Annual Recognition Awards

Overview

• The Usher Institute Recognition Awards 2020 are presented in 7 categories
• A voucher and certificate are awarded for each category
• Nominations are considered jointly by members of the Usher Equality & Diversity Committee and members of the Usher Executive
• The Awards are open to all Usher Institute staff employed and students supervised in the Usher Institute on the closing date (4 Dec 2020)
• Nominations should cover work carried out within the previous 12 months
• The Awards can be for an individual or a team 
• Nominations can be made by staff or students from across the University

Awards presentation

The 2020 Usher Institute Recognition Awards were announced and presented at the Usher Institute end of year celebration, on 15 December.

Congratulations to all those nominated and the following, who received the awards in each category:

• Most outstanding team

HR & Governance team | Julie MacMillan, Emma Thomson & Lewis Hazlett

• Most effective community-building initiative

Liz Anderson-Whymark & Steph Sinclair

• Outstanding contribution to the student experience

GP Undergraduate Teaching Group  | Karen Fairhurst, Clare Macrae, Alix Rolfe, Hilary Young, Liz Lamb

• Outstanding contribution to positive research culture

Alex Peden

• Outstanding leadership

Steff Lewis & Martyn Pickersgill

• Excellence in External Engagement 

Tracy Jackson

• Outstanding achievement/special recognition award

You Li

Further details

Categories

• Most outstanding team

Teams of many types and sizes exist across the Usher Institute. They can consist of academic staff; professional support staff; students or a combination of all three.

A successful team usually contains supported and enabled members who, as a team, are recognised by peers both within and beyond the immediate department for their commitment to their common objectives, their drive in delivering well beyond those objectives and the wider impact on other departments and individuals.

• Most effective community-building initiative

We know just how important a strong community is - in terms of building an effective and collegial environment in which academic and professional services staff, students and visitors can feel included and have the support to do their best work.

Attracting and retaining high quality staff and students often depends most on the quality of the local community and this Award will recognise the achievements of a person who has built such a supportive, successful, and high-achieving environment.

• Outstanding contribution to the student experience

Staff and students who contribute to the student experience may deliver every kind of academic and professional service support, and may be on any grade. They may lead an office, service or teaching area; or have contributed a great idea and have worked effectively and enthusiastically to implement it. 

This award seeks to recognise staff or student who puts student experience at the forefront of their way of working. A successful candidate will appreciate and understand education and learning from the student perspective and seek to respond to and support the needs of students first and foremost.

• Outstanding contribution to positive research culture

This Award will recognise a member of staff, student or team who has created an environment or delivered an activity that supports or promotes a creative, inclusive and honest research culture within the Institute. 

This award seeks to recognise staff or students who put positive research culture at the forefront of their way of working. A successful candidate will appreciate and understand the benefit of a creative, inclusive and honest research culture and seek to build and support a positive research culture in the Institute.

• Outstanding leadership

This Award will recognise a member of staff or student who has created an especially positive and stimulating environment for colleagues to work in and/or by nurturing and motivating has enabled staff or teams to deliver highly effective work 

• Excellence in External Engagement 

This Award will focus on an aspect of a broad range of engagement/outreach activities which might include engaging new audiences with the work of the Usher Institute or outreach to support a wider community. We are looking to recognise and celebrate work which enhances the relationship of the University with the community locally, nationally or internationally. 

Work which demonstrates creative and innovative approaches will be particularly welcome, and which goes beyond narrow definitions of impact or widening participation activities.

• Outstanding achievement/special recognition award

This award offers an opportunity for staff or students to be nominated for activities which do not naturally fall into any of the above categories for some exceptional activity which offers a positive contribution in line with the Usher Institute vision, mission and values.

Nomination form

To nominate a colleague, student, team or group who you feel deserves recognition for their work please read the guidance document and then complete the short nomination form, returning to alex.peden@ed.ac.uk by 12 noon, Friday 4 December 2020.