critically evaluating the outcomes of that design or update. With a focus on e-learning, he facilitates the introduction of e-learning platforms within the department and evaluate their effectiveness in enhancing the student experience and engagement with the subject.

“He has made an outstanding contributions to e-learning and enhanced networking opportunities for teaching staff.”

Winner: Dr Esmé Glauert

Senior Lecturer, Institute of Education

Dr Esmé Glauert has extensive experience of primary science education through her work as a teacher, school adviser and teacher educator, and through international research and consultancy. At UCL Institute of Education she has contributed to PGCE, Masters and Doctoral programmes, undertaking roles as Programme Leader of the Primary PGCE and MA programmes and Module Tutor for the Primary PGCE Science and Science Specialism modules.  Her research interests focus on pedagogy in primary science. Recent projects include EU funded Creative Little Scientists; Thinking, Doing, Talking Science (EEF) and the development of Science Research Learning Communities within school networks in London.

“She has enhanced and transformed students’ experience over 25 years, flying the flag for primary science, in England and internationally”

Winner: Irina Brass

Lecturer, Faculty of Engineering Sciences

Dr Irina Brass is Lecturer in Regulation, Innovation and Public Policy at UCL Department of Science, Technology, Engineering and Public Policy (STEaPP). Her research is in the regulation of emerging technologies. She co-leads the MPA in Digital Technologies and Policy. Irina is a great believer in interdisciplinary, research-based education. Over the past two years, she has led an educational partnership between UCL and BSI – the UK national standards body – promoting student research and learning about standards-making processes and their relationship to policy-making. In 2019, Irina received the BSI Standards-Makers Award for Education about Standardization.

“She lives and breathes STEaPP’s mission and values and the importance we attach to giving our students practice-based learning opportunities in addition to theory and concept-based education.”

Winner: Adam Paige

Principal Teaching Fellow, Faculty of Medical Sciences

Adam is a molecular biologist with 20 years’ experience in tumour suppressor gene research. Having graduated with a BSc in Chemistry and Biochemistry and a PhD in Genetics from Imperial College London, Adam worked for the Medical Research Council, Cancer Research UK and the University of Edinburgh before returning to Imperial College as Lecturer, followed by a Principal Lecturer post at the University of Bedfordshire. Adam joined the UCL Cancer Institute as Principal Teaching Fellow in 2017. Adam is currently Programme Lead for the MSc Cancer course and Graduate Tutor for the Cancer Institute.

“His commitment to working across the wider team is commendable.”

Winner: Niamh Mac Fhionnlaoich

PGTA, Faculty of Engineering Sciences

Niamh’s educational journey has not been linear, and she likes to say she’s taken a scenic route: a bit longer than required, with a few detours along the way. Eventually, she made it to UCL, where she is now finishing her PhD. She began as a student and tutor of English and poetry in California before progressing to engineering courses at UCD, Dublin, followed by PGTA and outreach work at UCL. Without contributions from the exceptional teachers, she may never have arrived at this destination. She hopes to, in a small way, help others on their paths.

“An inspiration to all our PGTAs.”

Winner: Stacy Hackner 

PGTA, Faculty of Arts & Humanities

Stacy Hackner, trained as a bioarchaeologist, has been a PGTA with Arts & Sciences since 2014, and has worked across three different modules. She led the UCL Researchers in Museums team, engaging museum visitors in conversations with PhD students and launching innovative exhibits. She brings skills in public engagement, science outreach, and object-based learning to music festivals, protests, pop-up exhibits, and other unconventional spaces to demonstrate that learning can happen anywhere, at any time. Stacy prides herself on excellent communication with students, blending enthusiasm for the subject with respect for the students’ individual views.

“Her experience, sensitivity and student-centred approach makes her an invaluable part of any module she works on.”

Academic Rep of the Year Award: Overall Winner

Daniel Gold from Mathematical and Physical Sciences

“Without a doubt the most dedicated student representative that the department has had in a long time, and in the most unorthodox academic year possible.”

Winner in the Bartlett (Built Environment): Silvia Velasco Arellano

“She is clearly well liked by the student cohort – a leader without ever overstepping the mark.”

Winner in the Institute of Education: Kafi Zafar

“She has gone above and beyond to make the voices of the students heard, especially in complicated and stressful circumstances.”

Winner in the Faculty of Medical Sciences: Daniel Ntuiabane

“He is always willing to do whatever he can to support students and empower them to provide feedback at any stage of the MBBS programme.”

Winner in the Faculty of Laws: John Choi Ching Jack

“He has consistently worked hard to ensure that everyone’s voices are heard in order to make the Faculty a better place for all.”

Winner in the Faculty of Population Health Sciences: Heather Gunn

“An extremely proactive rep who is consistently going above and beyond to ensure the best studying environment for her peers.”

Winner in the Faculty of Brain Sciences: Rebecca Murphy

“She has combined a conscientious and thoughtful approach to understanding the concerns of her cohort, not prioritising her own view at the expense of a true picture of the student experience.”

Winner in the Faculty of Life Sciences: Shail Bhatt

“He does an excellent job at collecting our opinions and communicating these to members of staff, even during the pandemic.”

Winner in Mathematical and Physical Sciences: Daniel Gold

“Without a doubt the most dedicated student representative that the department has had in a long time, and in the most unorthodox academic year possible.”

Winner in Social & Historical Sciences: Aleksandra Kaye

“She made sure she represented PGR students in all stages of their degrees.”

Winner in Arts & Humanities: Hannah Bunt

“She led discussions among the student body extremely diligently, greatly contributing to the collegial atmosphere within the programme.”

Winner in Engineering Sciences: Rajesh Goyal

“He works tirelessly to understand student concerns and represent the students in discussions with tutors.”