A special awards ceremony to celebrate the work and achievements of University of Aberdeen staff was held in Elphinstone Hall on Thursday night.
The awards ranged from excellence in academia to outstanding service across the University’s various professional and support service teams.
The four overall award groups were:
- Principal’s Prizes for Research and Engagement
- Principal’s Awards for Excellence in Professional Services and Management
- AUSA and The University of Aberdeen Excellence in Teaching Awards
- Principal’s Teaching Excellence Awards
The award winners were as follows.
Principal's Prizes For Research and Engagement
Outstanding Research Awards
Winner: The Marine Biodiscovery Centre, School of Natural & Computing Sciences
Professor Marcel Jaspars, Dr Rainer Ebel, Dr Hai Deng, Dr Jioji Tabudravu, Dr Wael Houssen, Dr Mostafa Rateb
Individuals at Early Stage of Career Development
Winner: Mr Mise Akura (School of Natural & Computing Sciences)
Individuals at Further Stages of Career Development
Winner: Professor Alison Avenell (School of Medicine, Medical Sciences & Nutrition)
Public Engagement with Research Awards
Main Prize - Individuals at Further Stages of Career Development
Winner: Professor Marjory Harper (School of Divinity, History & Philosophy)
Runner-up: Dr Amy Irwin (School of Psychology)
Early Career Researcher
Winner: Dr Heidi Gardner (School of Medicine, Medical Sciences & Nutrition)
Runner-up: Miss Josefine Bjorkqvist (School of Medicine, Medical Sciences & Nutrition)
Outstanding Achievement in Biomedical Sciences
Winner: Dr Gordon Fernie (School of Medicine, Medical Sciences & Nutrition)
Outstanding Contribution to Public Engagement
Winner: Professor Jane Geddes (Chair in History of Art, School of Divinity, History and Philosophy)
Development Trust Award for Philanthropy / Alumni Engagement
Winner: Ms Laura McQueen
Achievement of Impact for Early Career Researchers
Winner: Dr Fiona Rudkin (School of Medicine, Medical Sciences & Nutrition)
Success in Engagement with Industry
Winners:
- Dr Nick Schofield (School of Geosciences)
- Dr Andrew Starkey (School of Engineering)
- Professor Pieter Van West (School of Medicine, Medical Sciences & Nutrition)
- Professor Marian Wiercigroch (School of Engineering)
Principal's Awards for Excellence in Professional Services and Management
Excellence in Customer Service
Winner: David Cruickshank
Runner-up: Infohub
Excellence in Leadership
Winner: Tracey Innes
Runner-up: Gillian Matheson
Excellence in Partnership Working
Winner: Gillian Mackintosh
Runner-up: Clare McHattie
Excellence in Equality & Diversity
Winner: MacRobert’s Catering Team
Shirley Cooper, Fiona Levett, Muriel May, Marie Pattison, Wanda Petrie, Caroline Skene
Excellence in Sustainability
Winner: “In recognition of their contribution to energy and waste management”
Fraser Lovie, Rose Lyne, Clark Middleton, Christopher Osbeck, George Wilson, Tristan Wolfe
Excellence in Creativity & Innovation
Winner: “In recognition of their contribution to the Student Recruitment and Enquiries project”
Nishant Bhardwaj, Neil Birchmore, Darren Coutts, Leslie Fraser, Fiona Macmillan, Megan Mcfarlane, Lauriel Simpson, Fraser Smith, Mike Whyment
Runner-up: Online Team
Ian Clarke, Kirsten Ferguson-Jones, Gráinne Ferrigan, Eleanor Macdonald, Calum Ross, Anna Tawse
Rising Star
Winner: Marie Pattison
Runner-up: Yu Qi
AUSA and The University of Aberdeen Excellence in Teaching Award
Best Undergraduate Lecturer
Winner: Gerard Hough
Best Postgraduate Taught Lecturer
Winner: Maria Sanchez-Ortiz
Best Supervisor (Postgraduate Research)
Winner: Adelyn Wilson
Best Support Staff
Winner: Melanie Viney
Funniest Lecturer
Winner: Ross MacPherson
Personal Tutor
Winner: Ben Martin
Most Accessible Lecturer
Winner: Heather Morgan
Mental Health Champion
Winner: Greg Gordon
Most Inspiring
Winner: Alexander Brasier
Principal's Teaching Excellence Award
Winner: Dr Derek Scott
Runners-up:
- Dr Mirjam Brady-Van den Bos
- Dr John McKeown
- Dr Tavis Potts
Professor George Boyne, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Aberdeen, said: “This is a special event for the institution as we recognise the outstanding achievements of those who have developed effective and innovative practice in their respective fields.
“These achievements range from excellence in academia, to outstanding service across the University’s various professional and support services teams.
“I’m delighted we’re celebrating the excellent work done by so many colleagues, which was one of the key factors in our Scottish University of the Year 2019 award.
“I’d like to congratulate all the nominees and winners; it’s great to see such a strong field of nominations across all of the award categories, which reflects the very high quality of our work here.”