Excellence celebrated at Outstanding Staff Awards ceremony
15 Nov 2024
Honouring the Humanities Outstanding Staff Award winners and highly commended nominees for teaching, learning and student experience.
Our winners and highly commended nominees for the 2023/24 Humanities Outstanding Staff Awards for Teaching Learning and Student Experience were celebrated at a special ceremony in Christie’s Bistro on Wednesday, 6 November.
The Outstanding Staff Awards is an annual initiative organised by the Faculty to give students the opportunity to recognise and nominate Humanities staff who have delivered an excellent teaching and student experience. The awards celebrate the dedication, innovation and commitment of our colleagues, whose efforts significantly enhance the academic journey and personal development of our students.
Members of staff from all four Schools were nominated across eight categories, and following a competitive selection process, our Vice-Dean for Teaching, Learning and Students, Professor Fiona Smyth, presented the winners with their awards.
The Outstanding Teaching (Lecturers and Teaching Assistants) Award, designed to recognise teaching staff who have inspired students in their learning, was won by Ashley Collar, Postgraduate Researcher and Teaching Assistant, Sociology (SoSS).
Ashley said: “I am truly honoured to receive this award. As a working-class neurodiverse woman, this recognition signifies not just my teaching journey but the diverse voices that enrich our educational spaces.”
Dr David Lawson, Senior Lecturer in Development Economics and Public Policy (SEED), took home two awards at the ceremony: the Outstanding Teaching and Employability Award, marking his achievements in incorporating employability into a programme/unit, and the Outstanding Academic Advisor Award, to celebrate his outstanding level of advice and guidance.
The Outstanding Postgraduate Taught Dissertation Supervisor Award, which celebrates supervisors who have had a significant, positive impact on postgraduate taught (PGT) students, was won by Jordi Caum Julio, Postdoctoral Researcher with Teaching Assignments, Economics (SoSS).
Jordi said: “It is extremely satisfying to see how my work and dedication to students helps them learn and improve. Receiving this award encourages me to continue on this path.”
Dr Verdine Etoria, Lecturer in Sociology (SoSS), won this year’s Outstanding Undergraduate Dissertation (or long essay/research project) Supervisor Award, an accolade which rewards supervisors who have had a significant, positive impact on their undergraduate (UG) students.
Verdine said that working with students is the “most rewarding and enjoyable” part of his job. He continued: “Students’ achievements are entirely their own, but I always hope that in some small way my guidance and advice can encourage and inspire excellence. The support of my colleagues and managers is invaluable so this award really belongs to the Department of Sociology.”
The Outstanding Digital Enhanced Teaching Award was won by Dr Nicholas Jepson, Lecturer in Globalisation and Political Economy (SEED). This award recognises Nicholas’s effective use of technology and use of innovative teaching techniques.
The Outstanding Professional Services Award was created to celebrate the non-academic staff who provide help and support with a positive attitude and who have demonstrated exceptional care or assistance towards students. This award was won by Annie Griffin-Carter, TLSE Co-ordinator, Student Support and Wellbeing (SoSS), who said: “This award truly reflects the dedication and hard work of the entire team, and I’m so pleased to be part of such a passionate and caring group of colleagues who are always striving to make a positive impact.”
Finally, the Outstanding Programme of the Year Award, designed to honour a programme which has exceeded student expectations, and is taught by an inspiring, motivating and/or innovative team, was won by MSc International Development: Public Policy & Management (SEED).
Congratulations to all winners and nominees!
To find out more about this year’s Outstanding Staff Awards and see the full list of winners and highly commended nominees, visit the Humanities Staff Awards page on StaffNet.