Teaching Excellence Recognised

Professor Hari Hundal won in the Most Inspirational Teaching category of the DUSA Student-led teaching awards for the third year running while the team award went to the Physiology and Pharmacology and Biomembranes Teaching Staff led by Hari.

Hari said, “I am both surprised and humbled to have been honoured for the third year running by our student body for the accolade of the most Inspirational Teacher award.  It is really gratifying to know, in what has been a very difficult period for all, that students continue to enjoy my approach to teaching and were inspired by what was delivered to them”

“I am particularly pleased that Students’ also awarded the Team award to the two modules that I lead at Level 3 of the Biomedical Degree Stream. The Regulatory Physiology & Pharmacology Module and the Biomembranes module are jointly taught by SLS and SMED staff and I wish to congratulate all in the teaching teams (Prof Jerry Lambert, Prof John Peters, Dr Sheriar Hormuzdi, Dr Steve Land and Dr Steve Kelley who teach on the Biomembranes module and Dr Sheriar Hormuzdi, Dr Alison McNeilly, Dr Graham Rena, Dr Calum Forteath, Dr Jenni Harvey and Dr Jennie Gabriel who taught on the Reg Phys Pharm module) on this well-deserved recognition from the students. I understand there were over 400 nominations for the SLTAs this year.. so in a very competitive round to have been short-listed and to have won the category speaks volumes for all the hard work and effort staff put into delivering on a good on-line student experience in what has been an extremely stressful academic year.”

Those who were also shortlisted were Dr Stephen Martin (Medicine) for Outstanding Contribution to Student Welfare and Dr Sarah McKim for Best Postgraduate Supervisor, which she previously won in 2019.

Over 12 staff were nominated across 5 categories by students. They were Dr David Booth, Dr Graham Christie, Dr David Martin, Dr Marios Stavridis, Dr Nick Brewer, Dr Ola Epemolu, Dr Sheriar Hormuzdi, Prof Hari Hundal, Dr Stephen Land, Dr Ros Langston, Prof Carol MacKintosh and Prof John Peters.

Martha Umeh Ude-Eze, Vice President of Academia at DUSA, said, “I want to specially congratulate all the hard work of staff this year and since the onset of the pandemic. On behalf of all students, I would like to say a big thank you. The SLTA was fun to celebrate our amazing staff who make our University outstanding, and evidence can be seen even in these uncertain times, when we all had to adapt to a new system of working and studying.

And our incredible staff have gone the extra mile to support students as well as bringing in various innovative learning approaches and more so looking after our students in different kind ways. Once again, I say congratulations to everyone one of you all deserve to be appreciated and recognised. Well done and keep up the good work, thank you.”

Excellence in teaching undertaken by staff in the Schools of Life Sciences and Medicine for the Biomedical and Biological Sciences degrees is recognised with the annual BBSE Awards.

Joint winners of the gold award were:

• Dr Graham Christie for implementation and evaluation of an online tool for self and peer review of contribution to an undergraduate group project
• Dr Megan Bergkessel, Prof Sarah Coulthurst, Dr Helge Dorfmueller and Prof Nicola Stanley Wall for Microbiology Honours Projects in a Pandemic

Dr Marios Stavridis was named the winner of the BBSE student-led award for impact on the student experience.

The other nominees were Dr David Booth, Dr Art Crossman, Dr Melissa D'Ascenzio, Dr Stephen Kelley, Dr Sharon Matthews, Dr Henry McSorley, Prof John Peters, Prof Jenny Woof and Dr Joost Zomerdijk.