The Vice-Chancellor's Awards for Staff Excellence 2020 - Brochure

The Vice-Chancellor’s Awards for Staff Excellence 2020

Wednesday 30th September 2020

Welcome

Welcome to the ninth annual Staff Excellence Awards. This special event gives us the opportunity to celebrate and reward colleagues who have been doing outstanding work in a variety of areas at the University of Wolverhampton.

This past year has brought new challenges, particularly during the last six months with the outbreak of the COVID -19 pandemic. Staff have been extraordinarily committed during the difficulties that we have all faced and we wanted to recognise the efforts in addressing these particular challenges, which is why this year we have an additional two COVID -19 awards.

In total there are 12 award categories in order for us to show our appreciation of the huge contributions made by staff, who are integral to creating an environment in which students can succeed. Whatever the job role, each and every member of staff is vital in contributing to our presence as the University of Opportunity.

Nominees in the majority of categories have been determined by staff nominating their peers, an honour in itself as colleagues have taken the time to highlight the excellent work being done. Meanwhile, the Enriching the Learning Experience nominee shortlist was determined through the University’s annual student survey in which 543 students nominated 322 staff members as part of this award.

The judging process each year involves two separate panels, the first of which recommends a short list from the nominations received and the second of which selects the winners in each category. There was an extremely high number and standard of nominations this year, so these panels had very tough decisions to make!

Thank you all for your continued hard work over the last 12 months –the dedication of all our staff is greatly appreciated and the colleagues nominated tonight should be especially proud of their achievements.

Congratulations! I wish you all a very pleasant evening.

Professor Geoff Layer Vice-Chancellor

Nominated by students

An individual or team who has had a positive impact on the students’ learning experience, being particularly creative or stimulating in the way they teach and assess or in the way they have supported learning.

There were 543 nominations from students this year – below is just a selection of quotes highlighting the positive impact the nominees have had on the student experience.

Anthony Hatfield Faculty of Science and Engineering

“Ant has been outstanding and supportive in every aspect of my learning career. I truly feel that Ant has helped my learning whilst at the university.”

“I can honestly say Ant has been the best lecturer I have had while here. He applies so much of his experience to our lectures and does his best to bring everything out of his students.”

“Anthony Hatfield makes the lectures interesting and engages the class rather than just talking at us.”

“He is very supportive, listens to students and goes above and beyond if a student isn’t ‘up to speed’.”

“He has a good understanding of course topics and can reinforce lectures with anecdotes. as well as this he is happy to aid if issues occur in other modules and provides consistent support.”

“A very good ‘people person’ and cares about his students and their worries. Understanding and approachable.”

Dr Liam Naughton Faculty of Science and Engineering

“Liam Naughton is the only reason I’ve not dropped out of university this year. He is always available for a chat and course help. Not only is he an exceptional lecturer but is also an excellent role model. I couldn’t think of another member of staff more deserving of this award. When I eventually teach I hope I have the same impact on my students.”

“He expands the learning experience beyond the classroom by encouraging me to involve myself in extracurricular activities such as the Mathematics Society, the Mainframe Society which expands your mind and skill set by encouraging you to learn about programming skill and also introduce students to large companies such as IBM through seminars and networking. He takes the pains to mail individually about these programmes and send reminders.”

“Liam Naughton is great at bringing people along and him and his team are a great support.”

Dideolu Olufelo Faculty of Arts, Business and Social Sciences

“Dideolu Olufelo knew us all by names and the whole class felt a sense of belonging. She prepares very well and answers every question that students ask. She spends time explaining using different examples and scenarios for everyone to understand, and loves asking each of us questions to make sure we understood what she taught. She is the best lecturer I’ve had so far.”

Excellence in Partnership

An individual or a team that has demonstrated outstanding commitment and professionalism through partnership working, to a high quality service to our students, staff or stakeholders.

Dr Matthew Birks, Joanne Bradley, Winnie Kutsime Chigwedere, Ian Cooper, Joanna Logan, Katie Oulwajobi, Teresa Shaw, Dr Sarah Sherwin, Lorna Southan, Roy Thompson

Faculty of Education, Health and Wellbeing, Nursing Associate Team

The Nursing Associate team delivers the nursing associate foundation degree programme, designing and validating three different curricula in three years to keep pace with the requirements of the Nursing and Midwifery Council and Health Education England, and working in partnership with 16 different employers across the West Midlands health economy. In February 2020 the programme was audited by Health Education England and recognised for excellent partnership working between employers and our academic team.

During the COVID -19 pandemic many students, as employees, have returned to the workplace to support the NHS, so their studies have been paused. However the team have continued to offer weekly peer support meetings through CANVAS to all cohorts as they deal with some traumatic and difficult situations in clinical practice.

This adaptable, innovative small team is making a significant difference in supporting the work of the NHS and wider health care workforce and deserves to be recognised.

Sonia Goraya

Faculty of Education, Health and Wellbeing

Sonia Goraya shows a consistently positive approach to her work, and uses her initiative to ensure she is always one step ahead. She has built up excellent working relationships with the academics she works with and meets finance deadlines, plus submission and moderation dates often at short notice. She competently deals with senior teachers, head teachers and executive leaders, dealing with queries from applicants and participants, and manages their submissions to handling often sensitive requests for deferrals

Dr Metka Potocnik

Faculty of Arts, Business and Social Sciences

Metka works to inspire others through her phenomenal activities and is keen to push for collaboration between the University’s Faculties and Schools. She has created the CFC (Cross Faculty Collaboration) initiative, working with the Faculty of Arts and School of Performing Arts, Business School, Law school, and School of Pharmacy to create a network of academics to deliver events and activities to enhance the

and extenuating circumstances. She has also prepared a comprehensive handbook to support the role. Since the COVID-19 situation she has further proved what a valuable asset she is to the NPQ and wider team, meeting the challenges she has faced head-on and providing seamless support to colleagues and participants. This nomination is supported by Dr Ada Adeghe NPQ programme director, Dr Sean Starr NPQ Academic, and Sonia’s line manager Julie Richmond external partnerships co-ordinator.

student experience and encourage stronger collaborative working. Some of this work has included branding and trademark sessions, health and wellbeing workshops, and revival of the University of Wolverhampton record label. She is an inspiring individual and has also organised a number of Women in Law events to champion equality and diversity in law.

Excellence in Valuing Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

An individual or team who has demonstrated an outstanding commitment to ensuring equality, valuing diversity, and promoting inclusion for students and/or staff, such as developing positive and proactive initiatives to recognise and address the differing experiences of our diverse student and/ or staff base, championing inclusion to enable all to achieve their potential, free from discrimination or prejudice, or making a valuable contribution to a staff network.

Khaled Ayad Faculty of Science and Engineering, Department of Civil Engineering

Since starting at the University in September 2010, Khaled has embedded his own values into the way he works in a manner that perfectly fits the University’s values about equality, diversity, and inclusion. He proactively meets students’ different learning needs, engaging well with tutor awareness sheets for students who have varying needs such as autism, anxiety and dyslexia. Within his lesson planning, Khaled extended his efforts to communicate with these students to ensure that their needs are met.

Khaled is also valued by students who struggle with English because it is not their first language. These students report that they particularly find Khaled approachable, both in and outside of the classroom. Khaled is kind and has a willingness to share his own experiences with students and colleagues. Overall, Khaled has achieved so much during his time here and is committed to supporting students and colleagues in an inspirational way.

Hajirja has spent the last two years developing the Women in Business flagship events within the Business School. She spends many hours voluntarily organising and planning the annual Women in Business Conference, which this year hosted over 100 delegates and a range of high profile speakers and guests. She also hosts and organises the International Women’s

Day networking event each year in March with guest speakers and lunch for local businesses, students, and staff to celebrate IWD. In addition, Hajrija also sits on the Faculty Equality and Diversity committee as the Women’s Rep. She is dedicated to promoting gender equality across the faculty and deserves to be rewarded for her hard work and dedication to the cause.

Mel Best, Kay Biscomb, Chris Faulkner, Ally Forbes, Kath Leflay, Kerry Matthews, Richard Medcalf, Tracy Nash, Ronnie Richards, Tina Smith, Gavin Ward

Faculty of Education, Health and Wellbeing, Ally Forbes and the Sport Department

Athena SWAN Self-Assessment Team.

Ally Forbes has put together a strong Sport Department Athena SWAN self-assessment team (SAT). This group has taken feedback from the unsuccessful application for an AS Bronze Award in 2017 and has engaged with other schools and departments to share good practice and lessons learnt. They have surveyed staff experiences and undertaken interviews, and in doing so put together an action plan to help attain equality and diversity objectives in sport, supporting the attainment of these beyond sport. Putting together a departmental Athena SWAN application is an enormous undertaking due to the data collection and analysis required, and the associated challenges in attaining this data. To date, they are the only department across the University to apply for a departmental Athena SWAN award, and while they were unsuccessful on the first attempt, they have taken on board feedback and produced a strengthened application.

Hajrija Dergic Faculty of Arts, Business and Social Sciences

Inspirational Team Member

An individual who has supported and motivated team colleagues to develop their potential and work together with purpose and professionalism to achieve the highest standards.

Julie Hughes Faculty of Education, Health and Wellbeing

Julie was the obvious choice to oversee the Academic Coach scheme, as she is an excellent citizen and leads by example. ‘Above and beyond’ doesn’t begin to cover what Julie does for her students and her colleagues, who say they know they are always welcome to turn to her whenever they need reassurance. Her commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion is exemplary, because while Julie has a heart of gold she is

Dr Ranjit Khutan Faculty of Education, Health and Wellbeing

Dr Ranjit Khutan has actively addressed the challenge of staff diversity by being open about his own disability, sexuality, and experiences of race and ethnicity, as well as by leading and implementing a change of culture in the team.

Ranjit has previously worked and continues to volunteer, to address the public health needs of the BAME and LGBT community, and was recognised nationally by the NHS for these contributions. Ranjit draws on what he has learnt in these roles, and by recognising the need for

Andy Tromans Human Resources

Andy Tromans is a great addition to the HR Service and the Organisational Development Team in particular, and an inspirational team member in the way he supports staff within the HR Service and in teams across the University. Andy delivers team development both to high performing teams and to those teams where there is some tension. These teams go away more motivated to achieve improved results, and his events evaluate very well.

also confident and determined. Not only does she fight for equality, she actively encourages her students and colleagues to ‘be the change’ in every aspect of our lives, inside and outside of the university.

Julie’s nominator said that Julie gives her students and colleagues confidence, courage, and strength, and is “the teacher I want to be.”

academic staff to reflect the student population he has actively encouraged applicants from diverse backgrounds to apply for academic roles in the department. Ranjit deserves this award because he has motivated his team and others to develop their potential and to achieve the highest standards. In doing so he contributes to ensuring the University of Wolverhampton truly is the University of Opportunity, and not just for some, but for everyone.

Andy gets people to work together with professionalism while achieving the highest standards. Recently, post-lockdown, Andy has worked hard to keep the HR Service motivated and connected. He always shows a positive attitude and lots of energy. Last week he hosted an online ‘not in the pub’ quiz at the “Trainers Arms”. He facilitated this through ‘Kahoot’ with the support of one of his team members. It was an excellent social event which really brought the team together.

Above and Beyond

An individual or a team that has made a substantial, but largely unrecognised, contribution to our, students, staff or stakeholders – and in doing so, has gone above and beyond the high quality of service and professionalism we would expect.

Emma Niemczyk Faculty of Science and Engineering

Since becoming Graduate Teaching Assistant in September 2018, Emma has shown huge amounts of passion for her subject and dedication to her students. Her ideas for the foundation year have had a real positive impact on everything from welcome week to re-sit support. Emma has gone above and beyond to provide an excellent experience for the students she teaches who often comment on how much they enjoy her interactive and inclusive lessons.

Jackie Pieterick Faculty of Arts, Business and Social Sciences

Jackie has had multiple nominations for this award. She established the School of Humanities’ enduringly popular Creative and Professional Writing course, developing it along with its teaching team for over 25 years. Jackie has always placed her students at the centre of all her activities, whether it be teaching or research, putting students and her colleagues ahead of her

Dr Said Piyal Faculty of Arts, Business and Social Sciences

As Head of the Law School and having worked in HE for nearly 30 years, Said is truly someone who ensures that students, staff, and the School are doing their best in challenging times. He has shown huge dedication to his students on campus and at BCAS in Sri Lanka. Whenever there is teaching or cover staff needed at short notice, even overseas, Said has always stepped in without question. Students in Sri Lanka have expressed their gratitude for his support and

Melissa Thorneycroft Research Policy Unit

With multiple nominations to her name, Melissa is described as “invaluable support during ongoing REF preparations… particularly… in the implementation and application of the software Symplectic Elements… through her tremendously hard work we achieved a record implementation time of 8 months.” Melissa has been praised for continuing to give her time in helping others, even when dealing with an overwhelming workload herself.

Emma has a passion for education and she is not afraid to speak up for those who struggle. As someone who has said she openly deals with mental health issues herself, she is a champion in this area, and students see her as empathetic and understanding. Engaging with outreach activities, she has been in regular contact with all Animal Behaviour and Wildlife Conservation applicants for 2021 start – continuing to provide excellent support during the challenges of lockdown.

own wellbeing, delaying her own retirement in order to mentor two new members of staff and enabling a smooth transition after her departure.

“She has been thoroughly selfless throughout her tenure in the School of Humanities, and when she leaves she will leave an enormous Jackie-shaped hole that we will struggle to fill.”

brilliant teaching efforts, while his home students have been fully engaged and informed. Each year has marked an increase in student numbers, in part due to his dedication and commitment. Said quietly gets on and does an excellent job. He is liked and respected by the students despite teaching heavy subjects including Property Law, and Equity and Trusts. Said has consistently provided high quality service and professionalism.

“I cannot fault her commitment, persistence, enthusiasm, and interpersonal skills. She is an asset to the University, a team player, a lovely person to work with, and resilient and resourceful in all her dealings.”

“She responds to all requests for help (no matter how obvious, difficult, or inane) with incredible patience and good humour.”

“Her achievements are already astonishing: from 50 profiles completed when we launched in February, we now have 273 in March.”

Contribution to the University’s Presence

An individual or team who has made a major contribution at any level to any University related activity, whether by leadership, quality, support, implementation, estate enhancement or professional developments such as media or promotion; which has enhanced the University’s presence. An individual or team who has made a major contribution at any level to any University related activity, whether by leadership, quality, support, implementation, estate enhancement or professional developments such as media or promotion; which has enhanced the University’s presence.

Alex is the sole administrator dealing with about 300 apprentices within the Faculty of Science and Engineering. She collates all the various bits of onerous paperwork and where necessary chases academic staff and skills coaches to ensure all documents are compliant with the funding requirements. She works efficiently and in a manner that is always polite and professional. She deals directly with the apprentices and many of them have commented how she has helped them to register correctly. Her work is of

the highest quality which reflects well with our external stakeholders, be they employers and apprentices themselves. In this way she has positively enhanced the reputation and presence of the university. As an academic dealing with apprenticeships I know that I can have confidence with the records and systems that Alex keeps to ensure that as an institution we are meeting our obligations and exceeding expectations of employers.

Opinderjit has enhanced the University’s presence in the important field of community engagement. Her work for the Centre of Sikh and Panjabi Studies (CSPS) is extensive and exemplary, and the several awards she has garnered are a testimony to her contributions.

The events she organises as a part of her role as Director of the CSPS are widely recognised, and she is a dedicated scholar and activist with a commitment to upholding the values of the University.

Opinderjit has worked assiduously to raise the University’s profile, achieving this on regional, national and global levels. She has founded and single-handedly directed the Centre for Sikh and Punjabi Studies - the first such research institute in Britain – and she has received many accolades for her community work, including an MBE and being named Inspirational Woman of the Year by Asian Today.

The University basks in the glow of her light.

Marion is an amazing lecturer and is known as the person to go to if a student feels any form of distress.

Maqsoodah takes on challenging tasks that may have been challenging because she was new and would not have known what to do, but never turns anyone away or says she’s too busy to have a chat.

Elaine Arnull is director of the department and has used creative ideas from both staff and from

her experiences to form a development plan, which has been approved in a short time.

Warren Smith is a very supportive member of staff and is always around to help and support colleagues, especially when university processes are slow.

Omie Griffiths is known as the person who will always make time to support students through their learning journey.

Alex Harrison Faculty of Science and Engineering

Dr Opinderjit Takhar Faculty of Arts, Business and Social Sciences

Elaine Arnull, Maqsoodah Ashraf, Omie Griffiths, Marion Sheffield, Warren Smith Faculty of Education, Health and Wellbeing

Innovation or Initiative of the Year

An individual or team who has identified and delivered imaginative solutions or ways of working which have enhanced the student experience or service delivery, delivered efficiencies and/or have successfully generated income.

Garrett Kennedy Faculty of Education, Health and Wellbeing, Department of Psychology

In response to current challenges in student mental health, Garrett Kennedy developed the Wolverhampton Psychology Community Research Clinic (PCRC). The clinic is a mental health and resilience-building community that responds to student need, creates clinical placement experiences for our student trainees, provides support inside and outside the university, and engages in real-world research with students and users.

The clinic also provides workshops that cover some general areas relating to mental health such as “understanding anxiety” and “managing exam stress”. In addition, the clinic provides support and supervision for the University of Wolverhampton Student Support services. The clinic is within its first year and is currently being evaluated by Garrett, the results of which will form part of his PhD. The clinic aims to expand beyond the University boundaries and thus provide some provision for the local community.

Dan Bate, Maryaa Bibi, Kellie Bradley, Sarah Byrne, Deborah Dallison, Arifa Dar, Sean Derrick, Holly Herzberg, Jimmy Jennings, Ameena Khan, Leanne Kidson, Connor Langley, Patricia Osborne, Matthew Pearce, Lucy Perkin, Georgia Perrin, Alex Robottom, Sacha Smith, Abi Spence, Harveer Virdi, Libby Watson, Rob Worley, Rose Worsley, Sarah Zacharek Faculty of Arts, Business and Social Sciences, Academic Coaches

This nomination is made posthumously on behalf of Dr Derek Walton, CoLT, who was instrumental in the creation and success of the Academic Coach (AC) initiative. Derek said that the ACs were the thing that he was most proud of in his career. We had intended to make this nomination together prior to his death in March 2020.

A two-year pilot scheme for academic coaches, this new hybrid role sought individuals who were recent graduates of the University who could work with and support our students in their transition into university, to nurture a sense of belonging, and to support them to achieve and progress in their studies.

As this group were recent graduates and employees, they were better suited to focusing on the individual student experience. They were relentless in their pursuit of achieving the right outcomes for their students and were quickly nicknamed the ‘terriers’ by Derek, as they were energetic, determined and tenacious.

The ACs are a credit to the University and a credit to Dr Derek Walton and his vision for supporting our students.

Laura Clode, Lisa Gough, Shamima Patel, Mandy Sahota Registry, Quality and Collaboration Unit

Wolverhampton’s Quality and Collaboration Unit has, for many years, organised external examiner induction days. While external examiners have valued the induction process, the logistics of organising appointments from all over the UK, who already have their own academic and professional commitments, to take a day out on a specific date has not been straightforward.

Laura Clode, supported by Mandy Sahota, proposed moving to an online induction process. The new team mastered lecture capture software (Panopto), developed online training materials,

recorded sessions and produced, edited and uploaded the materials to Canvas.

External examiners welcomed the opportunity to do the training at a time to suit themselves and if necessary to spread them out over a number of sessions, and the scheme saved in the region of £5,500.

The team’s innovative ideas, hard work in learning new software, and their liaison with staff both inside and outside of the University should be commended.

Outstanding Contribution to Research

An individual or team who has made a major contribution at any level to any university related research activity, whether by leadership, funding streams, quality, support, implementation or any professional developments.

Dr

Faculty of Science and Engineering

Since completing his PhD in 2014, Dr Arun Arjunan has built up a strong track record of publications, grant funding and impact. The latter includes transferring his research into industrial practice in collaboration with Hadley Group generating products over £44 million. Arun’s impactful work led to his winning the prestigious Queen’s Award for Innovation in 2014. Arun received the International Association of Advanced Materials “Young Scientist of the Year” award in 2018 for the development of the

Francesco Paradiso

Faculty of Arts, Business and Social Sciences

Francesco is Research and Impact Development Manager in FABSS and has shown not only a wonderful track record in successful bids but also versatility and adaptability across a range of discipline areas.

Francesco started off supporting bids in the Faculty of Arts but has developed and supported bids from across various discipline areas since moving into FABSS. He has a talent for bridging the gap between academic research concepts and the language of bidding, making it even more remarkable that he can do so across a range of very different academic discipline areas.

Institute for Community Research and Development

The Institute for Community Research and Development (ICRD), under the leadership of Professor Laura Caulfield, was set up in 2017 and part-funded by the University’s Research Investment Fund (RIF3).

In a very short space of time, the team developed a coherent research identity around a number of research themes including criminal justice, inequality and social analysis, and violence against women and girls. This has resulted in

Herschel-Quincke-Arjunan (HQA) waveguide where he extended the theoretical model postulated by G.W.Stewart in 1928. Arun demonstrated the proof-of-concept for HQA in his laboratory showing complete design-based sound absorption, which allows for future roads, building walls or airport infrastructure to act as sound attenuators. He is showing a strong upward trajectory in publications (as lead or sole author), and attracts funding for both his theoretical and applied research.

Francesco brings his own academic credibility to his bid development work combined with an attention to detail that is vital to successful bidding.

Francesco’s work is directly aligned with the University strategic plan and his contribution is essential for translating academic research concepts into bidding opportunities. His contribution to research has been incredibly valuable, and not just in monetary terms.

setting up the first ever Unit of Assessment in Social Work and Social Policy (UoA20) to be submitted to REF2021, comprising of 17 staff (subject to verification of staff eligibility). The team has also been very successful in attracting external funding, including from highly competitive sources such as UKRI. For the significant impact on the scale and quality of research related to social justice and policy, the ICRD team are worthy candidates for this award.

Arun Arjunan

Professor Laura Caulfield, Andy Jollie, Dr Rachel Massie, Dr James Rees, Dr Bożena Sojka

Excellent Citizen

An individual or team that has demonstrated exceptional citizenship in their willingness and commitment to helping others and/or making a significant positive difference for others in the University and/or wider community, such as working with voluntary organisations, involvement in a local environmental or sustainability project or mentoring others.

Professor Laura Caulfield Faculty of Arts, Business and Social Sciences

Professor Laura Caulfield embodies the Excellent Citizen criteria. In a short time she has become a well-known and respected researcher within the University, the wider community, and the region. Working to tackle real world issues that affect the most vulnerable and marginalised in our society, she has been involved in initiatives aimed to protect sex workers and an aging prison population. She is also involved in evaluating local violence reduction initiatives for the West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner,

Derek Walton (In his memory) Offices of the Vice-Chancellor

Derek made an outstanding contribution to the University during his time at the University in the many roles he had over the years. As Associate Dean in FSE he made a huge impact on the Faculty and his colleagues.

His nominator said: “I would like to put Derek forward for this award in his memory so that his family can see how much we as a University

smaller police organisations as well as volunteer and grass roots organisations.

An excellent mentor, Laura consistently provides opportunities for her team to be involved in projects with key stakeholders. Her expertise is frequently sought out within the region for assistance on researching societal issues. Her reputation benefits the University, the Institute for Community Research and Development, and those she mentors.

appreciated him and all he did for us. Derek guided me and helped me settle in to my work. Even though it was nothing to do with his job, Derek assisted me when I bought my first home, going through all the things I needed to do and witnessing the signing of documents. He was a pleasure to work with and all of his colleagues loved him. The University won’t be the same without him, he was such a genuine man.”

Sarah Byrne, Arifa Dar, Holly Herzberg, Julie Hughes, Daniel Kinsey, Sarah Schofield

Coaches Kitchen: Academic Coaches, Graduate Teaching Assistants and the Chaplaincy Team

The Coaches Kitchen idea is about connection, community and support. Prior to the COVID -19 lockdown this existed in real life and provided a physical space where students and colleagues could meet, have conversations and share their worries, concerns or ideas in a safe and supportive environment. As the coronavirus situation escalated, the team behind this initiative made thoughtful and innovative adjustments to maintain and develop the Coaches Kitchen community online. This includes practical skills

such as cook-along sessions and emotional support, e.g. encouraging the community to contribute to a collaborative journal of the lockdown with the intention that this could be part of local history archives and resources.

This initiative showcases some of the very best qualities of the University of Wolverhampton: welcoming, supportive, innovative yet pragmatic, and genuinely caring about the wellbeing of the student community.

Outstanding Support for Students, during COVID-19 pandemic

Putting academic or technical skills to good use in terms of innovation or going above and beyond to ensure our students are supported in successfully reaching their academic goals at this difficult time.

Sonia Billings, Mark Crisp, Maria Frost, Abdul Hameed, Sarah Schofield, Shyam Singh Chaplaincy

The chaplaincy has given so much during the pandemic. Numerous students have had loved ones pass away or be incredibly unwell, and connecting students with the chaplains has given these students a place to express their feelings. The chaplains really have gone above and beyond, such as organising a student’s father to be named in an online mass, calling students, and offering so much additional pastoral support. A number of students who have accessed the chaplains’ support have expressed their gratitude for all that they have done.

Remel Chinn, Luke Green, Tashon Reid-Palmer, Vickie Warren, Mags Winthrop External Engagement, Corporate Content and Communications Team

Regular communications which are clear, concise, well-timed, and relevant are key in both the response and recovery phases of any crisis.

The Corporate Communications team rose to the challenge with daily messages going to both students and staff along with responding to the press and engaging with key stakeholders such as MPs.

The team put in place a rota covering social media 8am-10pm from March 20th including

weekends, Easter, and the May Bank holiday responding to current and prospective student queries. Our social media engagement well outperformed our competitors as a result.

The team introduced and innovated with new technologies at pace including Zoom, Chatify, and UniBuddy to facilitate live Q&A sessions for students and staff with positive results in reach and interaction. They also ensured the University was positively positioned throughout the crisis regarding our community response.

Emma Alsop, Adam Butler, Wendy Cotterill, Grace Deakin, Nicola Faulkner, Nazia Hoque, Manpreet Kaur Brar, Rebecca Law, James Lee, Jaqueline Maltman, Joanne Marriott, Chris Peebles, Ben Redfern, Shirley Seager, Sharon Sedgwick, Gemma Thompson, Joanna Quaye, Elaine Wileman, Gemma Wright

Faculty of Education, Health and Wellbeing, Student Services

Prior to the lockdown, this team of student advisors, student services administrators, and graduate interns acted quickly to transform the way students are measured for their uniforms. A new intake of student nurses/apprenticeships were due to commence and undergo their face-to-face measure service which involved trying on samples to ensure fit, yet the world was beginning to see fearful and unfamiliar challenges.

To eliminate unnecessary risk the team transitioned the existing process to registering their details online, which ultimately brought about new efficiencies.

The team continued to support an influx of queries from concerned students either needing to shield due to underlying health conditions of their own or self-isolate to care for other members of their family.

This data helped inform the University’s situation prior to Governmental lockdown.

Outstanding Contribution to Community, during COVID-19 pandemic

Recognising an outstanding individual or a team who has helped their community or local area, for example by launching a project or initiative, or given up their time to help others in their local community.

Mel Harris

Access and Outreach, Aspire2Uni project

Mel Harris is the coordinator of the Aspire2Uni project, which works with looked after children (LAC, meaning in public care) in Wolverhampton, Walsall, Sandwell, and Staffordshire to develop their aspirations to attend university. The project began in November 2014 and has gone from strength to strength, with hundreds of young people and foster carers now involved.

Mel oversees the increasingly complex programme of events, with outreach and enrichment activities for pupils from years 7 to

12, as well as leading and training the team of mentors who work with the young people. She chairs the Steering Group and Operational Group meetings with charm and confidence.

Mel also follows up on the actions and is a dynamo in making things work, from residential events for the children where she has had to endure sleep deprivation, to online group mentoring sessions. Everyone involved in the project knows and relies on Mel, but for her ‘’it’s all about the kids’’.

Faculty of Education, Health and Wellbeing, Institute of Health

Impact of COVID -19 on professional programmes.

Students on all professional courses were asked to contribute to the national effort, with every 2nd and 3rd student on our professional pre-registration programmes, along with 1st year paramedics, being asked to opt in to a deployment (going out into trusts to work as part of clinical teams) or to opt out.

This has been a huge task, and Dom has coordinated this and led the external partnerships team who also deserve recognition.

Faculty of Science and Engineering

When the University limited its operation during the nationwide lockdown, Dr Graham SpareyTaylor delivered online teaching support to students from home.

While he was busy with students, he was not forgetting his own two boys who were looking to do something worthwhile for the community. As a result of a family conversation, Graham helped his boys set up a 3D printer in his garage and started looking at face shield designs.

Dom has led on our liaison with national bodies and, critically, been our single point of contact for multiple NHS Trusts, each of which has different requirements in terms of the deployment of students to support the COVID -19 response. We already have link tutors and practice leads within the University and in Trusts, and Dom has co-ordinated these networks to ensure consistency and efficiency in how we have managed this challenging activity.

The project soon exploded to become national news when social media was used to gather professionals who all offered to help and support the project. Graham’s initiative helped to support the University of Wolverhampton’s civic role in society and supplied face shields to local NHS trusts, care homes, and the local community. Dr Graham Sparey-Taylor has been recommended for this award due to his outstanding contribution to society at the time when it was needed most.

Dominic McCutcheon

Dr Graham Sparey-Taylor

Vice-Chancellor’s Special Award

Grace Peddie

BSL Interpreter, Directorate for Student and Academic Services

The Vice-Chancellor’s Special Award for the Staff Excellence Awards 2020 is presented to a member of staff who retired from the University at the end of August, but who has contributed a significant amount as a member of staff over the last 20+ years. I am delighted to announce that the recipient of this special award this year is Grace Peddie.

Many of the colleagues attending the awards ceremony this evening (30 September), and indeed many others across the University, will know Grace from her role as BSL Interpreter. This was a role which she started in 2002, when she was recruited by the then Communication Support Unit (CSU) which is now part of the Student Support and Wellbeing team within the Directorate of Student and Academic Services. Many of you will know that Grace first worked with the University as a cleaner for seven years whilst studying part-time with us for an undergraduate degree on the BA (Hons) BSL/ English Interpreting course. It was during Grace’s initial employment with us that she became inspired to study BSL/English Interpreting in order to support the deaf community.

After graduating in September 1998, Grace worked as a freelance interpreter in and around the Midlands until she became a BSL Interpreter at the University in 2002, a role which she continued in until her retirement earlier this year. Through her work in this role, Grace has been an integral part of the University’s support for deaf students and staff, and has helped us to build the strong and inspirational deaf community of which we are so proud. Grace’s significant contributions have led to her involvement in some of our key deaf support milestone events, such as the setting up and organising of the Deaf Learners’ Open Days from 2013-2015, and more recently the 25th Anniversary event for Deaf student support in November 2019.

The impact of the work that Grace has done for the University over the years is never more obvious than when you listen to the testimonies of the students and colleagues who have worked with Grace. Just a few of these sentiments are:

“I remember my first year at University – I didn’t know what to do and I felt so unsure … then I met you and just like that, you reassured me and I felt at ease.” (Student)

“Without you, I’d have struggled – the University is lucky to have had you.” (Student)

“You really empower deaf people.” (Student)

“You have no idea how amazing you are and how much you’ve helped us deaf students … we really appreciate all you’ve done.” (Student)

“I really enjoyed working with you and our trips out and about!” (John Hay – former colleague, Honorary Graduate of the University and wellknown member of the deaf community)

“I’m glad it was me who interviewed you for the job at the Uni – you have been a great colleague and co-worker.” (Louise Rhodes - colleague)

At the University of Wolverhampton, we are extremely proud of the support that we provide for our community of deaf students and we could not have fostered such a cherished and important legacy without the help of Grace and her colleagues in the BSL Interpreting team. This year’s award is dedicated to Grace Peddie in recognition of the commitment, passion and inspiration that she has given to those whom she has supported and worked with.

Derek Walton

A tribute from Geoff Layer

Derek worked with the University from 2008 until he sadly passed away earlier this year. He was an extremely respected colleague to many, having held roles across a number of areas in the University, including the Faculty of Science and Engineering, the International Centre / Directorate of Recruitment and Partnerships, the Offices of the Vice-Chancellor and latterly the Directorate of Student and Academic Services. He was committed and passionate, and always had a sense of humour.

Derek made a significant contribution to both staff and students in the University community and had a positive outlook that inspired everyone who knew him. The outpouring of feeling that was expressed by so many in the University was truly touching and a testament to what an impact Derek had on his colleagues and our students.

Tonight’s entertainment

R. M. Francis

Rob Francis is a lecturer in Creative and Professional Writing. He’s the author of five poetry pamphlet collections, his novel, Bella, was published with Wild Pressed Books, and his poetry collection, Subsidence, is due out with Smokestack Books in December. In 2019 he was the David Bradshaw writer in residence at the University of Oxford and is currently poet in residence for the Black Country Geological Society.

B Mus Popular Music students

This talented group of musicians will be giving a performance via a live stream that was part of last year’s BMus Popular Music Level 6 live improve performance. The talented musicians are Jamie Bonsor, Liam Cox, Bradley Walton, Alice Edwards, Marc Cope, Kyle Walker, and Wern Wong.

AJ Productions performance

Pop proficiency and soul is on display here, performed by current University of Wolverhampton students and alumni from the Popular Music and Music Technology courses. We have Nick Allen on vocals and keyboard, Scarlett Churchill on drums, Georgia Burgess on Saxophone, and Jake Mason on bass.

Thank you to everyone involved in tonight’s Awards for Staff Excellence and a big congratulations to all nominees and winners.