We are delighted to announce the winners of this year’s Student Contribution to Pharmacology Prize.
The prize enables universities in the UK and Ireland, who are offering medicine or undergraduate bioscience degrees which contain substantial amounts of pharmacology, to recognise the efforts final year students who have contributed most to the discipline of pharmacology.
The following students have been recognised for their efforts within their institutes during their undergraduate degrees. Congratulations to:
- Alesandro Amatruda, Helena El Khalil and Wendy Katherine Gomez Arenas, University of East London: For the past three years, Alesandro, Helena and Wendy have led the Pharmacology Society at UEL with passion and dedication, playing a key role in bringing fellow students on board and created various social media platforms to keep fellow students informed on future events and activities.
- Weston James, University of East Anglia: Weston has been an outstanding ambassador for UEA’s pharmacology degree. He has been the President of the student pharmacology society in his third year, and he engaged with students and staff to make the society a vibrant organisation.
- Dominika Mejger, Glasgow Caledonian University: Dominika represented the university on the committee of the Glasgow Pharmacological Society, and worked hard to promote the activities of the society and promote pharmacology to a wider audience.
- Molly Philomena McManus, University of Leeds: Molly has been an engaged member of the university's pharmacology programme, taking the role of leader of a team of six students during their second-year experimental skills module. Molly contributed to all our open days and offer-holder visits; speaking with prospective students about life as a pharmacology student at Leeds.
- Travis Poulton, University of Nottingham: Travis has done a huge amount to support our new pharmacology degree, including establishing the Pharmacology Student Society. Through this he has organised social events, but also organised study sessions for year 1 and 2 students. Travis has also been a student representative on the Learning Community Forum throughout his three years on the course.
- Sarah Orrell and Keia Trainer-Thomas, Newcastle University: Sarah and Keia have contributed significantly as Chair and Secretary of the pharmacology programme’s Student Staff Committee. They ensured that student feedback on the programme was gathered accurately and reported promptly to the curriculum committee. Furthermore, they have helped with learning community events to support students transitioning back to in person teaching sessions and have made a big difference to the collegiality of both stage 2 and 3 cohorts.
- Gulsah Ozturk, University of Portsmouth: Gulsah has shown a great commitment to the university's pharmacology programme, acting as a student representative throughout her time in Portsmouth, attending Board of Studies and Student Voice committee meetings and liaising with her student body. Gulsah also took on the role of chair, helping to regenerate the University of Portsmouth Pharmacology Society after it disbanded during the COVID-19 pandemic, organising social activities and supplemental academic workshops for the entire programme.
- Laura Taramova, University of Reading: Laura has been instrumental in setting up and leading a new pharmacology society at Reading. Laura is Course Representative and a key voice at their Staff Student Partnership Group and has made many useful suggestions that have benefitted the programme.
- Darya Voyush, University of Westminster: Darya was course representative, attending course committee meetings and expressing the views of the students, which allowed the course to enhance their provision to students. She supported the course at open days, enthusing new students to embark on a career in Pharmacology.
Winners receive a certificate and a year’s free Early Career Membership with the BPS.
Universities in the UK and Ireland can nominate students for next year’s award by 1 July 2024.