The recipients of the annual Rector’s Awards for Excellence in Teaching and in Research Supervision have been announced this week. The staff honoured range across departments and faculties and include two academics who were affected by the Life Sciences restructure.

The teaching awards are presented to those staff who are judged ‘to have been most outstanding in the quality, organisation and presentation of their teaching’. 17 staff members have been given the award this year, which will be presented to them in November on College Education Day. Of the 17, two were awarded the Rector’s Medals for Outstanding Contribution to Teaching Excellence – Mr Zen Makuch and Dr Sandra Shefelbine. The highest honour, the Rector’s Medal for Outstanding Innovation in Teaching, was awarded to Dr Jane Saffell of the Life Sciences department, in addition to her Award for Excellence in Teaching. Dr Saffell faced the possibility of redundancy following the Life Sciences restructure but has since moved to the Faculty of Medicine.

In an email to members of the Department of Life Sciences, Professor Ian Owens saluted the ‘exceptional contribution’ that Dr Saffell and other receipents from Life Sciences have made ‘to the Department’s activities’.

The Rector’s Awards for Excellence in Research Supervision were awarded to Professor Anthony Bull and Professor Andrew Bush, who also received Rector’s Medals. The award recognises ‘staff who have made exceptional contributions in providing a supportive learning environment for postgraduate research students’.

Awards for Excellence in Teaching

Professor Alan Armstrong Mr Greg Artus Professor Donald Craig Dr Robert Davies Dr Gary Hampson Dr Stuart Haslam Dr Patricia Hunt Mr Zen Makuch Dr Dan Moore Dr Kevin Murphy Dr Richard Murphy Dr Alessandra Russo Dr Jane Saffell Dr Sandra Shefelbine Dr Colin Turnbull Professor Andrew Walden Professor Helen Ward

Rector’s Medals for Outstanding Contribution to Teaching Excellence

Mr Zen Makuch Dr Sandra Shefelbine

Rector’s Medal for Outstanding Innovation in Teaching

Dr Jane Saffell

Rector’s Medals for Excellence in Research Supervision

Professor Anthony Bull Professor Andrew Bush