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Outstanding dedication to teaching, innovation in education and student care at the University of Sussex was celebrated yesterday at our third annual Education Awards ceremony.

Hundreds joined the event via a Zoom webinar to share in the success and congratulate the nominees and winners of the awards in six categories that reflect Sussex’s ambitions and values.

Vice-Chancellor Adam Tickell said: “It’s gratifying to see a big rise in the number of staff nominated for this year’s awards compared with last year – up from 442 to 535. This speaks to all the hard work you have put in to ensure our students have a truly transformative educational experience.”

Professor Claire Smith, Deputy Pro-Vice Chancellor for Education and Innovation and chair of the judging panel, said: “It has again been such a rewarding experience to hear about the ways in which our staff are inspiring and engaging our students. 

“This year so many of them have also mentioned how they have felt emotionally supported by our staff. The care and compassion you have shown them has been outstanding. We should not forget that this is also an essential part of any education.”

Out of a total of 71 shortlisted, 26 awards were presented in the categories: Better World, Transformative Technology, Learning Together, Teaching to Disrupt, Sussex Spirit and The Extra Mile - an additional category this year for staff who have gone above and beyond in their duties to support learning, development or the mental and physical health of students during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Dr Susan Smith, Associate Dean for Education and Students in the University of Sussex Business School, presented the Better World award, which celebrated those who have shown a real commitment to bringing about positive change, not just for our community but for others too. Out of 34 nominations, those shortlisted were:

• Jeanette Ashton (Law, Politics and Sociology)
• The Careers and Employability Team
• Meirin Evans (Mathematics and Physical Sciences)
• Verona Ni Drisceoil  (Law, Politics and Sociology)
• Kate Shaw (Physics and Astronomy)

The winners were:

• The Careers and Employability team for the new Step-Up Programme, which gives final-year students a fantastic grounding in employability skills and, for 100 graduates, the opportunity of a paid six-week internship with local employers.
• Kate Shaw, who has made an outstanding contribution to public engagement and teaching in developing countries through her involvement with Physics Without Frontiers. 

Dan Axson, Academic Developer, presented the award for Transformative Technology, which celebrated those staff who used technology in interesting and innovative ways to enhance students’ learning. Those shortlisted were:

• Michael Gasiorek (University of Sussex Business School)
• Harri Koivisto, Jonathan Highgate and Daniel Payne (Engineering and Informatics)
• Jennifer Mankin and Milan Valasek (Psychology)
• Emma Newport (Media, Arts and Humanities)
• Catherine Rogers (Sussex Centre for Language Studies)

The winners were: 

• Michael Gasiorek, who gave his students a real and practical insight into the world of professional economists through using the latest interactive technologies.
• Harri Koivisto, Jonathan Highgate and Daniel Payne, who have successfully married the in-person and online elements of teaching and created videos of lab experiments as a substitute for students’ real experience. 
• Catherine Rogers who designed Sussex’s first online, pre-sessional English course last summer, taking into consideration factors such as time zones and the balance of synchronised versus pre-recorded materials.

Professor Ed Hughes, Joint Associate Dean of Education, School of Media, Arts and Humanities, presented the Learning Together awards for staff and students who have worked closely together, collaborating on the teaching experience.  

Out of 17 nominations, those shortlisted were:

• Ruth Bowles, Moises Camargo-Cano, Sumedh Nimkar and Simon Williams (Careers and Employability)
• The Employment Law Clinic (Law, Politics and Sociology)
• John Jupp (Law, Politics and Sociology)
• Will McCready and the Housing Law Clinic (Law Politics and Sociology)
• Will McCready and the Migration Law Clinic (Law Politics and Sociology)
• Naaz Rashid, Yazz James and Aayushi Trivedi (Media and Cultural Studies)
• Sue Robbins and Reuben Akitt-Sharp (Sussex Centre for Language Studies)
• University of Sussex Business School Assessment Connector Programme
• Lucy Welsh and the Criminal Justice Law Clinic  (Law, Politics and Sociology)

The winners were:

• University of Sussex Business School Assessment Connector Programme, which enabled the co-production of refreshed assessment criteria for the school. This was a true staff-student partnership, which sought to drive change in practice within the School. 
• Will McCready and the Housing Law Clinic, who worked with local law firm Dean Wilson and a small group of students to take on cases from members of the public who are experiencing issues with landlords and leaseholders. During Covid they continued to run the service remotely and have taken on more than the usual number of cases. 

Dr Jessica Horst, Director of Teaching and Learning, School of Psychology,presented the Teaching to Disrupt award, which recognises teaching staff who dare to be different in their approach to teaching.

Out of 96 nominations, those shortlisted were:

• Dyuti Ailawadi (Global Studies)
• Jeanette Ashton (Law, Politics and Sociology)
• Martin Evans (Media, Arts and Humanities)
• Sam Ladkin (Media, Arts and Humanities)
• Leon Lagnado and George Kemenes (Neuroscience)
• John Masterson (Media, Arts and Humanities)
• John Parry, Perpetua Kirby and Daphne Lambert (Education and Social Work)
• Benno Teschke (Global Studies)

The winners were:

• Dyuti Ailawadi, described as ‘one of the most incredible seminar teachers’, who pushes critical thinking beyond boundaries and brings difficult and emotional topics to life through being open and honest about her own experiences.  
• Leon Lagnado and George Kemenes, whose Foundation of Neuroscience course lost none of its wonder or magic for the students who were learning online, inspiring them with “scientific hunger”, as one student described the experience. 
• John Parry, Perpetua Kirby and Daphne Lambert, who created the Forest Food Garden elective this year. This amazing initiative will see a forest food garden developed on campus. Not only will this have a positive environmental impact, it has also given students an outdoor community experience during the past year. 

Dr Elizabeth Craig, Director of Teaching and Learning in the School of Law, Politics and Sociology, and Dr Eva Sansavior, Academic Developer in the School of Media, Arts and Humanities, presented the Sussex Spirit Award, which is for staff who embody the University’s values of values of kindness, integrity, inclusion, collaboration and courage.

Out of 159 nominations, those selected for the shortlist were:

• Wendy Ashall (Global Studies)
• Fiona Clements (Law, Politics and Sociology)
• Terry Cooper (Sussexsport)
• Liz Cousins (Education and Social Work))
• Shilan Dargahi (Business School)
• Rachel Gould (Student Life Team)
• Giulia Grassilli (Global Studies)
• Sarah Holland (Education and Social Work)
• Alice Kelly (Media, Arts and Humanities)
• Jessica  Kistnasamy  (Business School)
• Shane Lo Fan Hin (Life Sciences)
• Jennifer Mankin (Psychology)
• Victoria Marrache (Student Life Centre)
• Alison Pike (Psychology)
• Zahid Pranjol (Life Sciences)
• Sue Robbins (Media, Arts and Humanities)
• Lorraine Smith (Life Sciences)
• Rachel Stenner (Media, Arts and Humanities)
• Clare Stenning (Education and Social Work)
• Rebecca Webb, Jacqueline Young, Deborah Brown, Julie Bailey (Education and Social Work)
• Stephen Wilkins (Mathematics and Physical Sciences)

The winners were:

• Fiona Clements, who devotes her energy to ensure every student reaches their full potential. 
• Rachel Gould, who has worked tirelessly since the first lockdown in March 2020 to ensure students receive the support they need while balancing the well-being of her team. 
• Giulia Grassilli, who has been described as “endlessly kind” for going out of her way to facilitate learning and collaboration in uncertain times.
• Jennifer Mankin, whose students have commented on her inclusive, fun and engaged approach to teaching. 
• Clare Stenning, whose outstanding teaching has been said to encourage and inspire others to become better teachers. 
• Rebecca Webb, Jacqueline Young and Deborah Brown and Julie Bailey for ensuring that all their students feel heard and supported.

Professor Kelly Coate, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Education and Students, Nehaal Bajwa, Doctoral Tutor, School of Education and Social Work and Sarah Watson, Academic Developer, presented the final award, Extra Mile, which celebrated  staff who have gone above and beyond in their duties to support learning, development or the mental and physical health of students during the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Out of 202 nominations, those shortlisted were:

• Dmitrijs Dmitrenko (Engineering and Informatics)
• Adam Eyre-Walker (Life Sciences)
• Rachel Gould (Student Life Centre)
• Joanna Dale (Student Life Centre)
• Alice Kelly (Media, Arts and Humanities)
• Harry Koivisto (Engineering and Informatics)
• Pearl-Imogen Leader
• Gillian Love (Law, Politics and Sociology)
• Jennifer Mankin (Psychology)
• Keith Perera (Education and Social Work)
• Sudakshini Perera (Global Studies)
• Alison Pike (Psychology)
• Zahid Pranjol (Life Sciences)
• Carli Rowell (Law, Politics and Sociology)
• Lorraine Smith (Life Sciences)
• The Student Life team
• The Student Support Unit
• Freya Sumner (Sussexsport)
• The Technology Enhanced Learning Team 
• Teresa Sutton (Law, Politics and Sociology)
• Alka Townend (Education and Social Work)
• Emma Walkden, Martin Scolding and Tim May (Student Systems)
• Claire Watts (Education and Social Work)
• Jacqueline Young, Deborah Brown and Rebecca Webb (Education and Social Work)

The winners were:

• Dmitrijs Dmitrenko, whose exceptional support for his students has included helping them adapt their projects to accommodate restrictions caused by the pandemic.
• Alice Kelly, who went above and beyond to foster an inclusive, fun and friendly atmosphere in her virtual classroom.
• Keith Perera for his constant and ever patient support.
• Alison Pike, who created an optional seminar for final year students to help them discuss concerns and feel less lonely during the pandemic.
• Zahid Pranjol, described as an amazing teacher for helping to make his students feel connected and part of a bigger community.
• The Student Life Team, who have shown exceptional individual and team commitment to supporting thousands of students through challenging personal circumstances during the pandemic.
• The Student Support Unit for working with phenomenal agility and responsiveness to ensure students felt comfortable and safe in challenging circumstances. 
• The Technology Enhanced Learning Team for the heroic contribution they have made to support the ongoing delivery of teaching, learning and assessment during the pandemic.
• Alka Townend for being, as one student described her, “the most approachable lecturer ever!”
• Emma Walkden, Martin Scolding and Tim May for working tirelessly and seamlessly during the first lockdown to automate the safety net policy.

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