Teaching Excellence Awards 2019

Excellent teaching has been recognised by staff and students at the University of St Andrews.

The Teaching Excellence Awards recognise academic staff making a significant contribution to teaching across the University.

The ceremony comprises two separate awards: University Teaching Awards nominated by Heads of Schools and Students’ Association Teaching Awards nominated by students.

The winners of the peer-nominated and peer-judged awards by academics were:

• Dr Paul Savage, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences
• Dr Tim Stojanovic, School of Geography and Sustainable Development
• Dr Konrad Lawson, School of History
• Dr Anna Brown, School of Management

The awards were presented by Principal and Vice-Chancellor Professor Sally Mapstone.

Vice-Principal Education (Proctor), Professor Paul Hibbert, said: “The teaching awards are one of the high points of our year. It is always inspiring to hear about the great work of our academic staff; it makes me immensely proud to be their colleague, and to celebrate their achievements with them. With such great academic staff and wonderful students, it is no exaggeration to say that teaching at St Andrews is a joyful process.”

Meanwhile, students presented awards to individuals who have helped shape their learning:

• Outstanding teacher in Arts/Divinity: Dr Javier Letrán, School of Modern Languages
• Outstanding teacher in Science: Dr Chris Hooley, School of Physics and Astronomy
• Postgraduate who tutors: Ravi Thakral, School of Philosophical, Anthropological and Film Studies
• Innovative teaching: Dr Lori Leigh Davis, School of Management
• Academic mentorship: Dr Nick Brooke, School of International Relations
• Dissertation/project supervisor: Dr Jonathan Keeling, School of Physics and Astronomy
• Commitment by a support staff member: Gail Reid, School of International Relations

Students’ Association Director of Education, Alice Foulis, said: “All of the nominations received were excellent, and we should all be proud of the incredible work and teaching being done at the University. The winners displayed outstanding contributions to the learning and teaching experience at St Andrews and are a credit to this institution.”

The Proctor’s Award, given to a student who has made a particular contribution to enhancing learning and teaching, went to Sophia Rommel, for her outstanding contribution as School President in the School of Philosophy.

This award is a collaboration between the Students’ Association and the Proctor’s Office.

The McCall MacBain Foundation Teaching Excellence Awards recognise members of staff who advance the scholarship of teaching and learning with special emphasis on sharing best practices and having an impact on the teaching of others throughout the University.

This year’s successful candidates were:

• Dr George Corbett, School of Divinity
• Dr Antonia Wilmot-Smith, School of Mathematics and Statistics
• Dr Aidan Naughton, School of Mathematics and Statistics
• Dr Alexia Petsalis-Diomidis, School of Classics

Watch a video of the awards on YouTube.