COMMITTEE MEMBER OF THE YEAR

WINNER - DEAN ISMAY

"Dean is very knowledgeable, passionate about social justice and activism and has stepped into the committee with great leadership right away. Dean is very involved and very active in the role."

COURSE REP OF THE YEAR

WINNER - LOUIS-ALEXANDRE LOBANOV

"Louis joined the Birkbeck EPS department last year at the age of only 17 and as a distance learner in Cyprus. As one of our course reps, he has organised and administered multiple WhatsApp groups that bring our coursemates together from across the world in a way that would otherwise not be possible. It gives us a means to discuss our assignments and exam prep, share the latest news that excites us in earth, planetary and space sciences, have a voice on Birkbeck issues and forge lasting friendships no matter how far apart we are. He works hard to include everyone in our dept and is loved and valued by everyone in it; it’s inspiring to have someone so young bring so many people together the way he does. We couldn’t ask for a finer course rep."

STUDENT GROUP OF THE YEAR

WINNER - INDIAN SOCIETY

"Indian Society was formed in October 2022 last year for the welfare of the students from all the communities. 
Within the short interval of its opening, it has not only benefited a large number of students coming from various countries but also made Indian students feel at home here. 
It has performed various activities to showcase the traditions of India and organised various events for the students not only to learn more about their traditions but also for them to follow their traditions away from home just like they did being at home."

OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO THE BIRKBECK EXPERIENCE

WINNER - ZITA HENTES

"Zita is the backbone of the OP MSc programme - if I ever wonder who to ask a question of, I inevitably reach out to her, she is the font of all knowledge when it comes to administrations and Birkbeck processes. She is super responsive, always happy to help and follows up on matters in such a timely manner. Her communications are always so friendly and supportive, she is a great asset to the team!"

BEST NON-TEACHING STAFF MEMBER

WINNER - MARK PIMM

"Mark has gone above and beyond to help me this year. No question is too much trouble or too stupid. His knowledge is immense and he knows how to deal with any situation related to my disability. He helped me navigate working with my GP to get what I was entitled to - I’d never in a million years have achieved on my own what he has helped me to do. With Mark in my corner I always feel as though I have help and support at Birkbeck and someone has my back. He’s not just made this past year at Birkbeck better, he’s made it possible."

BEST LECTURER/SEMINAR TEACHER

WINNER - LOIS ROLLINGS

"Throughout the year Lois’s lectures have been consistently engaging. Lois provides excellent course materials which I can use in the lectures, activities to do before the lecture which are relevant and useful but (and this is important in my busy life) don’t take hours and hours of my time. She often makes excellent suggestions for follow up activities or videos to further our understanding and provides useful questions for us to try. Lois’s lectures are a delight and have been the absolute highlight of my week. Despite the fact that this course has probably had the most new material to grasp over and above A levels, I’ve found it the easiest to understand because Lois explains so well and is so thorough in making sure everyone has grasped what she means. She’s friendly and never makes me feel as though a question is too stupid or not worth answering, but takes the time to properly answer. Her classes feel friendly and as though you are going to a nice warm meeting of like minded people. I’ve never once felt like a worthless first year undergraduate in her class, but instead like a valued member of it. On the odd occasion when I’ve had to email her about something, she always replies promptly and in a friendly manner. Her feedback on assignments is warm, constructive and helpful. I expect to do well in my exam for this course and it’s purely because she’s explained everything so clearly. Her lectures have kept me going this year through times when I might otherwise not have done.​​​​​​​"

BEST DISSERTATION/PROJECT SUPERVISOR

WINNER - ORI OSSMY

"Dr Ossmy has been available to meet and talk about different topics in my Birkbeck experience since before I started having lectures with him. He is an amazing lecturer and an amazing person. He has been extremely helpful, provided advice and opportunities to volunteer within the Birkbeck CBCD. He has also provided me with insights about future decisions and continues to be a big part of my experience within Birkbeck.​​​​​​​"

BEST PERSONAL TUTOR

WINNER - ESTHER RAMSEY-JONES 

"I believe that Esther deserves this award because she has consistently gone above and beyond to support me in any way that she can, and there is no way that I would have been able to do this course without her. She works tirelessly day in day out to support all of us on the programme and never expects anything in return, but thoroughly deserves recognition for the significant contributions she makes to all of our lives. As a personal tutor she supports us far beyond the expectations of her role, is attentive, and always listens actively and with empathy, which has made me feel heard and valued when seeking her support. She has generously offered me so many tutorials to help me still be able to engage with my course, and has shown such genuine compassion in these meetings, and it’s because of her support and belief in me that I’ve been able to keep going when I didn’t think I could. She has also helped to put me in touch with and contact other services, and has signposted me to relevant information without me even asking, and this extra level of support she so readily gives shows a level of care and attention that makes a massive difference to all of us, and these many little acts of kindness she continuously performs have an immeasurable impact and show just how much notice she pays to the needs of each of her tutees. Whether I’ve needed advice or just someone to listen to me, I have always been able to rely on her, and I know that no matter how hopeless things seem before speaking with her, after every interaction I will feel that bit more able to cope with everything. I would not be here without her and I can’t think of anyone more deserving of recognition for everything they do.​​​​​​​"

COLLEAGUE OF THE YEAR (STAFF VOTE ONLY)

WINNER - AURA RICO

"...I think she has worked incredibly hard during a very difficult time for the university and particularly our service. She has taken initiative to step up from a member of the team, to deputy manager and then team manager in a very short period of time. We have lost several members of our team and she has stood her ground and lead with clarity and humility. I can speak for our team when I say she has been a great leader and colleague and we have felt supported through a very shaky time to do the difficult work as counsellors that we do. She does lead by example and is a thoughtful and hardworking person who has filled the gaps that are there across services in hard times.​​​​​​​"