A CELEBRATION OF STAFF ACHIEVEMENT

The University was delighted to recognise staff achievements at the annual Nexus Awards held on Tuesday, 25 June.  The event was part of the Nexus Teaching and Learning Conference which included external keynote speakers, wellbeing focused sessions, immersive room experience and covered such topics as supporting students, AI in teaching, student projects and employability in the curriculum.

The Awards Ceremony was held at the University’s Carmarthen and Swansea campuses as well as online. Twelve awards were presented to staff to acknowledge their leading work in relation to the categories.  They Included:

1. Employability Champion:  Georgie McKie, Art and Media, WISA
2. Bilingual Learning and Teaching:  Yueyao Hu, Design and Performing Industries, WISA 
3. Welsh-medium Learning and Teaching: Heddwen Davies from Sport and Healthy Living, IMH
4. Digital Learning Champion: Laura Hutchings from the Centre for Childhood, Youth & Education, IEH 
5. Inspirational Colleague:  Geraint Forster, Sport and Healthy Living, IMH.
6. Collaborative Team: Anna Lewis, Art and Media, and Lara Hopkinson, Architecture, Construction & Environment, WISA. 
7. Innovative Learning and Teaching Project: Laura Emanuel, Nic Evans and Menna Davies, from the Centre for Teacher Education, IEH
8. Exemplary Research Supervision: Caroline Lohmann-Hancock from the Centre for Childhood, Youth & Education, IEH
9. Student Voice Project: Julia Holloway, Elaine Sharpling, Dave Stacey and Jayne Morgan from the Centre for Teacher Education, IEH 
10. Exemplary Support Project: Helen Davies, Louise Young, Nerys Williams, Sally Sleep and Hannah Stapleton from Student Services
11. EDI Project (Swansea): Natasha John, the artist, and the team of colleagues that supported the repair of the mural, Cath Hammerton, Kate Coode, Georgia McKie, Cameron Ridgeway and Kath Clewett from Art and Media, WISA.
12. Personal Commitment to Learning Welsh Award: Rhys Dart, Student Services

Congratulations to all winners and nominees.

1 Employability Champion

Georgia McKie, Programme Manager for Surface Pattern and Textiles won the Employability Champion Award for her work in fostering an entrepreneurial culture within her discipline.

Georgia has been instrumental in embedding an entrepreneurial mindset within the programme, focusing on preparing students for life after university. This includes providing diverse experiences and opportunities for students to earn a living through sustainable, creative employment. Georgia was recognised as a Welsh Assembly Government Academic Champion of Enterprise in early 2020, highlighting her support for Welsh Government entrepreneurship commitments and her role in making UWTSD the European Entrepreneurial University of the Year 2022. She has significantly impacted students by offering varied and meaningful experiences, enhancing their employability, and preparing them for diverse career paths. Under her leadership, the programme achieved top rankings in the Guardian for Fashion and Textiles, reaching No.1 in 2020 and maintaining a top ten position consistently. In 2024, it was ranked third in the UK. Georgia mentors her colleagues, contributes to programme design, and participates in various committees and working groups. She also works as a PTL for Hereford College of Art, supporting their BA Textiles team since 2015.

2 Bilingual Learning and Teaching Award

Yueyao Hu from Design and Performing Industries won the Bilingual Learning and Teaching Award for her work in helping Chinese students transition from a Chinese language environment into an English language-based course.

Yueyao has been pursuing her Professional Doctorate in Art & Design since October 2022 and has been instrumental in helping Chinese students transition to an English language-based course. Since her arrival, there has been a significant improvement in student work and engagement. Students have started thinking and writing at a higher level, closer to their original language proficiency. This improvement has been noted by external examiners and supervisors. Yueyao serves as a crucial bridge between Chinese and English academic cultures, enhancing students’ understanding and comfort in their new academic environment. She frequently stays after class to assist students, leading to more focused and higher-quality work. As a fluent Mandarin speaker, Yueyao provides vital support to international students, encouraging them to articulate their ideas more confidently. This has significantly boosted their engagement and confidence. Yueyao’s own research, particularly in VR, has contributed to the development of new research methodologies and data collection avenues for the course. She also meets with students in her own time to discuss research ideas and journals, helping them integrate better into the university environment.  Yueyao has been a substantial support for both colleagues and students, facilitating better communication and understanding between staff and international students. She has played an indispensable role in creating a supportive and inclusive learning environment.

3  Welsh-medium Learning and Teaching Award

Heddwen Davies, Sport and Healthy Living, has won the Welsh-medium Learning and Teaching Award for her work in attracting and supporting students to study through the medium of Welsh.

Since her appointment as a lecturer in 2019, Heddwen has made significant contributions to the University and the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol. She has ensured that students can study a substantial portion of their courses in Welsh and secured a groundbreaking Welsh medium PhD Research Scholarship. Heddwen collaborated with Rhagoriaith to expand Welsh language provision in various modules and developed a community fitness module. As a key member of the Welsh Sub-committee, she secured significant grants for Welsh language initiatives, including a £40,000 subject grant and an additional £2,500 for a Welsh language conference. She has also supported Welsh provision, encouraged colleagues to teach in Welsh, and secured bursaries for student work experiences. Heddwen coordinated extracurricular clubs to build student confidence in Welsh. As the former Chair of UWTSD’s branch of the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol, Heddwen fostered a vibrant community of Welsh speakers and learners. Her marketing efforts have attracted students to study through the medium of Welsh. Heddwen’s dedication to promoting Welsh language and culture and supporting students and colleagues makes her a deserving candidate for this award.

4  Digital Learning Champion

Laura Hutchings from the Centre for Childhood, Youth & Education won the Digital Learning Champion Award.  Laura has integrated AI to enhance student assessments and advocate for innovative practices that limit AI’s potential drawbacks. She is also dedicated to embedding digital and blended learning approaches in teaching, including setting up a blended learning focus group to improve online teaching engagement, experimenting with various online pedagogical strategies, and encouraging staff to share best practices. As a LEAP fellow, she is working on improving accessibility for neurodiverse students by creating 3D campus maps. Committed to staying current with technological advancements, she plans to renew her Microsoft Innovative Expert status, which has provided networking and collaborative opportunities that significantly enhance teaching and learning practices.

5  Inspirational Colleague 

Geraint Forster, Sport and Healthy Living, won the Inspirational Colleague Award.  Geraint leads a twice-weekly lunchtime exercise group on the Carmarthen campus, open to all staff. The Foundation Circuits programme is tailored to various fitness levels, focusing on core skills, strength, flexibility, and self-efficacy. It also fosters community, networking, and peer support, providing a safe space for positive self-management and stress relief. Students can practice leadership and coaching skills during these sessions. Geraint and colleagues offer inclusive, non-judgmental support, embodying a holistic approach to wellbeing. The environment is welcoming and has received positive feedback from participants.

6 Collaborative Team Award 

Anna Lewis, from Art and Media, and Lara Hopkinson, from Architecture, Construction & Environment, won the Collaborative Team Award for the Wear the Beach project. 

This team collaborated across two degree programmes to address beach waste from both designer maker and scientific environmental perspectives. In a one-day project, students cleaned the beach, analysed waste, and explored its potential as a material for making. After the beach clean-up, students sorted and analysed materials, gaining new insights. The students created wearable pieces featured in a fashion photoshoot to emphasize waste’s value and preciousness. The project fostered interdisciplinary learning and collaboration, inspiring students to see beauty and utility in discarded materials. It built confidence and friendships among participants, motivating them to integrate these concepts into their future work.

7 Innovative Learning and Teaching Project 

Laura Emanuel, Nic Evans and Menna Davies, from the Centre for Teacher Education won the Innovative Learning and Teaching Project Award.

This project utilised UWTSD’s Immersive Rooms to enhance student-teachers’ understanding of classroom practice by showing videos from partner schools. This allowed students to link theory with real classroom experiences in a low-pressure environment, improving their observation and reflection skills. Feedback was very positive, with students and staff noting fewer misconceptions in assignments and better contextualization of theoretical concepts. The project also fostered collaboration between the Initial Teacher Education team and the Digital team, leading to new partnerships and a 10% increase in assignment pass rates. Students gained confidence and reduced anxiety, and many plan to use immersive technology in their future teaching.

8 Exemplary Research Supervision 

Caroline Lohmann-Hancock from the Centre for Childhood, Youth & Education won the Exemplary Research Supervision Award. Caroline supervises several PhD students and serves as the Institute Manager of Research Degrees. She ensures that all student meetings are scheduled with clear priorities and milestones, providing detailed reports and video recordings for thorough guidance. She also offers mock panels and Vivas, reviews work in-depth, and keeps students informed about relevant events and training. The support she gives students extends beyond requirements, especially for international and neurodiverse students, fostering a positive, inclusive learning environment. With almost 20 years in the role, she has delivered extensive training, mentored new supervisors, and examined numerous doctoral theses.

9  Student Voice Project 

Julia Holloway, Elaine Sharpling, Dave Stacey and Jayne Morgan from the Centre for Teacher Education won the Student Voice  Project Award for their work in the Reps as Student Collaborators Project. The project commenced during the COVID-19 pandemic to engage more closely with student representatives. The approach involves monthly face-to-face or virtual meetings where student reps co-construct agendas, raise issues, and propose solutions. The urgency of these issues is rated to ensure timely resolution. This collaborative model allows for better understanding of student experiences and prompt responses to raised concerns. By empowering trained student reps to prioritise issues, the programme gains a more accurate understanding of student experiences and can implement solutions swiftly, enhancing the overall student learning experience. Recent issues addressed included timetable gaps, expectations clarity among students in different placement networks, and concerns about programme content timing.

10 Exemplary Support Project 

Helen Davies, Louise Young, Nerys Williams, Sally Sleep and Hannah Stapleton from Student Services won the Exemplary Support Project Award for their exceptional work in creating a new Induction and disclosure system for applicants, aimed at enhancing the disclosure process of additional needs before enrolment. The team’s proactive approach showcases dedication to fostering an inclusive environment. The project resulted in a significant increase in support arrangements finalised in advance, leading to higher student satisfaction and a positive impact on their overall experience. Despite challenges, the personalised engagement between the team and applicants ensured thorough understanding of individual support needs. Their commitment to proactive measures aligns with the university’s goal of providing comprehensive support and fostering an inclusive academic environment.

11 EDI Project (Swansea)

Artist Natasha John and Cath Hammerton, Kate Coode, Georgia McKie, Cameron Ridgeway and Kath Clewett; all from Art and Media won the EDI Project award.  In June 2023, one of our colleagues, a Technical Demonstrator in WISA, was commissioned by Coastal Housing to create a mural celebrating diversity for Swansea’s Pride Festival. Unfortunately, the mural faced vandalism and negative reactions. In response, Natasha issued a statement emphasizing the importance of queer representation and resilience against discrimination. She then rallied talented students and staff from Art and Media to repair the mural using stitching, turning the negative experience into a positive project. This collaboration fostered a supportive and celebratory environment within the discipline, demonstrating unity in overcoming barriers and celebrating diversity. The project also raised awareness of challenges in public art spaces and created a community of supportive artists working towards common goals.

12 Personal Commitment to Learning Welsh Award 

This is a new award from the University’s Welsh Language Services Centre to recognise the contribution and commitment of an individual to the Welsh language, working diligently to contribute to one of the University’s main strategies: The Welsh Language Strategy.

Rhys Dart is the first winner of the Personal Commitment to Learning Welsh Award.  Rhys is someone most of us will be familiar with, but probably not as a Welsh learner. Being able to recognise his commitment to the Welsh language as one of the leaders of this University is a pleasure. The fact that he has set out to focus on his Welsh skills not only shows personal commitment but also shows how aware he is of the importance of the language as part of the service his unit provides to students of this University. Student Services are the heart of any university and he clearly leads by example to ensure the bilingual quality of those services. What’s more, he is also a practical advocate for the Welsh language on a day-to-day basis in the University, constantly noting how important the bilingual skills of his staff

Further Information

Eleri Beynon

Head of Corporate Communications and PR  
Corporate Communications and PR  
Email:  e.beynon@uwtsd.ac.uk  
Phone: 07968 249335