College teaching stars step up for awards
Academics, tutors and support staff from across the College have been recognised at the annual EUSA Teaching Awards.
The awards ceremony, now in its ninth year took place in the Debating Hall at Teviot House on Thursday 27th April.
It celebrates the best contributions to the student experience made by teaching and support staff.
110 students and staff members attended the event including shortlisted nominees and the students who nominated them.
Thousands of nominations
More than 2,400 nominations were received for the 2017 awards and numerous colleagues from across the College were put forward by students.
Best Personal Tutor Award
The award for best personal tutor is a category that covers the entire University of Edinburgh. Whilst he didn’t quite clinch the prize, Dr Darren Shaw of the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and The Roslin Institute was a close runner-up.
If I am struggling with anything, Darren will always make the time to see me and help where he can … When exams results are released Darren will always take the time to individually email all his tutees congratulating or offering support to those who need it
Best Researcher of Dissertation Supervisor Award
Another category which is open for nominations across the whole University is that for best researcher or dissertation supervisor. In this Category Dr Derek Jones of Edinburgh Medical School was a close runner-up.
Dissertation supervision is a particular joy as it is rare these days to be able to get to know a student over an extended period of time and observe their academic development. Supervising people from all over the world who are engaged in an online distance learning programme gives you an insight into each other’s lives that doesn't normally happen.”
Best overall teachers
Within Edinburgh Medical School, Dr Kate Byrne was recognised as best overall teacher and was presented ‘The Kendell Award for Teaching in Medicine’.
Kate is a Problem Based Learning (PBL) Facilitator based in the Centre for Medical Education. Dr David Kluth was runner up in this category having also received a significant amount of nominations.
I will miss having Kate as a facilitator in problem based learning… she is fully supportive of all her pupils, taking time to get to know each and every one of us. She strikes the perfect balance between offering knowledge and help and encouraging us to puzzle things out for ourselves.
In the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, the 'Award for Teaching in Veterinary Sciences’ was presented to Jenna Richardson, Lecturer and Clinician in Rabbit, Exotic Animal & Wildlife Medicine and Surgery. Runner-up in this category was Yolanda Martinez-Pereira, lecturer in Cardiopulmonary Medicine.
“Jenna effortlessly grasps everyone's attention whilst teaching… she is a charismatic lecturer who can get even the least interested person engaged. It is a challenging thing to make a 150+ seated lecture theatre of mixed age, tired, unenthusiastic students feel re-enthused immediately after Christmas, but Jenna has done it from day one of our return to teaching.”
Multiple nominations
EUSA have highlighted several individuals from the College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine who accumulated more than 5 nominations. These include Andy Hopker, Debbie Spence, Gemma Phillips, Gura Bergkvist, Julie Dickson, Mike Greive, Tom Gillingwater and Tracy Noden.
Visit the EUSA website to find out more about the 2017 Teaching Awards