Pilkington Prize 2025
Congratulations to this year's Prize Winners! We were delighted to welcome our winners to a celebration at Christ's College on Wednesday 11 June.
Dr Tore Butlin
Department of Engineering・Queens' College
Dr Tore Butlin has played a key role in reshaping the engineering course content and integrating it with other disciplines – particularly mathematics and computing – since 2016. He led the design of the new IA Mechanics syllabus, collaborating extensively with his subject group to create a streamlined structure aligned with course objectives. Tore introduced the use of a mind-map to help students themselves better grasp the syllabus structure and connections between topics, and also provided valuable support to supervisors. He has modernized the course by incorporating contemporary computing methods that illustrate how engineers currently use and implement mechanical principles: his lectures feature memorable demonstrations showing the principles in action. Finally, Tore actively seeks and swiftly implements feedback from both students and supervisors. As a result, the course has maintained excellent ratings for seven years.
This high standard extends to his other contributions. Currently, Tore is pioneering custom GPT Assistants to guide students through example papers, complementing interactive classes and supporting self-learning in the fourth year where supervisions are unavailable. Student feedback on his teaching portfolio remains consistently outstanding. He has developed crucial departmental software infrastructure for data acquisition used throughout the course, provides College supervision, supports examinations, and serves as an engaged member of the Engineering Department's Staff-Student Joint Committee.
Dr Alexander Carter
Institute of Continuing Education・Fitzwilliam College
As Academic Director for Philosophy & Interdisciplinary Studies, Dr Alexander Carter leads a broad-ranging portfolio of undergraduate and postgraduate courses in philosophy, creativity theory and research skills. Alexander's stewardship of this portfolio has been highly successful, leading to increased enrolments and an excellent student experience. This has been achieved through an acute awareness of our learners' needs and interests, and ensuring that our educational offering meets these needs.
In addition to portfolio leadership, Alexander demonstrates consistent excellence in the delivery of learning and teaching across all levels of provision within the Institute, from short weekend courses through to Master's-level teaching. At the heart of his practice is a student-centred approach which challenges and pushes students to achieve their best while also recognising the support that students – many of whom are engaging with academic study for the first time – need to feel confident in their learning.
Overall, Alexander's student-centred approach, combined with his enthusiasm to teach across a range of continuing education provision, demonstrates a firm commitment to the Institute’s and wider University's mission to promote learning throughout life and to provide the widest possible access to the University.
Dr Nicholas Evans
Department of Clinical Neurosciences・Wolfson College
Dr Nicholas Evans has shown an exceptional and sustained commitment to medical education at the Clinical School for over a decade. Nick is a passionate educator, receiving excellent student feedback across his many teaching activities and in his role as a Tutor on the Postgraduate Certificate in Medical Education, supporting the professional development of fellow medical educators. He has also shown a strong dedication to student welfare in his role as a mentor at the Clinical School and as Director of Studies in Medicine at Wolfson.
Nick has an outstanding commitment to supporting student research. As Lead for Cambridge's INSPIRE Programme, he has worked with students to deliver a programme that develops their research skills, gain invaluable experience of clinical academia, and provides opportunities for them to share and celebrate their research. He is a dedicated research supervisor, supporting the development of future academic clinicians. The exceptional feedback from the students Nick has mentored is testament to his dedication to their personal and professional development.
Dr James Fergusson
Department of Applied Mathematics & Theoretical Physics
Dr James Fergusson is an outstanding lecturer, who always presents material with remarkable clarity and expertise and focuses on equipping students with skills that can be used in practice. He brings genuine passion and care to everything he does.
James' dedication, creativity and heartfelt involvement in establishing and supporting the new MPhil in Data Intensive Science has already left an enduring legacy, not only for the cohort of students who are registered for the course, but also for the hundreds of others who access the materials. He has exhibited exceptional, innovative leadership in launching this new, extremely popular and successful course at the intersection of AI, data and the physical sciences, from original design through recruitment, to delivery and iterative improvement. At every stage, his highest priorities have been the success and well-being of the students, and James has fostered a real sense of community that is deeply appreciated by and valuable for his students and colleagues alike.
Dr Marta Halina
Department of History & Philosophy of Science・Selwyn College
Dr Marta Halina has almost single-handedly overhauled our History & Philosophy of Science Tripos to make Cambridge one of the foremost places in the world to study philosophy of cognitive science, comparative cognition and AI. Prior to her arrival, there was no dedicated teaching on these topics: a major gap. Marta developed 48 hours of new lectures and 8 hours of new seminars, including seven entirely new courses. She has also, since long before lockdown and the pivot to remote teaching, been a leader in the use of innovative pedagogical strategies and technologies in the classroom.
At the postgraduate level, Marta led a major restructuring of our MPhil as well as changes to the support we offer our postgraduate students. She has introduced a very popular MPhil module, AI in Healthcare, and is in high demand for supervising both MPhil and PhD students. Most importantly, Marta's teaching is always marked by a concern to improve diversity and equality. Through her careful dedication to teaching, she has not only broadened the range of topics we teach and discuss but also who gets to discuss them. Marta's students rightly view her as a role model of how to do philosophy.
Mr Paul Hoegger
University Language Centre・Faculty of Modern & Medieval Languages & Linguistics・Fitzwilliam College
Whether it is at the Faculty of Modern & Medieval Languages & Linguistics, Classics, Divinity, Music, in Colleges, or at the Language Centre, Paul Hoegger is a teacher of German much loved by generations of students. Over the years he has created a considerable number of courses, ranging from the addition of two higher tiers of general German courses within the CULP programme at the Language Centre, a course on German literature through the ages, to the poetry of Schubert at the Faculty of Music and a course on archive work for historians with a palaeographical element.
Paul's most outstanding contribution to teaching rests on his successful transformation of the Academic Reading Courses in German for postgraduate students. Realising there was a great need for a good reading knowledge of German for particular scholarships, Paul developed new specialised courses for Classicists, Musicians and Theologians, at three levels, with one of these strands being incorporated into the Tripos, and another now forming part of the MPhil examination. During term time, he teaches and supervises over one hundred students across well over 20 contact hours. The positive student feedback reflects Paul's in-depth knowledge of the subject and his undying passion for teaching.
Dr Kate Hughes
Department of Veterinary Medicine・Girton College
Dr Kate Hughes has a strong commitment to the inspirational teaching of all students. She makes a significant and valued contribution to high-quality teaching and assessment across the clinical (4th-6th) years of the veterinary programme. She contributes over 100 hours of lecture and practical teaching on topics ranging from sudden death in cattle, mastitis and equine integrated pathology practicals, to small animal endocrinology, nephrology and urology. Most recently, Kate led the design of a new final-year rotation in anatomic pathology for which she is educational lead, right from inception and including independent learning resources.
In all her teaching, Kate demonstrates consistent dedication to the enhancement of the student experience. To this end, she led the optimisation of learning environments for inclusivity, with a particular focus on neurodivergent studies. She reflected that learning environments in anatomic pathology were suboptimal for neurodivergent students and conducted a series of individual student interviews and focus groups to identify areas for improvement. Her work in this area has been well received and benefitted all students. Overall, Kate has successfully introduced innovative teaching methods across the three years of the clinical veterinary course and has demonstrated a constructive approach to supporting learning, inspiring students and enabling them to develop their knowledge of the subject in a holistic clinical context.
Dr Mairi Kilkenny
Department of Biochemistry・Queens' College
Dr Mairi Kilkenny is an exceptional colleague whose contribution to teaching is outstanding in all areas. She delivers innovative and creative teaching within the Department of Biochemistry and School of the Biological Sciences, as well as being a stimulating supervisor for several Colleges. Mairi stands out as an educator who not only possesses a deep understanding of her subject but also a remarkable ability to convey complex concepts to students in an engaging manner. Her creative teaching methods, which often incorporate digital media and state-of-the-art methods, differentiate her from the standard educator.
The effectiveness of her teaching is highlighted by wonderful feedback from students, which consistently articulates Mairi's commitment to delivering insightful and accessible teaching. She invariably goes "the extra mile" to ensure student engagement and employs accessible resources to facilitate their understanding. In addition to the development of her own teaching portfolio, Mairi has worked alongside other academic staff members to enhance their lecture and practical content, ensuring that it is effective. Her enthusiasm and commitment to students is extraordinary and embodies the best of teaching at Cambridge.
Dr Ewa Marek
Department of Chemical Engineering & Biotechnology・Jesus College
Dr Ewa Marek is a valued lecturer, supervisor and Director of Studies. Her teaching spans all levels of university education and many Cambridge graduates choose to continue working with her for their postgraduate study. Teaching core chemical engineering courses, from fundamental concepts to advanced energy technologies, Ewa has one of the highest teaching loads in the department. She delivers this all diligently, putting great effort into inspiring students to challenge themselves and work on globally important topics.
Passionate about sustainability, Ewa developed a new Part 1A course which introduces the topic in the context of chemical and biochemical engineering, and the role of chemical engineers in addressing global challenges. This ambitious course was commended as essential and eye-opening by students auditing the Tripos in collaboration with Cambridge Zero, and has become one of the flagships of the new Chemical Engineering & Biotechnology Tripos. Ewa also played a leading role in refocusing the new Tripos on carbon-free technologies. Finally, Ewa is dedicated to broadening participation in higher education, frequently contributing her time and expertise to programmes from Pint of Science to the Sutton Trust Summer School, as well as hosting widening participation internships.
Dr Isabelle McNeill
Faculty of Modern & Medieval Languages & Linguistics・Trinity Hall
Dr Isabelle McNeill is a truly outstanding teacher, researcher and colleague who has offered the most creative, critically vibrant and exemplary contributions to French and to Film & Screen in MMLL. Both teaching practices and curriculum development in the Faculty have been decisively shaped by her initiatives; in particular, she has led the way in relation to inclusivity and the diversification of materials and approaches. She is repeatedly singled out by students for her exceptional teaching and has been shortlisted for various CUSU teaching awards, including being highly commended for student support in 2021. Alongside her unwavering commitment to undergraduates, Isabelle provides groundbreaking teaching at MPhil and PhD level. Her students excel at all levels, from prize-winning undergraduates to PhD students producing highly original research.
Isabelle's pedagogical approach is innovative and transformational. Her co-organisation of a cross-Faculty seminar series, 'Tactics and Praxis', is an outstanding model of creative, inclusive practice that encourages an unsettling of hierarchical academic structures. Isabelle consistently reimagines the possibilities of research, teaching and their interrelations, from her cutting-edge work on videographic criticism (using video essays to reshape scholarly engagement with film), to her introduction of a 'wildcard' option for supervisees (encouraging different learning opportunities through creative responses). Finally, Isabelle also creates valuable Film education opportunities for our students through her work with the Cambridge Film Trust, of which she is a co-founder and trustee.
An Obituary Notice for Dr McNeill was published on 26 February 2025 (Reporter, 6772, 2024-25, p.285)
Dr Ali Meghji
Department of Sociology・Sidney Sussex College
Since joining the department, Dr Ali Meghji has paved the way for a decolonial approach to curriculum and pedagogy. His contributions on this front range from creating a completely new Tripos paper (Empire, Colonialism, Imperialism) to adding topics on race, decoloniality, feminism and more to existing papers. Student feedback has been full of praise, and colleagues describe him as an exemplar for department efforts towards decolonising the curriculum. An important feature of Ali's new paper, which is very popular with students, is that it mixes exam assessment with a coursework essay, an innovation now being emulated, with his support, for other Part IIB papers.
As Director of Undergraduate Education since 2020, Ali has overseen several changes to the programme while competently addressing challenges from the remote pivot to the marking and assessment boycott. At every stage, Ali has been reliable and collegial, engaging constructively with students and seeking what is best from the student's point of view. As a teacher, he repeatedly receives glowing comments from students on the clarity of his exposition, the contemporary relevance of his topics, and his effective use of technology. Ali works industriously to promote the classroom as an inclusive and critical space of knowledge exchange and transformation.
Dr Liam Saddington
Department of Geography・Lucy Cavendish
Dr Liam Saddington is simply an outstanding teacher. He has been a transformative force on the Geography Tripos since he arrived in October 2022. Liam was recruited as Training and Skills Director for the Tripos, with a remit to oversee the quantitative and qualitative research training across the degree. He has led new innovations, such as creating a 'decolonising the museum' field trip for first-year students, organising a 'COP Cambridge' simulation for second-year students, and developing the dissertation 'research carousel'. The latter comprises dedicated methods sessions from staff across the teaching programme, all run over three consecutive days.
Liam is also one of our most popular lecturers. He has actively sought out opportunities to deliver teaching and develop his pedagogy, leading to his nomination for a Student-Led Teaching Award in 2022. He has sustained and led all of this while being an absolutely model colleague, an excellent researcher (focused on pedagogy and climate change), and an ardent and active leader of widening participation and schools outreach.
Dr Christopher Tilmouth
Faculty of English
Dr Christopher Tilmouth has been a transformative force in teaching and curriculum development in the Faculty of English. His visionary leadership has reshaped both undergraduate and postgraduate education, from overhauling the English Tripos to implementing a pioneering cross-period MPhil. As Director of Undergraduate Studies, Chris introduced critical reforms to enhance student progression, streamline workloads, and strengthen the connection between Faculty teaching and College supervisions. As Director of MPhil Studies, he implemented a new MPhil which replaced period-specific courses with a unified programme that emphasized collaborative research. This required monumental redesign and reorganisation, and Chris laboured assiduously to make it a reality, creating the foundations necessary to ensure its ongoing success.
At the heart of Chris' work, and underpinning larger reform, is his pedagogical commitment to inclusivity, transparency and equity, combined with a resolute focus on intellectual engagement with demanding materials. This is exemplified by the transformation of The English Moralists paper into The Ethical Imagination, which included broadening the diversity of thinkers represented in this part of the Tripos. This has doubled student enrolment onto the paper and made it a site of vibrant academic exploration. Chris is an outstanding teacher consistently praised by students as 'fantastic', 'inspiring' and as making abstract ideas vivid. Whether through individual supervisions or Faculty-wide leadership, Chris embodies pedagogical excellence and commitment.
Dr Juliet Usher-Smith
Department of Public Health & Primary Care・Emmanual College
Dr Juliet Usher-Smith is an outstanding educator who has made major contributions to teaching within the Department of Public Health & Primary Care, through direct teaching, supervision and mentorship, as well as leadership roles. To quote one of her students, she consistently goes "above and beyond" to seek out new opportunities to support students, to improve existing teaching provision, and to foster a culture in which teaching and learning is valued by all. This is exemplified most recently through Juliet's role as Departmental Strategic Lead for Education and Training and her systematic and inclusive approach to developing an education and training strategy.
Juliet has also made instrumental contributions to academic clinical training as academic specialty lead for General Practice, to the success of our Master's programme, in which she leads the Primary Care Research theme, and through the Medical Student Systematic Review Group. This group was co-founded by Juliet and has provided over 200 students with training and opportunities to contribute to systematic reviews. Her teaching excellence is reflected in the glowing feedback she receives from students and colleagues, and she is an exceptional role model who supports and inspires students to become the next generation of scientists, clinicians and clinical academics.