Principal’s prizes reward success
Six students and a tutoring scheme set up for Syrian refugees have been recognised for helping to enhance the reputation of the University.
Sir William Darling Memorial Prizes have been awarded to members of the University community who have excelled in the past year through their conduct, example, scholarship or sporting achievements.
The winners of the annual awards were chosen by Principal Professor Peter Mathieson.
They were presented at the Principal’s Welcome Ceremony in McEwan Hall, an event to mark the start of the next academic year and welcome new students to the University community.
The primary message of today is one of welcome. Welcome to the University, welcome to the city, welcome to Scotland. The next period of your lives, here at the University of Edinburgh, will give you new skills, new friendships, new insights, new contacts and all sorts of transformational experiences that, I hope, will put you in good stead for the rest of your lives.
Prize winners
Among the recipients is Rachel Fisher, who recently completed a PhD in the School of Chemistry. Rachel made a key contribution to the School’s public engagement activity during her time at Edinburgh.
Vet student Catherine Hall plays a leading role in All4Paws, a student-run pop-up clinic that offers free veterinary care to the pets of people who are homeless or vulnerably housed.
PhD student Zoe Wyatt founded a programme of drop-in events for children that aim to present mathematics in a fun and relaxed environment.
Student tutors
A tutoring scheme for teenage Syrian refugees – the first of its kind in the UK – has also been awarded one of the prizes.
Arabic-speaking Edinburgh students tutor teenagers in their school subjects, and support their English language development, education and social integration.
The initiative is led by the Chaplaincy and staff member Dr Amer Masri.
Sports stars
Three student athletes have been recognised for their outstanding sporting achievements.
Canoeist Eilidh Gibson graduated this summer with an Honours degree in Physiology. She was part of the Great Britain team that won gold medals at the Senior World, Senior European and World U23 Championships in 2017/18, and has also secured a number of individual titles.
Grace Reid is a second-year student on the Applied Sport Science programme.
She won gold at the 2018 Commonwealth Games for 1m springboard diving, becoming the first female Scottish diver to secure a Commonwealth medal. Grace also secured a silver medal for synchronised diving with Tom Daley at the World Championships in 2017.
Climber Adja Remskar recently completed her undergraduate degree in mathematics, and is to continue her studies at Edinburgh in 2018/19 by pursuing an MSc in Artificial Intelligence.
Adja has an exceptional competitive record, which includes becoming a double British Universities Champion earlier this year, and being crowned European Universities Champion in 2017.
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