The Student Led Awards

If you want to see the full list of nominees you can check them out HERE. Apologies if theres any spelling errors in the names, they are as they were submitted.

After weeks of nominations and hours of deliberation, we've finally found our winners of this year's Student Led Awards!

Unfortunately due to current Covid restrictions having a traditional Student Led Awards isn't going to be possible this year. While this is disappointing we still thought it was important to celebrate the excellence that so many of Brunel's Staff demonstrate especially given the effort so many staff and students have put in over the past year in unprecedented circumstances. Hopefully next year we can return to having Student Led Awards in their traditional format.

This year though we decided we wanted to highlight those people at Brunel who had made an extraordinary difference during these extraordinary times. Whether it's the teaching staff going the extra mile to make sure students learning remotely have the support they need, cleaning staff ensuring that people are safe when they have to access facilities or students organising to support one another, we want to hear from you about the people who've made a difference this year.

Rather than a series of specific awards we wanted to allow students to recognise people for any activity you feel has made a substantial difference to the lives, education or wellbeing of students over the last year.

And recognise them you did with 200 nominations coming in from across the university highlighting the work of dozens of people at Brunel. People were recognised for all sorts of different things from their contribution to teaching, to their support of students, to their innovating lecturing style.

Some of the nominations were hilarious, others deeply moving with students reflecting on quality joke-telling in some and the profound impact that support can have on students lives in others. In the end, we could only choose 10 winners but there were so many people highlighted that could and should be recognised.

More than anything this process highlighted how, despite an incredibly challenging year, Brunel staff and students have gone above and beyond to help each other and to make the lives of other staff better. We hope that in highlighting those who have won we can contribute in some small way to furthering a community at Brunel that places empathy and excellence at its heart, and celebrates those who demonstrate both.

Without further ado 

Here are this year's winners of your Student-Led Awards!

Winners and Comments

Steve Pickering

They were nominated for a range of reasons with students highlighting your consistently excellent delivery online. Such was the quality of their teaching that one nominee questioned whether they had taught through a pandemic before!

They were praised for you communication skills, your verve and insight, and your contribution to students learning experience.

Finally, they were also commended for your efforts in organising events with Kobe University in Japan.

Of all our nominees they received the tied highest score with their contribution recognised as having a deep impact on a broad range of students.

Jou Yin Teoh

They were nominated for your “exceptional teaching abilities and outstanding character” as well as their passion for students. They were praised for going above and beyond the call of duty, helping students recognise their potential and doing so in a warm and friendly manner. One nominee described having them as a lecturer as “a blessing”.

They were also praised for ensuring that inclusion and diversity were top of people’s agenda and celebrated within programmes and for their organising of events for marginalised students as well as for using their platform to stand up and speak out. Another nominee highlighted that “In a world where some students do not feel seen, she works hard to let us know she sees us, hears us, and is there to support us.”

Of all our nominees they received the tied highest score with your contribution recognised as having a deep impact on a broad range of students.

Behzad Hezarkhani

They were nominated for the exceptional effort with regards to teaching, with students highlighting a number of way that you made their lives easier and their learning more effective. They were praised for their engagement with students, extra seminars, walk in sessions and their simulated practice environment.

They were also praised for sharing internship opportunities with students. Overall, the panel were impressed by the depth of support that was offered and the clear benefit that it provided.

Gabbie Icmat

They were nominated for their efforts in making first year physio students feel welcome and supported. People highlighted the extra study sessions they put on in their spare time as something they really appreciated.

They were also recognised for their kindness, enthusiasm and compassion, with one person commenting that they were “a credit to the university and the physiotherapy community/profession at large”.

Gwen Ineson

They were nominated both for their contribution to learning and contribution to community with nominations highlighting the impact they had on individuals and the department as a whole. In particular, people referred to the excellent support they provide and their willingness to listen to people problems and their positivity.

One nominee in particular commented that they would never forget their kind and continuous support. Others commented that they were deeply knowledgeable and referred to them as a “star” in the department. The panel felt that the depth of their impact on these students was particularly impressive.

Jago Morrison

They were nominated for their contributions to learning and support. Nominations highlighted their willingness to take time out for students, their contribution to students understanding of complex topics and their attempts to bring humour to an otherwise challenging year (although the quality of the dad jokes was questioned).

Crucially nominations highlighted that their impact on particular students had been substantial, with students crediting them with having a life altering impact on them during their time at Brunel, both through their support and through their “passion and zest [for learning] that could fuel the sun”.

Kacper Strojwas

They were nominated for their contributions to the community at large, in particular their volunteering at Watford hospital during the pandemic. They were also noted for their support and empathy to others.

Krison Thakkar

They were nominated for your consistent support of the international community during a challenging time and their patience and commitment while doing so. Nominee's pointed to their consistent commitment to other students wellbeing over an extended period of time.

Sherina Daryanani

They were nominated for a number of different reasons including their work with volunteers, their organising of events and speakers, their work as a peer assistance leader and their work with the Brunel Rotaract Club.

Nominations highlighted how they increased student’s passion for learning, their selflessness and their patience and organisation. Several students also commented on their impact on them personally. The panel was impressed by the depth and breadth of the impact their nominations demonstrated.

Monomita Nandy

Why they were nominated.

They were recognised for your contribution to learning and the passion you brought to their work. Students highlighted their knowledge and passion as well as their collaboration with others as reasons why they should be recognised. The panel were impressed by the breadth of their impact on students and the large number of nominations they received.