The Faculty of Engineering and Design came together on 18 June 2025 to celebrate the second annual Research Culture Awards, recognising the exceptional efforts of staff and PhD students who help shape a positive, inclusive, and collaborative research environment.
Open to all PhD students and staff involved in research across the faculty - including academic, research, technical, and professional services colleagues - the awards received over 80 nominations this year.
The ceremony, held in the Claverton Rooms and supported by the Research England Enhancing Research Culture Fund, brought together around 140 colleagues to celebrate the achievements of their peers.
The following awardees were presented with a trophy in recognition of their contributions:
- Research Culture Champion: Sanjay Nagarajan, Lecturer, presented by Hayley Shaw
- Research Culture Champion: Phoebe Noble, Research Associate, presented by Hayley Shaw
- Good Citizen: Fatima Anjum, Research Associate, presented by Mirella Di Lorenzo
- Good Citizen: Siva Sivaraya, Senior Technician, presented by Mirella Di Lorenzo
- Good Citizen: Erkan Tur, PhD Student, presented by Mirella Di Lorenzo
- Radically Curious: Ellie Smallwood, PhD Student, presented by Richard Burke
- Good Listener: Sam Cooper, Lecturer, presented by Sukumar Natarajan
- Good Listener: Kyriacos Rouvas, PhD Student, presented by Sukumar Natarajan
- Mentor: Visesh Vignesh, PhD Student, presented by Linda Newnes
- Mentor: Ricardo Codinhoto, Senior Lecturer, presented by Linda Newnes
- Generous Leader: Sadeka Nujhat, PhD Student, presented by John Chew
- Generous Leader: Hannah Leese, Reader, presented by John Chew
- Local Hero: Diane Howard, Professional Services, presented by Loretta Gibson
- Local Hero: Mark Wellman, Senior Technician, presented by Loretta Gibson
- Local Hero: Alison Parker, Professional Services, presented by Loretta Gibson
- Inclusion Champion: Marcelle McManus, presented by Kevin Paine
- Inclusion Champion: Sanjae King, PhD Student, presented by Kevin Paine
- Team Research Culture Award: Technical Team; William Bazeley, Olivier Camus, Miles Chambers, Rob Dyer, Steve Handley, Martin Naidu, Owen Rutter and Sean White, presented by Julian Sulley
- Team Research Culture Award: Academic, Technical and PhD Students; Andrew Rhead, Antonio Pellegrino, Barry Appleton, Chanel Fallon, Charlie Evans, Graham Rattley, Guy Brace, Julian Hooper, Kei Takashina, Lee Hancock, Lee Jefferies, Nick Norman, Onur Tokkan, Stephen Coombes, Steve Thomas, Toby Ryan, Zirui Liu, presented by Julian Sulley
The event began with a warm welcome from Professor Tim Ibell, Dean of the Faculty, followed by remarks from Professor Chris Bowen, Associate Dean (Research), who both highlighted the importance of nurturing a thriving research culture.
Images from the event are available in the photo album.
The list of the nominees names are below:
- Adrian Evans
- Ahmed Swilem
- Ajeet Kumar
- Alexander Lunt
- Brian Rutter
- Cathryn Mitchell
- Chris Blenkinsopp
- Chris Bowen
- Corwin Wright
- Crescenzo Ianniello
- David Beckett
- Dima Albadra
- Emma Taylor
- Evan Johns
- Gary Lock
- Gratziela Madzharova
- Jess Westlake
- Jessica Ohren
- Jing Zhang
- Kostas Kotoulas
- Lewis McDonald
- Linda Newnes
- Maddy Strickland
- Madhurima Dutta
- Mahnoor Ali
- Mia Gili
- Michael Linham
- Nael Berri
- Natalia Mazancova
- Naveen Mehton
- Nuno Reis
- Paramabhorn Tosuwan
- Paul Shepherd
- Philip Shields
- Phoebe Noble
- Richard Ball
- Richard Burke
- Robinson Novemen
- Sadeka Nujhat
- Samantha Hayward
- Samuel Ashu Abey
- Samuel Bull
- Sean Loh
- Soraia Oliveira
- Steve Cayzer
- Taghried Abdelmagid
- Tina Düren
- Zhuoling Yu
- Zina Abdulla