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Cambridge Centre for Teaching and Learning

 

The Pilkington Prize ceremony was this year held on Thursday 22 June in the Bateman Auditorium of Gonville & Caius College. The University also created videos featuring five of this year's Pilkington Prize winners.

Full profiles of all this year's Prize Winners can be viewed below the videos, or you can view the Prize Winners as a PDF.

 


 

Prize Winner Videos

 

Dr Martin Ruehl | Faculty of Modern & Medieval Languages

 

Dr Mónica Moreno Figueroa | Department of Sociology

 

Dr James Moultrie | Department of Engineering

 

Dr Lisa Jardine-Wright | Department of Physics

 

Professor Andrew Balmford | Department of Zoology

 


 

Prize Winners 2017

 

Dr Anthony Ashton | Department of Mathematics

Dr Anthony Ashton is a hugely popular lecturer of courses across the whole Mathematical Tripos – this is confirmed by his consistently high student feedback scores in both Part II and Part III courses - teaching a range of cohorts from mathematical generalists to subject specialists. Anthony has a remarkable ability to communicate very advanced mathematics with both genuine excitement and real clarity.

In a discipline in which many identify themselves as solely ‘applied’ or ‘pure’ mathematicians Anthony is a lecturer who can cater to all interests and who emphasizes the unity of the subject. He can use ‘real world’ examples from applied mathematics to explain and motivate the results of pure mathematics. Further to this, Anthony has been praised for his ability to provide historical context to the subject matter to explain the background and intuition underlying key results. Students cannot agree on whether his lectures are best described as ‘fantastic’ or ‘amazing’, but all agree they’re really rather good.

Anthony is also an ambassador for the subject, devoting a great deal of energy and enthusiasm to outreach events, particularly to reaching students from non-traditional backgrounds. This year his Mathematics Masterclass lecture on Infinity held 300 sixth-formers entranced, and, ironically for a lecture on infinity, he ran out of time at the end to answer all their enthusiastic questions.

 

Prof. Andrew Balmford | Department of Zoology

Professor Andrew Balmford has made a truly outstanding contribution to teaching both within Cambridge and internationally. As an undergraduate teacher for the Part II Zoology and Part IB Ecology courses, Andrew is recognised as an excellent communicator and lecturer, proven by his consistent place at the top of the Zoology NSS scores. In the module on Conservation Science, which has proven consistently popular with students since Andrew began running it in 1998, he has spearheaded innovations such as introducing class-led debates on current controversies, running an annual clinic on careers in conservation, and initiating a student-to-student session during which Masters students talk to the Part II class about conservation in practice.

Outside of his role as a module convenor, Andrew has set up the Student Conference on Conservation Science – a globally successful training event for graduate students from all over the world. This has attracted students from 126 countries to come together in an exciting and informal exchange of ideas as well as to raise funds for around 30 developing country students each year. The conference has been so successful that it now has five sister conferences happening all over the world.

In addition to his teaching in the Department, Andrew has also helped to set up the Janet Moore Prize – given for college supervising in Part II Zoology, encouraging others in the field to strive for teaching excellence.

 

Dr Jackie Brearley | Department of Veterinary Medicine

Dr Jackie Brearley’s overarching contribution to the University is her work in setting up and developing the Pauline Brown Clinical Skills Centre. Under her leadership and with her enthusiasm, it is now an integrated and key element of practical skills teaching and is a major contributor to all years of the clinical veterinary curriculum. Jackie’s efforts in setting up the Centre are above and beyond her role as a Senior Lecturer in Anaesthesia in the Department of Veterinary Medicine, taking up much of her personal time. The Centre has been commended in the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons Visitation Report 2015 and was acclaimed as an excellent facility by other veterinary schools’ clinical coordinators at the national VetEd conference in 2015 and 2016.

Further to setting up the Centre, Jackie has used a Teaching and Learning Innovation Fund grant to examine the effectiveness of the Centre and its links with the virtual learning environment. The results of this report showed that the Centre has made a significant impact in student learning and competence. Feedback confirms that students appreciate Jackie’s vision for the Centre as a supportive, friendly and safe environment in which they can develop their confidence and competence in practical skills. In addition, students rate Jackie as an excellent lecturer as well; in 2016 she won a Student-Led Teaching Award for her lecturing.

 

Dr Jude Browne | Department of Politics & International Studies

For fifteen years, Dr Jude Browne has been an outstanding teacher of Gender Studies in the Department of Politics and International Studies, attracting consistently stellar student feedback. As Course Director and a fully engaged, hands on teacher, she has developed the MPhil in Gender Studies into one of the leading programmes in the country and pioneered the development of a range of interdisciplinary Gender Studies programmes. Her teaching has engaged students from a wide variety of intellectual backgrounds and her enthusiasm and attention to detail have been instrumental in changing the way many of them reflect on the world around them. Her personal commitment to ensuring students have the best possible experience has been tireless and transformative and she is known for the care and imagination that go into the creation of her teaching aids. She was recently shortlisted for a Student-Led Teaching Award in the category of Inclusive Teaching.

In addition to her teaching responsibilities, Jude has spearheaded some of the improvements made to the research ethics approval processes for graduate (and undergraduate) students in the Department.

One of Jude’s MPhil students commented “Every day in this course I think about gender in a new way. I love feeling so passionate and inspired”.

 

Dr Menna Clatworthy | School of Clinical Medicine

Dr Menna Clatworthy has made a high-quality and wide-ranging contribution to teaching, training and mentoring in the School of Clinical Medicine. She teaches and inspires students at every level, from sixth-formers, to undergraduates in virtually every year of study, to postgraduate clinical trainees – an exceptionally broad range. The breadth of students she supervises and teaches has allowed her to create in her College a ‘family’ of medical students which has created a visible career path for the new students to follow and also afforded an opportunity for older students to build their confidence through helping to guide newer students, while appreciating just how far they themselves have come.

Menna is an excellent clinician with a demanding clinical practice and she has also established an independent internationally recognised research laboratory. In her teaching, she uses her first-hand clinical and research experience to engage and inspire her students. Despite Menna’s demanding clinical practice, she always finds time to be a real mentor to her students, teaching them to be critical thinkers and emphasizing scientific rigour and analysis. It is clear to both students and staff members that Menna does this because she believes deeply in the importance of education. Colleagues describe Menna as a ‘superb role model’ and comment that they are ‘in awe of her ability, dedication and energy’.

 

Dr Richard Davies | School of Clinical Medicine

Dr Richard Davies has been instrumental in developing, delivering and evaluating teaching for students in the School of Clinical Medicine over the last ten years. Described as an inspirational teacher and role model, Richard is a tireless advocate of the benefits of learning in primary care and champions General Practice as a challenging and satisfying future career for Cambridge medical students.

Richard has recently introduced new GP teaching sessions in the first year of the new Clinical School teaching programme, developing innovative teaching material in mental health and paediatrics as well as designing a placement to give students an opportunity to consult with acutely ill patients in a GP setting. Both of these have received consistently positive student feedback. Richard’s colleagues and students alike praise his enthusiasm for teaching and student-centred approach, with his students commenting particularly on the constructive feedback he provides.

In addition to his teaching role, Richard has also made vital contributions to the student wellbeing in the School, in particular developing new procedures to support students with personal and health difficulties. His compassion, understanding and patient support of individuals is widely recognised and appreciated across the student body.

 

Dr Ingo Gildenhard | Faculty of Classics

Dr Ingo Gildenhard has made an outstanding contribution to teaching in the Faculty of Classics. He has an unrivalled reputation for the excellence of his teaching over the broadest range of subjects. He has taught Latin to beginners on the four-year degree; convinced students that Julius Caesar can be an enthralling read; encouraged large numbers of Part II students to read all of Ovid’s lengthy epic poem the Metamorphoses in Latin and shown them its importance for European culture. His students consistently rave about the high quality of his lectures.

Ingo has devoted huge amounts of time and effort to access and outreach, turning the Faculty’s outreach programme that was already good into one that is truly excellent, backed up by the use of new media, the employment of student helpers, and the involvement of the Museum of Classical Archaeology. He has also developed and published a series of free online study aids for A-level students that have had a major impact on Classics teaching in the UK and have been downloaded over 100,000 times in the past four years. With Classics teaching coming under increasing pressure in schools, Ingo’s open-access commentaries are a life-line for many teachers and students and an important resource for those wishing to follow the subject at a higher level. His teaching on behalf of the Faculty has been indefatigable and selfless, and his contribution to Classics education nationally is second to none.

 

Dr Lisa Jardine-Wright | Department of Physics

Dr Lisa Jardine-Wright has made an outstanding and sustained contribution to excellent teaching in Physics and Mathematics, both within the University and beyond, for many years. Lisa previously taught mathematics in the Natural Sciences Tripos but currently teaches undergraduate physics, for which she receives high student praise. Students commend her high quality notes, use of visual aids, and well placed interludes to keep her sessions engaging. One student wrote, in all caps, that she provides ‘THE BEST NOTES EVER!’

Lisa is also the founding co-director of the incredibly successful Isaac Physics project, which offers support and activities in physics problems solving to help with the transition from GCSE though A Level to University. It includes online study tools, videos and live-streamed tutorials. The project currently has over 10,000 subscribed users and through helping to address the skills gap students are experiencing is educating the next generation of university physicists from all over the world.

Further to this, Lisa has made many other vital contributions to Physics teaching including sitting on the Physics Teaching Committee, taking a lead role in the development of the new admissions test, acting as a Director of Studies and taking part in many outreach projects in her role as Educational Outreach Officer of the Cavendish Laboratory.

 

Dr Nigel Kettley | Institute of Continuing Education

Described as an ‘excellent educator’, Dr Nigel Kettley holds and displays the values shared by the very best lifelong learning professionals. Nigel is fully committed to widening access to, and participation in, higher education by engaging students who have not previously studied at this level, successfully re-engaging students who have stepped away from education for extended periods and increasing the breadth and depth of knowledge and skills of diverse cohorts of students.

Nigel has played a significant role supporting and developing a broad range of courses. He led the creation of the MSt in Advanced Subject Teaching, which has been described as unique and innovative in its development of teachers’ expertise in their own subjects, and embodies excellent and innovative practice in the curriculum assessment. Further to this, Nigel has also supported the design of the new Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education.

A highly engaged member of the ICE academic team, Nigel is a role model and dedicated supporter of continuing education. From advising potential applicants on course choice to his thoroughness in helping students prepare assessed work and comprehensive feedback when marking and moderating, Nigel consistently puts the needs of his students first, and guides them through every step of the student journey. His care for and commitment to his students is commendable.

 

Dr Mónica Moreno Figueroa | Department of Sociology

While bringing a whirlwind of substantive content and new pedagogic approaches to the Department of Sociology, Dr Monica Moreno-Figueroa has established the provision for teaching race and racism at Cambridge and attracts large numbers of students to her papers. Monica is known for pushing a strong agenda for diversification of the curricula and encourages other teaching staff to follow suit.

Further to this, Monica has put together the Race Research Cluster which brings together undergraduate and postgraduate students and is now co-hosting the research group ‘decolonizing the curriculum’ – a seminar series that has brought important conversations to the University’s teaching and learning environment. Monica is passionate about the development of innovative content and pedagogic strategies that help students to participate in their own learning. One example of this is the use of ‘co-listening moments’ where content discussed is reflected on individually within the lecture. Students speak to each other in pairs for equal allocated time, following a simple set of rules, giving them the opportunity to recognize the emotional dimensions involved in learning. In collaboration with designer Joe Malia, she has also developed The Colour Beads, a communication tool for generating dialogue around racism. Monica’s consistently outstanding student evaluations and recent commendation in the ‘supporting students’ category of the university’s Student-Led Teaching Awards shows how deeply her students value her efforts.

 

Dr James Moultrie | Department of Engineering

Dr James Moultrie is a superb teacher whose vision, drive and dedication has led to one of the UK’s most successful team-based projects for manufacturing students. The ‘Major Project’ for students on the Manufacturing Engineering Tripos has become an exemplar for how skills learned through lectures can be applied to solving real world problems and addressing new opportunities. Students work in teams to design and build a functioning prototype for a new product in parallel with the development of a full business case for its commercialisation, before presenting them at the annual public IfM Design Show. As a result of this experience, students from the Tripos are highly sought after by employers, and many have also gone on to set up successful businesses. The focus on a design project is unusual in a Manufacturing Engineering course, and James has worked relentlessly to ensure that it delivers a professionally managed learning experience for students that is challenging and valuable, as well as fun.

James has also taken on numerous administrative duties, while maintaining his heavy teaching load. He has recently taken on the role as Director of the MPhil in Industrial Systems, Manufacture and Management where he is developing this long standing course in response to the changing context of the manufacturing industry.

 

Dr Martin Ruehl | Faculty of Modern & Medieval Languages

Dr Martin Ruehl is a fantastic, inspiring teacher who effortlessly combines mastery of his subject with a gift for explaining it lucidly. He lectures ex tempore, circulating round the classroom and giving many opportunities for students to ask and answer questions. The highly interactive teaching style Martin adopts has allowed him to make his teaching accessible to all students, and thus to share his own obvious passion for the subject.

In addition to his deep erudition, Martin has deep enthusiasm for teaching, and a commitment to meeting the needs of his students. As a Director of Studies, Martin takes exceptional care in introducing undergraduates to the Cambridge system when they first arrive, sacrificing much of his private time to do so. In his College, he has innovated a series of weekly film evenings in which first-year students introduce, screen and then discuss foreign-language films. This is not only a very good bonding experience; it also introduces the students to cinema as an object of academic research and scholarly debate.

Martin also engages tirelessly in widening participation, having represented the College, and the University, at countless open days, school visits and outreach events. He has redeveloped the open day materials and the way schools are contacted to ensure that as many pupils from as many backgrounds as possible have access to them, and helped demystify the admissions process for applicants by leading the development of a series of videos promoting the study of Modern Languages at Cambridge, the most popular of which is a re-enactment of an admissions interview.

 

Prof. Jochen Runde | Judge Business School

Professor Jochen Runde is an exceptional academic who combines rigorous research with a passion for and commitment to excellent teaching. Jochen is known in the Department for his versatility in adjusting to the different learning styles of different students, whether undergraduates or graduates, creating the optimal learning environment for each one. He has contributed to the Department via teaching, programme development and leadership of key programmes. Students describe him as a ‘superb’ and ‘brilliant’ lecturer.

Professor Runde led the design, development and delivery of six highly innovative cross-disciplinary courses and has revamped other courses, including the MBA programme. An example of his pedagogical innovation can be seen in his development of interactive online economics texts for students (LiveEcon), which predated tablets and kindles and represent the world’s first self-standing, integrated and interactive economic texts. He was also the founder of the Business School’s Executive Education programmes’ flagship two week General Management programme, which has run biannually for the past 11 years. He is an outstanding member of the Department, who continues to make enduring contributions to education in Cambridge.

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