Prize-winning graduate praises learning environment at Northumbria

The Northumbria graduate won the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management’s (CIEEM) Undergraduate Student Project Award for best dissertation. His project focused on different types of land use in Northumberland National Park and the variations this causes to invertebrates in its upland streams.

“I’m thrilled to have received this award from such a respected professional body in my field,” said Environmental Management graduate Scott. “The support I received from my supervisor and lecturers at Northumbria was extremely helpful from start to finish and enabled me to produce the dissertation to a high standard.”

The CIEEM 2014 awards, held at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens, were hosted by comedienne Helen Lederer and included speeches by leading environmentalist Chris Baines and Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Natural Environment and Science, Lord de Mauley.

Engineering and Environment Enterprise Fellow Dr Peter Glaves, who also attended the ceremony, said: “This award demonstrates the high quality and practical relevance of the work our environmental management students are producing. There has already been interest in Scott’s findings from consultants and land management organisations.”

CIEEM chief executive Sally Hayns said: “With more categories than ever before, this year’s awards ceremony was an opportunity for us to shine a light on individuals and organisations across the country that are leading and developing pioneering ecology projects and research, many of which have made a substantial impact in protecting and enhancing Britain’s biodiversity.”

Since graduating, Scott has worked as an Assistant Ecologist for EcoNorth, an ecological consultancy Business based in Newcastle.

He added: “The award from CIEEM will be recognised by future employers and research institutions. It will really help to advance my career in ecology and environmental management. I’m grateful to Northumbria University for giving me this opportunity and for all the support I received from academic staff during my degree.”

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AC/DC’s lead singer Brian Johnson, Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner Vera Baird QC and Baroness Howells of St Davids, OBE, all received honorary doctorates for their contributions to their respective fields. They were nominated for the awards by the University’s staff for their achievements, their links to Northumbria and for their sheer inspirational qualities.

Brian Johnson is lead singer of one of the world’s most successful rock bands – AC/DC have sold an estimated 200 million albums. He is a keen engineering and motorsports fan who enjoys racing vintage sports cars. He was recognised for the significant contribution he has made to the music industry for the past three decades.

Former student Vera Baird QC graduated with a degree in Law from Northumbria’s predecessor Newcastle Polytechnic in 1974. From her roots as Vice-President of the Students’ Union and editor of the student newspaper, she forged an impressive career as a barrister involved in landmark civil liberty cases.

Vera’s career took a political turn after being elected as a Labour MP, later becoming a minister and Solicitor General. She became the first Police and Crime Commissioner for Northumbria Police in 2012.

Baroness Howells of St Davids, OBE first encountered racism when she arrived in England to study in the 1950s and has been an active campaigner ever since, helping to shape race relations policy in the UK.

After a distinguished and wideranging career which included being the first black woman to sit on the Greater London Council’s Training Board and the first female member of the Court of Governors of the University of Greenwich, she was appointed a peerage to the House of Lords in 1999. The honorary doctorates were presented during ceremonies for students graduating from Engineering, Law and Life Sciences programmes.