Pilkington Prizes recognise outstanding teaching

Front row: left to right

Dr Richard Barnes / Dr Sue Brindley / Dr Tim Minshall / Lord Watson of Richmond / Dr Elizabeth Watson / Dr Glen Rangwala / Dr Fred Parker

Back row: Mr Paul Gibbs / Dr Torsten Krude / The Vice-Chancellor / Dr Simon Learmount / Dr Mark Manford   / Dr Deborah Longbottom

This year, prizes have gone to individuals who have pioneered new methods of learning, those whose work on outreach programmes has been simply outstanding, or those who have shown an incredible capacity to connect with, and inspire students to achieve.

All are linked by their commitment to teaching of the highest possible quality. The Pilkington Teaching Prizes were established in 1994 by businessman and alumnus of Trinity College, Sir Alastair Pilkington. The aim was to ensure that excellence in teaching at the University was given proper recognition.

The prize winners received their awards from the Vice-Chancellor during a reception at Downing College.

Dr Richard Barnes is a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience

Richard Barnes illuminates how systems physiology underpins our understanding of medicine and interactions with patients.  “Molecules do not come in to see you”, he teaches, “patients do; and while problems may have a molecular explanation, the whole system must be considered.”  Richard has been instrumental in the development and delivery of nearly every course in the Department, instructing medics, veterinarians and science students on reproduction, circulation, endocrinology and respiration.

Dr Sue Brindley is a Senior Lecturer at the Faculty of Education

From her appointment as Co-ordinator for the English PGCE, taking it from an Ofsted grade 3 to an “Outstanding” in less than a year, Sue Brindley has been noted for her energy, vision and intellectual leadership.

Sue developed the Faculty’s most successful taught Masters course – Researching Practice – applying accomplished digital technology skills to new learning modules and teaching materials.

Mr Paul Gibbs is a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Surgery

A transplant surgeon and the Medical School’s Specialty Director for Surgery, Paul Gibbs’ contribution to medical education –   at a time when surgical teaching for undergraduates has been cut at other institutions –  is exemplary, and influential.

Paul’s teaching emphasises student involvement in patient care, including hands-on experience assisting in theatre.  He has been instrumental in developing the surgical teaching element of the clinical curriculum, and has worked particularly hard on Final year surgical placements, in which students take increasing responsibility for patient care, under supervision.

Dr Torsten Krude is a Lecturer at the Department of Zoology

For many years, Torsten Krude has introduced Zoology students to the molecular biology of the cell nucleus.  His lectures, which set the tone for the Cell and Developmental Biology course at the beginning of Year Two, regularly receive outstanding praise from students.

An innovative and devoted teacher, Torsten has initiated a series of practical classes to accompany these lectures, which provide undergraduates with a hands-on introduction to the sophisticated molecular techniques used by researchers.

Dr Simon Learmount is a Lecturer at the Faculty of Business and Management

Simon Learmount contributes more hours teaching across all levels within the Faculty of Business and Management than any other University Officer.  This fact, and the high demand for his supervisory guidance from undergraduate and graduate students, is testimony to Simon’s dedication as a teacher.

Along with leading two courses on the MBA, Simon teaches for the Masters in Finance, and directs the enormously successful Executive MBA, which he helped to develop and launch, in 2009, to meet the learning needs of senior working professionals.

Dr Deborah Longbottom is a Teaching Fellow at the Department of Chemistry

Deborah Longbottom is an energetic and devoted teacher who represents the best of university and college teaching, through her post in the Department of Chemistry, and as College Lecturer at Homerton.

Deborah’s lectures are superbly constructed, and delivered with energy and style. She goes the extra mile to bring her subject matter to life, and not surprisingly, her lectures are rated very highly by students.

Dr Mark Manford Associate Lecturer and Clinical Service Director for Neurology

School of Clinical Medicine

In addition to Mark Manford’s clinical practice as a Consultant Neurologist, he has played a pivotal role in undergraduate medical education.  Mark’s academic and clinical perspectives greatly benefit his students, who invariably remark on the freshness and originality of his teaching, his willingness to listen, his patience, and good humour.

Mark has been a leader in implementing a new clinical curriculum, involving a complete restructuring of how medical specialities are taught.   As Year 5 Coordinator, Mark expanded the teaching in primary care, giving students experience of specialty care in general practice. He also introduced on-line delivery of teaching material that allows students better access in relation to their clinical training, complemented by podcasts and other e-learning materials.

Dr Tim Minshall is a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Engineering

Tim Minshall’s teaching is remarkable in its quality, diversity and impact. He consistently achieves the highest number of “excellent” ratings for the Manufacturing Engineering Tripos, and won Best Fourth Year Lecturer in 2009.  Noted for his talent in imaginatively conveying complex ideas, Tim keeps his courses, such as “The Engineer in Society”, up-to-the-minute in content and delivery, with engaging guest speakers and on-line learning tools; and he embraces difficult concepts –   ethics in engineering, for example –  in a way that motivates students to engage.

Dr Fred Parker is a Senior Lecturer at the Faculty of English

For twenty-five years, Fred Parker has been an extraordinary college supervisor and lecturer within the Faculty of English, eliciting the best from students, from undergraduate to PhD and in the wider world.  As Director of Graduate Studies, Fred has devised new courses and enhanced the student experience with faculty shadowing schemes, peer writing-groups and electronic seminars. His undergraduate students, too, praise him as “excellent”, “fascinating” and “fantastic,” for the clarity of his lectures, their “sheer usefulness”, and the way in which he challenges them to think.

Dr Glen Rangwala is a Lecturer at the Department of Politics and International Studies

Glen Rangwala is a keen innovator in creating new papers for undergraduates and graduates, broadening the Department’s teaching to help students develop a detailed understanding of modern politics.  His courses, which employ modern case studies, have been received as “superb” by students, who value Glen’s theoretical reflection and deep knowledge of specific regions, political episodes and processes.

Dr Elizabeth Watson is a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Geography

Elizabeth Watson is an outstanding teacher whose creativity, care and commitment have earned her the respect and affection of cohorts of undergraduate and graduate students.

Her courses on Development, and on Africa, are consistently popular; and she is noted particularly for her innovations in fieldwork and cross-disciplinary teaching. Her field course to Morocco, focussing on development in a cross-cultural environment, is the most highly-subscribed in the Department; and her graduate course on the ‘Political Ecology of Climate Change in Africa’, has built the foundation for cross-Departmental Masters teaching between the Departments of Geography, Politics, and the Centre of African Studies.

Dr Anna Williams is a Lecturer at the Faculty of Divinity

Anna Williams has shown tremendous dedication to the undergraduate teaching of theology at Cambridge, since the year 2000.  She has taken a lead in developing alternative approaches to learning, including the detailed study of texts in class, and in offering new methods of assessment for courses that themselves take an innovative, and often interdisciplinary, approach to the subject.