| Research Excellence |
Dr Blánaid Hicks Centre for Public Health
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I am pleased to provide my support for Blánaid for the prize in research excellence. Over this year Blánaid has demonstrated a high level of enthusiasm and leadership in her research. Specifically, she has spearheaded a number of independent collaborations with world-leaders in the field of pharmacoepidemiology. She has developed a new collaboration between QUB and the University of North Carolina, for which she received funding as a co-investigator from a UNC Lineberger grant as well as a personal travel award from CRUK. Additionally, she has developed collaborations with the University of Southern Denmark, with whom she has published one first-author publication as well as maintaining strong links with her colleagues at McGill University, Canada. These collaborations attest to her growing reputation within the field. Indeed, she was invited to deliver two seminars in Denmark this year, as well as oral and poster presentations at the International Conference on Pharmacoepidemiology, Prague. Concurrently, Blánaid continues her work on a prestigious CRUK Population Research Fellowship, has been awarded a Vice Chancellor’s fellowship and contributes to the wider university environment including teaching and the postdoctoral society. Blánaid is a dedicated and prolific researcher, who is an ideal candidate for this prize. |
| Postdoc citizenship |
Dr Charlene McShane Centre for Public Health
|
Dr Charlene McShane was the Chair of the Organising committee for the highly successful inaugural University wide Postdoc Showcase Event which took place in September 2017. As an initiative of the University Wide Postdoctoral Researcher Forum, this event was designed to provide attendees with an opportunity to showcase their research through TEDx style talks, poster presentations, and to network with fellow postdoctoral researchers and local employers. As a result of this successful event, the second Showcase event is now being planned for November 2018. In December 2017, Charlene chaired a session at the School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences Postgraduate and Education Research Forum held in Riddel Hall. She has also been the CPH representative on the University wide Postdoctoral Research Forum and Secretary for the Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences Postdoctoral Committee for the last three years. She has organised seminar visits at CPH, co-ordinates an undergraduate third year medical student SSC module, is a STEM Ambassador and has hosted local A’ Level student visits at QUB. In addition to her contribution to QUB business, Charlene holds an independent research fellowship with Cancer Research UK and was awarded an Eaton Travel fellowship in April 2018. |
| Outstanding engagement |
Dr Linda Oyama School of Biological Sciences
|
Linda is exceptionally talented with respect to communicating research is an understandable and friendly manner. She has an exceptionally open and charismatic personality which enables children and adults to feel comfortable in her presence, enabling effective communication of complex scientific research in a user-friendly manner. Linda began helping me with outreach activities as a PhD student from 2013-2016. These were mainly focussed on the general public of all ages. She transformed these activities, by obtaining lab coats and safety goggles for children and developing hands on takes such as DNA extraction, evaluating microbes which live on our hands etc. In essence se drastically improved upon our ability to enthuse and communicate to the general public and continues to re-evaluate and improve upon these after each event. Her passion for scientific outreach is such that she has sought and won Microbiology Society rants to organise scientific events in local schools. This was completely her own instigation which is highly commendable. Linda understands fully and embraces the act that the academic setting is multi-disciplinary and outreach is a key part. I can cannot commend her more for this award, she fully deserves recognition. |
| Exceptional support |
Dr Lindsay Broadbent Centre for Experimental Medicine
|
I enthusiastically nominate Dr Lindsay Broadbent for the Exceptional Support prize. Lindsay is pivotal to the successful running of my lab. She usually exceeds everything I ask of her. Specifically, she is regularly tasked with training new team members, including UG and PG students and technicians, in general lab techniques and the difficult culture of primary airway epithelial cells, which is central to my lab. She took responsibility for leading the airway epithelium cell biology subgroup in terms of organising and chairing meetings to discuss experimental design, literature, troubleshooting/lab issues, and the introduction of new ideas/techniques. Her exceptional help to colleagues played an important part this year in a PhD thesis submission, successful PhD APRs and symposium presentations (3rd, 2nd, 1st year students), and a successful UG project. Lindsay’s training, organisational and excellent research skills were central in delivering the goals for 2 major research projects (Wellcome Trust and industry). She also plays a crucial role in administration and running of the laboratory, including internal weekly orders, external orders, arranging lab meeting rotas, managing liquid nitrogen, and recording lab issues for discussion. If that wasn’t enough, Lindsay also arranges social activities, which provides a cohesive and supportive environment for all. |
| Research excellence | Shortlisted | Dr Kyle Matchett | Centre for Cancer Research and Cell Biology |
| Dr Blánaid Hicks | Centre for Public Health | ||
| Dr Philip Dunne | Centre for Cancer Research and Cell Biology | ||
| Dr Michelle Greene | School of Pharmacy | ||
| Other nominees | Dr Aaron Courtenay | School of Pharmacy | |
| Dr Andrew Kunzmann | Centre for Public Health | ||
| Dr Aoife Rodgers | School of Pharmacy | ||
| Dr Fiona Lavelle | School of Biological Sciences | ||
| Dr Francesca Amoroso | Centre for Cancer Research and Cell Biology | ||
| Dr Linda Oyama | School of Biological Sciences | ||
| Dr Matthew Humphries | Centre for Cancer Research and Cell Biology | ||
| Dr Rebecca Steele | Centre for Cancer Research and Cell Biology | ||
| Postdoc citizenship | Shortlisted | Dr Úna McMenamin | Centre for Public Health |
| Dr Joana Sa Pessoa | Centre for Experimental Medicine | ||
| Dr Lindsay Broadbent | Centre for Experimental Medicine | ||
| Dr Charlene McShane | Centre for Public Health | ||
| Other nominees | Dr Rebecca Steele | Centre for Cancer Research and Cell Biology | |
| Dr Sara Cordeiro | School of Pharmacy | ||
| Dr Xanthi Stachtea | Centre for Cancer Research and Cell Biology | ||
| Outstanding engagement | Shortlisted | Dr Folake Orafidiya | Centre for Cancer Research and Cell Biology |
| Dr Michelle Templeton | School of Nursing and Midwifery | ||
| Dr Linda Oyama | School of Biological Sciences | ||
| Dr Julie McMullan | Centre for Public Health | ||
| Other nominees | Dr Karen McConnel | School of Nursing and Midwifery | |
| Dr Maelíosa Mc Crudden | School of Pharmacy | ||
| Dr Pamela Maxwell | Centre for Cancer Research and Cell Biology | ||
| Dr Terry McGrath | School of Biological Sciences | ||
| Exceptional support | Shortlisted | Dr James Reihill | School of Pharmacy |
| Dr Stephanie Craig | Centre for Cancer Research and Cell Biology | ||
| Dr Joana Sa Pessoa | Centre for Experimental Medicine | ||
| Dr Lindsay Broadbent | Centre for Experimental Medicine | ||
| Other nominees | Dr Aaron Courtenay | School of Pharmacy | |
| Dr Andrew Young | Centre for Experimental Medicine | ||
| Dr Declan Doherty | Centre for Experimental Medicine | ||
| Dr Kyle Matchett | Centre for Cancer Research and Cell Biology | ||
| Dr Leanne Stevenson | Centre for Cancer Research and Cell Biology | ||
| Dr Linda Oyama | School of Biological Sciences | ||
| Dr Sarah Maguire | Centre for Cancer Research and Cell Biology |
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