The Bridge Alumni Awards

August 2021 saw the team hold its first ever Bridge Alumni Awards, and in August this year we were delighted to host our third ceremony.  

The awards recognise alumni who have kindly given back their time to the University to support students and the wider community and celebrates the impact they are making across the globe.    

We received over 60 nominations featuring wonderful stories which made selecting the shortlist incredibly difficult for the judging panel.  

We'd like to thank all our alumni who continue to dedicate their time and energy to the University of Dundee community and help make a difference worldwide. 

Big congratulations to all those shortlisted and our worthy winners! 

Outstanding support of students award  

This award is for an alumnus/alumna who has gone above and beyond to support the student experience, inspiring current students and providing them with invaluable guidance to contribute to their success. 

Shortlisted: Outstanding support of students award  

Madhavi Dubey, Leading Learning and Teaching, Class of 2023 

Madhavi has given her time to support a large group of international master's students by sharing her experience and her understanding of the challenges faced by overseas students. She constantly communicated with students, gathered feedback and informed the teaching staff of the financial, emotional and academic needs of the students.  

Vladimir Zabnin, Financial Economics, Class of 2016 

Vladimir has delivered a talk during an Ask Alumni Session, supported the Investment Society, and spoke to school students during the Discover Business event. His session during the School of Business induction was tremendously impactful and highly appreciated by many students.  

Priyanka Joshi, Digital and Social Media Marketing, Class of 2023 

Priyanka runs a blog called Sanity Daily and has helped thousands of students to overcome mental health challenges. She is also liaising with the Centre for Entrepreneurship to form a business that will offer mental health support to students in Scotland. 

Outstanding support of the alumni community award   

This award is for an alumnus/alumna/group of alumni who has gone above and beyond to support the alumni community, inspiring other alumni to keep connected with Dundee and significantly contributing to the advancement of our global community. 

Shortlisted: Outstanding support of the alumni community

Singapore Alumni Society  

SingASoc, the newly named alumni community in Singapore, led by Pon Poh Hsu, Raymond Ng and Cindy Adriaan, has been very enthusiastic to support the University over the years. In recent months they have consolidated SingASoc and are active in both the alumni community and student recruitment spheres.  

Alumni Association Indonesia  

The newly formed Association, driven by several key alumni in the region, is keen to develop the alumni community in Indonesia. Activities the Association is supporting include organising and attending social, networking, and special interest events; welcoming alumni visiting or moving to the region; providing advice and assistance to students, new graduates and alumni and supporting student recruitment activities. 

Outstanding support of student recruitment award   

This award is for an alumnus/alumna who has gone above and beyond to support the recruitment of students to the University, going the extra mile to share their experience and skills as well as giving invaluable advice and guidance to applicants and offer-holders.  

Shortlisted: Outstanding support of student recruitment

Finlay Strivens, Pharmacology, 2017, Anatomy,  2021 and Clinical Medicine, 2023 

Finlay has been helping the recruitment team by sharing his testimonial and inspiring many prospective students. He has also attended various in-person and online events and has always been a great ambassador of the University.  

Dayang Asyiqin Mustafa, Biological Sciences, Class of 2022 

Dayang has always helped and supported recruitment activity in her region, attending events and sharing her experience with passion and enthusiasm. Her love for the time she spent living and studying in Dundee is clear for all to see and is highly infectious.  

Ryka Widyaningtyas, Nursing and Health, Class of 2022 

Ryka has used her fantastic social media skills and experience to showcase to her large number of followers the true student experience of living and studying in Dundee as an Indonesian student. Her online videos are fun and informative at the same time and therefore, capture the attention of her audience.  

Outstanding support of fundraising award  

This award is for an alumnus/alumna who has gone above and beyond to support the fundraising efforts of the University of Dundee, facilitating campaigns and inspiring fellow alumni and their networks to give.  

Shortlisted: Outstanding support of fundraising award

Jon Fitzpatrick, Law, 1994 and Resources Law and Policy, 1996      

Through Gneiss Energy, Jon has set up the Gneiss Energy Prize for Renewables Transition which is awarded every year to the Best Student Thesis from the MSc Sustainability: Renewables Transition. Prior to that Gneiss Energy supported our Robertson Trust Scholar programme. Jon keeps personal contact with the winners of the prize every year, ensuring they feel supported as they start their careers.   

Outstanding alumni ambassador award  

This award is for an alumnus/alumna who has given exceptional support as an Alumni Ambassador helping to enhance the University's reputation across the world through regular volunteering.  

Shortlisted: Outstanding alumni ambassador award

Pon Poh Hsu, Medicine, 1993, Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 2004

Pon Poh has proved to be an outstanding ambassador, always willing to give up time from his busy work commitments to help promote and support the University and attend University, Scottish Government and British Council events in Singapore. He has also been very instrumental in setting-up the Singapore Alumni Society.  

Cindy Adriaan, Business Economics and Marketing, Class of 2015   

Cindy recently joined a webinar for international offer holders and inspired them to join the University by answering questions related to the city and institution. She has also participated in an alumni focus group to gain Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) accreditation for the School of Business, provided marketing content during a recent visit back to Dundee and has been instrumental in setting up the Singapore Alumni Society.  

Kalani Mapatunage, Finance, Class of 2022     

Kalani has inspired many Sri Lankan students to come to Dundee by answering their queries.  She has spent many hours supporting students to find accommodation and understand the education system in Scotland. She also attended various Sri Lankan community events in London where she spoke highly about her Dundee experience.  

Outstanding support from a recent graduate award  

This award is for a recently graduated alumnus/alumna (class of 2018 onwards) who has gone above and beyond to support the University after their graduation, sharing their experience and advice with students, offer-holders and applicants to help the University community flourish.  

Shortlisted: Outstanding support from a recent graduate award  

Christina Gordon, Business Management, Class of 2022  

Christina returns to the School of Business regularly to present at open days promoting the BSc Business Management degree to prospective students and their parents. She works in supply chain management in the vertical (sustainable) farming sector and delivers engaging, informative, convincing and compelling presentations which encourages many students to join the University.  

Wilson Xu, Economics-International Relations, Class of 2022 

Wilson delivered a session as part of the Step Up to Business studies module, encouraging students to take up extra-curricular activities, including internships. Wilson presented and demonstrated what it takes to become an exemplary student, supporting other students on their own learning journey.  

Outstanding reunion organiser award  

This award is for an alumnus/alumna who has gone above and beyond to organise and bring together fellow alumni for a reunion event.  

Shortlisted: Outstanding reunion organiser award   

Barclay Goudie, Medicine, 1977, Pathology, 1988 and Peter Hutchison, Medicine, 1977   

Barclay was key to initiating and organising the Class of 1977 Medics 40-year reunion in 2017. This successful reunion later led Barclay and Peter to organise a reunion in October 2022, to celebrate 45 years. Barclay and Peter also worked closely with the Alumni Relations Team on the registration process which helped the University reach out and connect with more Medical School alumni to welcome them as part of the alumni community.  

The CEPMLP Reunion Committee, led by Feso Bright (International Oil and Gas Management, 2010) and Ryan Bausch (International Petroleum Taxation & Finance, 2018) 

Following a successful reunion in 2019, CEPMLP alumni returned to Dundee for their second international reunion in June this year. The reunion involved a packed programme across three days. Feso liaised with alumni speakers to produce a topical seminar programme, worked with the Alumni Relations Team to organise social activities and communicated with alumni through social media and WhatsApp. Feso was supported by the organising committee and in particular, Ryan Bausch, who provided logistical and organisational support. The reunion saw over 60 alumni return to Dundee and helped enhance the sense of CEPMLP alumni community.   

The Bridge Transforming Lives Award  

The Bridge Transforming Lives Award recognises an alumnus, alumna or group of alumni who support the University’s commitment to transform lives by inspiring change and making a positive difference within their local community, region or on a global scale.  

 There are three sub-categories – alumni who have made an impact at local, national (region) and a global scale.  

Shortlisted (Local): The Bridge Transforming Lives Award

Wendy Maltman, Graphic Design, Class of 1995  

Wendy has provided many placements for DJCAD students to gain work experience at her studio in Dundee's Westport and develops young people within her team by providing training and apprenticeships. Wendy has given career talks and design workshops within schools and is also a mentor on a Rotary Youth Leadership Development Programme. She has recently taken on the position of the 100th President of The Rotary Club in Dundee and is also Vice Chair of the Dundee Museum of Transport.  

Stephanie Graham, Jewellery and Metal Design, 2020 and Product Design, 2021   

Stephanie has a mission to make Dundee the 'City of Recovery' working as part of Dundee Community Craft (CIC), a more than profit organisation that supports those affected by poor mental health and substance use. Using craft and design, Dundee Community Craft supports the local community in developing skills, increasing resilience, and building confidence. The profits are reinvested back into the organisation’s social missions which are to: give voice and visibility, to empower and educate, to provide employment and upskilling and to tackle stigma.  Stephanie is truly inspiring and has put others first in order to make a difference in the local hard-to-reach community.

Shortlisted (National): The Bridge Transforming Lives Award

Gulnaz Tasbolatova, Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages, Class of 2021  

Gulnaz was nominated for her outstanding contributions as an English teacher and her dedication to helping students in Kazakhstan achieve their goals. She has helped students excel in English tests required for entry into UK educational institutions. Her attainment of the prestigious Bolashak governmental scholarship showcases her personal achievement, she also empowers and motivates countless students to successfully obtain the Bolashak scholarship and pursue their educational dreams. Through her efforts, she has contributed to the educational advancement of Kazakhstan as a whole.  

Fi Williams, English-Philosophy, 2006, Women, Culture and Society, 2009 and English, 2021  

After completing her PhD, Fi started working for the Health & Social Care Partnership in Dundee promoting all aspects of digital healthcare and where she set up #DigiDundee to help families disproportionately affected by digital exclusion. Fi was later awarded a Digital Leaders 100 Award for the project’s work. Her role at the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations, saw her working on projects to support marginalised and digitally excluded groups to embed digital inclusion where she set up and progressed three major national digital inclusion projects. For her creativity in finding new ways of making digital more accessible, Fi was invited to become a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.  

Sushrima Gan, Medicine, Class of 2022 

Sushrima has a strong passion for education and is the founding board member of the Kzarvani Foundation, where she focuses on leveraging education as a powerful tool to drive positive change by aligning with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Through the Foundation she has trained over 500 children on the SDGs across India. She has also volunteered her time and expertise within several non-profits and participated in the planning and analysis phase of a project which aimed to improve the livelihoods of 60,000 women farmers in India, showcasing commitment to making a tangible impact on the lives of underprivileged communities.  

Quazi Tafsirul Islam, Management and Human Resources, Class of 2017 

Quazi completed his degree, achieved a distinction, and decided to return to his home nation of Bangladesh to give back using the education that he received from studying in the UK. He has been studying with the highly ranked North South University and supporting the young people of Bangladesh to upskill on various business-related courses.  He has been offering sessions supporting other universities in Bangladesh to upskill their students and raise awareness of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.  He is an advocate of SDG 12 ‘Responsible Consumption and Production’ and has published many articles, opinion pieces, and case studies.    

Shortlisted (Global):  The Bridge Transforming Lives Award

Vanessa Kay, Medicine, 1987, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 1994 and Medical Education, 2012  

Vanessa is currently Reader in Reproductive Medicine, Director of Surgical Skills at Ninewells Hospital Medical School and a Consultant Gynaecologist. Vanessa is course director of the MSc in Reproductive Medicine here at the University and has been a role model for female medical students and young female doctors. She has previously been voted as the best undergraduate lecturer and teacher by medical students. Vanessa is also the first female Director of Surgical Skills in Scotland and has served on national and international committees for the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.  

Sara Lonegard, Politics, Class of 2018  

Following Graduation, Sara set up the non-profit, Distribute Aid. Distribute Aid supports grass roots organisations and local organisers to deliver aid to people in need - particularly those displaced by war and natural disasters. To date, her organisation has provided over 30 million euros in aid delivered to over two million people in need. The organisation has provided medicines and water to areas of Ukraine, helped in the resettlement of Afghans evacuated to military bases in the US access educational materials, and helped asylum seekers and refugees in Europe get access to PPE at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.  

Maria Maclennan, Jewellery and Metal Design, 2010, Design, 2011, Art and Design, 2018   

Maria has pioneered the field of ‘Forensic Jewellery’, the first research of its kind to explore the role of jewellery as a tool in forensic and criminal investigations. Her work has benefitted many charities and vulnerable, marginalised, and hard-to-reach communities in the UK and internationally.  Recognised as the world’s first ‘Forensic Jeweller’, Maria has assisted with forensic and criminal casework and international disasters, her most recent project in Greece has already assisted in the identification of several, long-term unidentified individuals. Maria also speaks regularly on the challenges faced by women in STEM, sharing lessons through public engagement and is a passionate advocate for equality, diversity, and inclusion.   

Simon Rogerson, Science, Class of 1972 

Simon has spent his professional life promoting the cause and the need for the ethical use of technology. He became Europe's first Professor in Computer Ethics at De Montfort University and was awarded lifetime Professor Emeritus in 2010. He sits on several international Information and communications technology (ICT) related advisory boards, has served as a volunteer on governing bodies in education and ICT and was a member of the Parliamentary ICT Committee.  At a local level, Simon volunteers by offering computer training sessions for older people and volunteering in secondary schools as part of a STEM project.  Simon has spoken out and written extensively on the subject of avoiding the creation of an underclass, who may be excluded from society by virtue of technology proving inaccessible to them.