Archive

Winner: Helen Dawes

Professor for the Centre for Rehabilitation, HLS

"Helen is not only the hardest worker I have ever known personally, but she is approachable, enthusiastic, supportive and also one of the most generous people I have ever known. She is everything a 'Star' should be and I think there are many people at Brookes who will wholeheartedly agree with me. She is the first person in the office and the last to leave. In less than 10 years she has initiated and built the Movement Science Group and has made the research her team does go international. The work is increasingly recognised as world class research but at the same time is built around supporting local and national communities of people with significant disability. Going the extra mile seems to be a daily part of Helen’s work. When I think something is difficult, her energy seems to make it possible. Helen always has a ‘can do’ approach and she thinks outside of the box. She is an inspiration to all members of the group and to many others."

Shortlist:

Caroline Jackson-Houlston

Senior Lecturer in English Literature, HSS

"She deserves recognition not only for what she has contributed across her career, but also for the unstinting, undiminishing and unswerving commitment and love she has shown in the final years of her service. Caroline has spent a lifetime in love with her subject and with passionately conveying its value to generations of students and friends in the department."

Lee Beck

University Timetabling Manager, Timetabling and Room Bookings Team, ASA

"Lee has brought his passion for helping the community, volunteering and giving to charity to Brookes and beyond. He is fully committed in his efforts to make a significant difference to the Brookes community and is a great ambassador for Brookes."

Winner: Brian Rivers

Facilities and Services Manager, HSS

"Brian is a bedrock of administration within HSS. Unfailingly helpful he personifies the benefits of management by building strong and successful relationships across all parts of the faculty, the University and externally. He has a clear understanding of the importance of the student experience and works to ensure that the service the faculty provides direct to students, as well as those delivered through academic and administrative colleagues, are of a high quality. Whether it's completing spreadsheets or moving a desk, Brian is always happy to help. He takes on new tasks confident in his ability to get them done on time and to a high standard and as a result they always are. People trust Brian, professionally and personally and the benefits of this are evidenced in the way he works so effectively with the directorates and external suppliers to get work completed. He has worked so well with Estates to move staff out of Buckley and into Gibbs that no one realises any actual work is involved – it all just seems to happen!"

Shortlist

Laura Bartholomew

Executive Office Manager and PA to PVC Dean, Faculty of Business

"Laura could be the embodiment of the word 'inspiration' and is a genuine force for positivity and good within the wider faculty and the University."

Trish Cox

Head of Administration, Corporate Affairs

"She is absolutely driven by her own motivation to get better and better at what she does and is a real ambassador for positive change. Absolute perseverance and unlimited energy, motivation and confidence are what make Trish so impressive."

Tom Williams

Grounds Manager, EFM

"Tom makes things better; he is creative, helpful, inspirational, kind and constantly thinking of others. He has a glorious ‘can do' attitude and when working with him I am inspired and motivated by his energy."

Winner: Tom Williams

Grounds Manager, EFM

"Tom is one of Brookes' most loyal and dedicated members of staff. He oozes enthusiasm above and beyond measure for everything he is involved in. If Tom is engaged in a project (or solving a problem) then you know your objectives are going to be met with added bounce, pizazz and sparkle! On many occasions he has been so supportive to my area of work and a core factor in the success of high-profile activities. One example of how he thinks outside the box is the way he worked with me to devise a plan to transport key showcase material such Artie and the Formula Student Car, to and from the Ashmolean for our Brookes Live Friday event. Tom (and his Grounds Team) made it all stress free, enabling the University to present its key research areas attractively to thousands of visitors. More recently, Tom has been working with one of our visually impaired students to provide comfort facilities for her guide dog. He's taken time to get to know the dog (who has been trained to recognise Tom's voice) and become a buddy so that the student can get on with her studies without worrying about the dog's needs in an emergency."

Shortlist

Jacqui O’Rourke

Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Business

"Jacqui gives unstintingly of herself to both students and colleagues. The concern she shows to students with difficulties is genuine and heartfelt; the students on our programme clearly trust her and will confide in her to an extraordinary extent."

Jock Coats

Applications Developer, OBIS and Hall Warden, EFM

"His contribution as a warden goes over and above the requirement of his role and he creates a culture of generosity, diversity and respect. I believe his generosity will influence students’ futures and create a generation of future leaders, leading by example."

Sobia Afridi

Brookes Bridges Manager, Corporate Affairs

"Sobia is a remarkable person, alongside her role at Brookes, part-time degree, and family commitments, she devotes a huge amount of time to serving her local community and we believe she deserves recognition for this."

Winner: Anne Osterrieder

Lecturer in Biology and Science Communication, HLS

"She's a mover, a maker, a test tube shaker

Brookes science is global as she's a relationship maker

In 2015 for Oxford Science she became our Trustee,

Flying Brookes' flag to the max, how lucky are we...

Her passion and drive for outreach is outstanding,

Engaging local kids in science is magically heart pounding

From Rocket Car Derbies, spaghetti towers and more

The Science Bazaar rocks, people flow through Brookes’ door

She's a lead in plant science, also visualising tannins in tea

All stemming from her passion for microscopy...

She's significant, magnificent, a one off, unique

Her number of Twitter followers could make your knees go weak!

So let's raise a toast to this award-winning treasure

Our Brookes science powerhouse, her value beyond measure."

Shortlist

Anna Myers

Communications and Programme Manager - 2015 Anniversary, Corporate Affairs

"Given the scope and breadth of activities and engagement opportunities created in the 150 anniversary period, there are many examples of how Anna’s confident programme management helped lead staff, student and volunteer support."

Angie Maher

Programme Lead for Undergraduate Hospitality, Faculty of Business

"Angie embodies the guiding principle of connectedness through her connections with the hospitality and tourism industry, and students that are or have studied BSc International Hospitality Management have benefited from these connections."

Helena Webster

Associate Dean Strategy and Development, TDE

"Helena is currently coordinating the faculty's application for an Athena SWAN Bronze Award. She is connecting people through focus groups to hear about their experience and to identify actions for improvement."

Winner: Niall Munro

Senior Lecturer in American Literature and Director of Oxford Brookes Poetry Centre, HSS

"Niall is an exemplary colleague. He is extraordinarily generous and demonstrates his confidence in people and ideas in a number of different ways. As well as producing his own internationally important research, Niall helps to organise the department's research seminar series, placing confidence in his colleagues and bringing excellent speakers to Oxford Brookes. Everything he does is approached with careful planning and efficiency. He has an ability to inspire, enthuse and organise people without being overbearing. Niall is the director of the Oxford Brookes Poetry Centre, a position in which he excels. He is much loved by the students he teaches, deservedly winning the department's Nigel Messenger Teaching Award (as voted by the students). He is an excellent lecturer; thorough, conscientious, and keen to give students the necessary skills for life beyond university. His success in this area is a reflection of the confidence he has in students and which he passes on to them. Niall always has time for his colleagues and is an integral part of the department. He is dedicated and dependable and an invaluable member of the University."

Shortlist

Carolyn Mason

Head of the Department of Sport and Health Sciences, HLS

"She helps make everyone feel that they are making a positive difference and that their unseen efforts are noticed and noteworthy. At the heart of Carolyn's leadership success is her willingness to talk and listen with all staff."

Shabana Akhtar

Deputy Director, Strategic Business and Planning Office, Corporate Affairs

"From her very first days in the team Shabana demonstrated a personal commitment to her work that indicated a maturity beyond her years, a characteristic that is just as evident today."

Winner: Rozz McDonald

Senior Lecturer in Occupational Therapy, HLS

"Rozz has been instrumental in designing, delivering and promoting innovative dementia simulation workshops to the wider community of both new and existing health and social care partners. Her creativity and enthusiasm has generated a considerable amount of income (circa £30,000) and opened up opportunities to work with new colleagues. Rozz has travelled widely to deliver the course and has taken up the challenge of presenting at conferences, been involved in pricing negotiations and has worked hard at promoting and marketing the workshops, none of which she would describe as ‘within her comfort zone’. From her networking, reading and research on living well with dementia, Rozz has been sought out by a number of different organisations asking her to share her experiences and to discuss what she is doing to help educate and train staff and carers. Always a team player, Rozz is responsible for communicating to the customer and delivery team and her modest, consultative and friendly style sometimes hides the fact that she is a very well organised project manager."

Shortlist

Edwin Thomas

Digital Media and E-Learning Developer, HSS

"Ed is a naturally creative, think-outside-the-box type of person. Whatever the request from the academic staff member or student he supports, he will go out of his way to make it happen."

Winner: Brookes Nursery

HR

"In my eyes, the Nursery Team are a fantastic bunch of people – always happy, always smiling and always friendly. They give such great care to the children who attend the nursery and I think it speaks volumes that my child never wants to leave there at the end of the day! As a parent it gives me peace of mind that my child is being well looked after and I am so grateful for this. They have created such a lovely environment at the nursery that I just wish I was aged 0-5 so I could attend the nursery myself! The staff care so much and will go out of their way to make the children feel comfortable and happy, which makes the nursery feel like home from home, for both the children and parents. I have a lot of respect and appreciation for everyone who works there, they do a fantastic job and I would like to thank them and let them know their efforts do not go unnoticed."

Shortlist

OutBurst Organisers

cross University

"All through the process of planning and delivery they have been cheerful and willing participants, ready to go the extra mile. No one could fault them on their dedication and they are always ready to put in the required effort and expertise."

Ferndale Caretakers

EFM and HLS

"They are the heart of Ferndale and the extra lengths they go to are widely appreciated. They also know most of our students’ names (which is a feat with over 300 students on site), this is a lovely thing and helps students feel at home."

Winner: Oxford Brookes International Exchange Team

Corporate Affairs

"This small team routinely changes people's lives; their impact on the international preparedness and connectedness of our students is incalculable. Every year they arrange for 200 to 300 students to spend time on work placements or study on exchange at partner institutions overseas, where they are effectively ambassadors for Brookes. At the same time, they also administer the incoming exchange students, who then return to their home institutions with great stories and memories of Brookes and Oxford. There are pages full of wonderful feedback from students. One such example from last semester is: ‘I met some incredible people during my time away, who taught me a lot and really broadened my perspective of the world. I feel a lot more confident as a person and more at home within myself as a result of the exchange’. Within the last year the team has successfully re-negotiated the credit requirements for Brookes students in the USA, a process which entailed considerable work, coordinating with US partners, UK institutions and Brookes students in gathering appropriate evidence. They have worked to connect us with new institutional partners throughout the world such as Rutgers University in New Jersey. Their commitment to the student experience is total and passionate and through their own connectedness, they enable our students to increase theirs."

Shortlist

125 Years of Nursing Group

HLS

"They have brought together staff, nursing students, local NHS trusts and health organisations, alumni, public and community groups and influential nursing figures from the UK and around the world."

Accommodation Team

EFM

"The team faced a challenging couple of months in August and September 2015 to accommodate the demand from first year students. They displayed huge levels of connectedness – both inside and outside of the institution – in resolving this issue."

Winner: Marketing Team

HSS

"Working newly under Kirsty's leadership in the past year the team has reinvigorated the faculty approach to marketing; developing many innovative and more proactive strategies. As a team they model confidence and a readiness to try out new ideas. Last summer the Marketing Team revamped their approach to undergraduate recruitment. Working with academic colleagues and programme administration teams they confidently led on a more focused and proactive approach to conversion, developing a suite of activities designed to maintain points of contact with applicants and to maximise conversion. An innovative celebratory video, starring course leaders and keys members of support staff, was emailed to all applicants holding live offers within minutes of results being released in August. The video encapsulated the personal, positive engagement of staff with students that we pride ourselves upon. Alongside this the team organised a bespoke enquiry system whereby Clearing applicants could talk directly with academic tutors about their course options. These new initiatives resulted in strong levels of recruitment to courses across the faculty. It is empowering for colleagues to see their work so publicly valued and it ensures that the faculty has a dynamic and confident outward presence."

Shortlist

Paramedic Science Team

HLS

"The ‘above and beyond’ attitude from each team member leads to cohesive team working, resulting in positive programme changes, as well as moves to improve student experience and therefore ongoing recruitment."

Sports and Health Sciences Team

HLS

"As individuals they are stars, but as a group they are a constellation. All the individuals of the group contribute to the leadership of the department and make it what it is today."

Winner: Business and Marketing Management Core Teaching Team

Faculty of Business

"Not only have the team been passionate about sharing the subject of Marketing with our students, they have worked really hard to find creative ways to do this. The overall success of the team's work is evidenced in a number of ways: a steady move up the subject league tables; strong NSS scores and the implementation of an imaginative approach to improving the student learning experience. The Programme Lead organises the teaching to develop student cohort identity by ensuring consistency in the combination of teaching staff. Fran and Jacqui have been working with the Oxfordshire Rugby Football Union (RFU) on a three-year project to promote the clubs in their local communities. The clubs have been so positive that they now want to develop this relationship into a funded consultancy project for the national RFU. Another example of creatively making a difference to people’s lives is the work the team are doing with the Henry charity to undertake market research on its behalf. Neil and Lindsay led the successful development and launch of the Brookes Individual Skills Capture (BRISC); an innovative app on which students are encouraged to record the skills they learn on each module."

Shortlist

Graduation Team

ASA

"They are a shining example of the synergy that can be achieved through teamwork and of what can be achieved through sheer hard work and grit!"

Sport, Coaching and PE Team

HLS

"The Sport and Coaching Team has built Boing, a very successful social enterprise that places Sport, Coaching and PE students into primary schools in Oxfordshire to deliver primary school physical education."

Winner: Loredana Faraon

Operations Manager, Corporate Affairs

"Lori’s role requires her to work with a wide variety of people both internally and externally. She does this with a quiet and modest authority that is impressively effective. Her efficiency in her role resulted in her working as programme manager on the internationalisation strategy project, in which she manages to keep a wide range of people on track. Both the PVC International and the OBI Director would happily admit that there are times where they are more than happy to turn things over to Lori to virtually run the show, knowing that the job will be done better than they could do it themselves. She empowers everyone else to stay connected both with each other and with the job in hand. She is always cheerful, a pleasure to work with. A rising star."

Shortlist

Simonetta Manfredi

Director of Diversity Policy Research, HR

"Simonetta exemplifies connectedness. Simonetta is the Director of the Centre for Diversity Policy Research and Practice – an interdisciplinary, cross-institutional centre which specialises in research and knowledge exchange in the area of equality and diversity management in the workplace. Under Simonetta’s leadership, the centre is now at the forefront of applied diversity policy research in the HE sector and her work has had a transformative effect on practice in UK universities and beyond to promote gender equality. The key to this is Simonetta’s extensive network of leaders and practitioners which she uses proactively to foster improvements in management practice. This ensures that her research is translated into action to promote equality in the workplace."

Beth Hill

University Events Manager, Corporate Affairs

"Beth is the very essence of connectedness. While at Brookes she has built up contacts and links with people both within and outside the University that benefit the organisation enormously."

Ahmed Masoud

Business Development Manager, Corporate Affairs

"Ahmed took on the newly created role two years ago working in particular with the Faculties of Business and TDE. He also had responsibility for working on cross-faculty Trans National Education."

Cyrus Mower

Business Analyst, OBIS

"Cyrus takes the lead on liaising with student winners of the Brookes App competition. Using his analytical mind he can embellish the idea with the student to reach an app design that is creative, polished and functional."

Winner: Sally Wells

Head of Administration and Support Services, TDE

"Sally leads and empowers her team to think of new ways of working and engaging more actively in the life of the University, she is a great line manager, has attention to detail and is not only focused on the experience of students but also of staff. Effective, enthusiastic, collaborative and thoughtful, she’s always willing to try new ideas and take on new challenges. She has developed a deep understanding of her teams, their capabilities and how they can work together to deliver great experiences for staff and students."

Shortlist

Lisa Hale

Senior Lecturer, Corporate Affairs

"She not only demonstrates a rock-solid confidence in her own performance and abilities but inspires self-confidence in students and colleagues around her too."

Joe Parton

Intern, Corporate Affairs

"It seems that whenever a departmental colleague phones unexpectedly it is to ask for Joe's help: he has transformed from a star student ambassador to a star intern."

Belinda Platt

Head of Academic Office, ASA

"She was the breath of fresh air and beam of light that Student Central needed - smart, confident, fair - she really made us into the team we are today."

Adam Warwick

Receptionist, EFM

"Despite this being his first year as a warden, Adam has gone above and beyond during some very difficult times. We have had huge issues which Adam has had to help deal with."

Winner: Kate Williams

Head of Upgrade Study Advice Service, ASA

"Kate Williams is the embodiment of all the Brookes guiding principles. Her contribution has a direct, positive and lasting effect on students and staff across the University. Her generosity of spirit has consistently involved her redefining and extending the parameters of her role as Head of Upgrade. She demonstrates confidence in her team: Kate steps back so her team can step forward. Kate has connections throughout Brookes and liaises across the faculties to tailor-make sessions and resources. She uses her wisdom and extensive external network in disseminating her knowledge to the wider educational community."

Shortlist

Laura Banville

Programme Support Adviser, ASA

"Student experience is always at the forefront of Laura’s mind and she takes pride in her work and the work of the wider team to achieve high standards and meet critical deadlines."

Barbara Eichner

Senior Lecturer in Music, TDE

"It is hard to imagine anybody ‘going the extra mile’ in the way that Barbara does. She makes great personal sacrifices in order to dedicate herself to Brookes."

Alex Goody

Professor in 20th Century Literature, HSS

"She has been the linchpin in times of crisis for several of us individually, and for the department as a whole."

Helen Walthall

Programme Lead for Advance Practice, HLS

"She is always ready to go the extra mile for her colleagues and students, and it is high time her commitment and exceptional talents are publicly acknowledged and rewarded."

Winner: Georgina Spary

Business Intelligence Manager, Corporate Affairs

"The Strategic and Business Planning Office has taken some of the credit for the success of the Academic Performance Tracking Tool (APTT) but it is no exaggeration saying that the revolution for Brookes that this tool represents would not have been possible without George. The tool embodies George’s imagination, vision, expertise and determination. She is a limitless source of ideas for combining diverse but connected data sources to produce valuable insights. She has suggested ways that, in time, we could join data from finance with student and staff data to be able to examine financial viability of the academic delivery. Simply put a funny, clever and warm colleague, who produces hugely valuable contributions day in and day out."

Shortlist

Peter Andrew

Applications Developer, OBIS

"Peter conceived and developed a new way of delivering exam results for students that can dynamically grow with demand. He has successfully delivered this to strict deadlines and the result has been a much improved service."

Louise Hughes

Bio-imaging Unit Researcher & Microscopist, HLS

"Louise has gone beyond the core duties of her role and achieved great things for Brookes through numerous outreach activities."

Anna Nekaris

Professor in Anthropology, HSS

"She has achieved considerable enterprising creativity that reflects very well on the research and teaching at Brookes."

Sarah Warwick

Post & Distribution Manager, Corporate Affairs

"Since Sarah arrived at Brookes she has thrown herself into managing the Print and Distribution unit to an outstanding level."

Winner: Beth Hill

University Events Manager, Corporate Affairs

"Beth’s outstanding hard work and achievements are a source of pride and inspiration to all of us. Beth’s willingness to go above and beyond is well known, and her ideas and contributions make a real difference! It takes enormous time and energy to organise events like Live Friday, the inauguration of the Vice Chancellor or weekly open lectures. Beth always makes it a great success. Her work is exceptional and has a great impact on raising a positive profile of the University. We all can count on her to go that extra mile. She bakes for us, she sings for us, she laughs with us and she makes us feel good."

Shortlist

Carol Beadle

Manager Centre for Health, Medicine & Society, HSS

"Carol has always been able to relate to and empathise with others. She always sees the good and positive, and affirms it. Colleagues notice when she is not at work and miss her presence."

Chris Beck

Business Support Manager, HSS

"Whether it is helping colleagues with travel arrangements, assisting staff to complete claim forms or their work load plans or helping new colleagues settling in, Chris is always approachable and helpful."

Eleanor Lowe

Senior Lecturer in Drama, HSS

"Eleanor's commitment to her colleagues and students is second to none. She exemplifies generosity of spirit on a daily basis."

Martin Sawyer

Senior Curriculum Support Technician, HSS

"Martin is held in high regard by academic colleagues and students alike. His selfless and unassuming work at Brookes is mirrored by his outside activities as a scout leader and school governor."

Winner: Programme Leads in Healthcare

HLS

"The programme leads in the Clinical Health Care Department work tirelessly to improve the student experience, to support their staff and show commitment to Brookes. The NSS and employability scores for their programmes are testament to this hard work, with our graduates being sought over others in many health professions. The team is the outward face of Brookes to the health regulatory bodies, health care providers as well as our associate college partners. This is crucial to ensure local health care employers have confidence in Brookes and in the graduates we are providing for the workforce of the future. I have utmost confidence in all of them to be role modelling the guiding principle of confidence to students, staff and the external world."

Shortlist

Brookes Restaurant

Faculty of Business

"Brookes Restaurant is a fantastic example of Brookes' confidence in its excellence as a University, and this is led by its team of fantastic staff."

OBIS

"They lead the way with improvements to information systems and creating mobile/agile tools for teaching and learning."

Winner: HR/Payroll

HR

"The team of staff from HR and Payroll have been working together for the past two years on preparations for the new system. Based in Kennett House, their work is not always visible and they do not have day-to-day support and interaction with other colleagues. The volume of work has been enormous and at times the pressure to meet deadlines has been tough. The team has worked tirelessly throughout 2015 to bring the project to the point that we were able to attempt a parallel run. They have done this willingly, sacrificing time with family and friends, to ensure the success of the project. Their selfless commitment is crucial to the success of this project."

Shortlist

Caretakers at Wheatley

EFM

"They never fail to give a positive impression to all staff and guests of the University. You always feel like they are happy and want to help with anything."

Events Management

Corporate Affairs

"This year they excelled even more than normal; faced with staff turnover and unexpected challenges, Beth and Martina stepped into the gap with enthusiasm, energy and a willing smile."

Taught Programmes Team

ASA

"They are a team that goes the extra mile, one that strives to support one another and to work together in a supportive and collaborative way, and that has resulted in a team that is an absolute pleasure to have been a part of."

Winner: Dr Ye Xu and Peter Dent

TDE

"Dr Ye Xu and Peter Dent are nominated for their successfuldevelopment and delivery of two major international professional training programmes in China and South East Asia, which are now significant income streams for the department. The RICS Adaptation Qualifying Certificate in Advanced Valuation (QCAV) was a pioneering development which needed significant dedication and resilience from Peter and Ye to successfully develop and deliver. The Certificate of Real Estate Investment (CREIF) programme involves a partnership with the Asia Pacific Real Estate Association (APREA), headquartered in Singapore. It is a unique programme combining distance learning with case study workshops conducted by leading industry practitioners."

Shortlist

HSS Admin Managers

HSS

"They have succeeded in improving the student experience, integrating administrative support across the faculty, and providing more flexible and responsive services."

TDE Marketing

TDE

"The pioneering 2014 Undergraduate Virtual Open Day, the active recruitment of a long series of Brookes Interns and the pro-active approach to Social Media are just three examples of truly enterprising creativity."

Winner: Brookes UTC Project Team

Mixed

"The project team that created the new Swindon University Technical College (UTC) in September 2014 worked tirelessly to overcome challenges to ensure the project happened on time and was successful. The project was genuinely a multi-dimensional team encompassing the breadth of the University. Starting from a blank sheet and working in partnership with Johnson Matthey Fuel Cells, and with support from DfE and local employers, the UTC now provides a facility to educate and train engineers and entrepreneurs aged 14 to 19. It mirrors our history and the ethos of John Henry Brookes and truly represents connectedness, where a group of colleagues connected together to make this major project happen."

Shortlist

Brookes Sport Botley

EFM

"They provide excellent support to one another as well as the student teams who use the facilities."

Switchboard Team

EFM

"They have made a substantial effort as a team to make links across the University, with members of the team attending meetings with staff from an incredibly diverse range of departments."