2017 Principal's Medals winners
Two GeoSciences students and a member of staff from the Usher Institute of Population Health Sciences and Informatics have been named as winners of the 2017 Principal's Medals.
Undergraduates Alexandros Angelopoulos and Sam Kellerhals receive the Service to the Community Medal, and Professor Aziz Sheikh receives the Exceptional Service Medal.
Now in their tenth year, the Principal's Medals celebrate the achievements and dedication of the University's community members. Recipients are nominated by colleagues or fellow students.
The 2017 winners will be presented with their medals during the November graduation ceremonies.
Exceptional service
The Principal's Medal for Exceptional Service recognises a staff member, or team, who makes a contribution to the University that far exceeds what is expected of their role.
Professor Aziz Sheikh, Director of the Usher Institute, receives the award in recognition of his large contribution in establishing the Allergy and Respiratory Research Group and the many important initiatives that have flowed from it.
Over the past 12 years, he and his team, which includes Dr Lynn Morrice, Dr Allison Worth and Professor Hilary Pinnock, have built the critical mass to attract major research funding, and had a lasting effect on clinical training and practice which has influence throughout the UK and internationally. Most importantly, it has brought great benefit to people affected by asthma – both through improvements to practice and through carefully designed patient engagement in research.
Service to the Community
The Principal's Medal for Service to the Community honours a student or staff member who plays a key role in a project or service that has been of benefit to the wider community.
Alexandros Angelopoulos and Sam Kellerhals, both studying Ecological and Environmental Sciences with Management in the School of GeoSciences, receive the award in recognition of their work in developing Project Elpis.
The project seeks to connect people living in refugee camps in Greece to their countries of origin, and has developed and installed a series of solar hubs to allow people to charge their mobile phones and remain connected to their families and communities.
Related links
- Elpis on Facebook (external site)
- Asthma UK Centre for Applied Research (external site)
- Scottish Allergy and Respiratory Academy (external site)
- RESPIRE - Global Health Research unit on Respiratory Health - Usher Institute