This year’s Staff Oscars, hosted by the Students’ Union’s Education Network, took place on Wednesday 15 May for our UK campuses. 

The annual Staff Oscars event was set up by students to recognise inspiring staff across the institution – at all levels and professions – for the positive impact they have on the student experience. 

The event is entirely student-led with a panel made up of course reps, faculty and education reps, as well as postgraduate reps. Staff were nominated for a variety of awards, including Best All Round Teacher, Best Welfare Support and Best Member of Support Staff. 

Professor Michael Randall, who won the award for Best All Round Teacher, said: “I was thrilled that our students chose to nominate me for a Students’ Union Staff Oscar. Teaching has become a privilege, and being able to work with and teach such talented Medical and Pharmacy students over many years has been a genuine pleasure. It was great to see the Students’ Union working hard to recognise teaching and student support activities throughout the staff community.” 

The full list of winners can be found below. 

University Life: Best Member of Support Staff 

Winner:
Ian Conway, Head Technician, Faculty of Social Sciences

Highly commended:
Sarah Wilson, Student Services
Abdul Aboueid, Porter, Cavendish Hall
Emma Tarrant Tayou, Regional Manager, West Africa 

Teaching: Best Personal Tutor 

Winner:
Professor Deborah Merrick, Assistant Professor in Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences 

Highly commended:
Dr Sarah Holland, Teaching Associate, Faculty of Arts
Dr Francis Gilbert, Professor of Ecology, Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences 

Teaching: Best Dissertation Supervisor 

Winner:
Professor Jeanette Woolard, Associate Professor of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences 

Highly commended:
Professor Tam Nguyen, Faculty of Social Sciences
Laura Todd, Teaching Associate, Russian and Slavonic Studies, Faculty of Arts 

Teaching: Best All Rounder 

Winner:
Professor Michael Randall, Professor of Pharmacology, Faculty of  Science 

Highly commended:
Dr Sarah Dauncey, Associate Professor, Faculty of Social Sciences 

University Life: Best Welfare Support 

Winner:
Paul Barrett, Accessible Minibus Driver, Transport 

Highly commended:
Professor Anne Felton, Associate Professor, Health and Social Care, Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences
Helen Coombes, Mental Health Advisor 

Teaching: Most Inspiring 

Winner:
Professor Jake Hodder, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Social Sciences 

Highly commended:
Professor Allan Swaby, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences
Professor Theo Stickley, Associate Professor of Mental Health, Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences 

Teaching: Best School/Department 

Winner:
School of Pharmacy

Highly commended:
Department of Modern Languages and Cultures 

Teaching: Best PG Who Teaches 

Winner:
Chloe Robbins, ESRC, PhD student, Faculty of Science 

Highly commended:
Charfedinne Ayed, Postdoctoral Researcher, Faculty of Science
Daniel Fallows, Faculty of Engineering 

Teaching: Most Innovative 

Winner:
Julia Kydd, Assistant Professor in Applied Immunology, Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences 

Highly commended:
Emma Whitt, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Science
Sarah Grandage, Lecturer in Drama, Performance and Language, Faculty of Arts 

Teaching: Best Research Supervisor 

Winner:
Professor Matthew Johnson, Associate Professor, Faculty of Social Sciences 

Highly commended:
Professor Jo Darkwa, Professor of Energy Storage Technologies, Faculty of Engineering
Professor Daniel Beneroso Vallejo, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Engineering 

Congratulations to all staff who were nominated for an award. 

Staff Oscars have also taken place this month at our Malaysia campus. To view the list of winners, visit the UNM Campus News blog.