The winners of the 2024-25 Staff Excellence Awards were announced during a special ceremony on Friday 27 February 2026, held in the Whitla Hall. Congratulations to all the winners and to everyone who was nominated.
Award Winners 2024-25
2024-25 Winners
QUEEN'S 180 AWARD
Prostate Cancer Centre of Excellence, School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences
The team in the Prostate Cancer Centre of Excellence is transforming prostate cancer care through innovation, collaboration, and patient-centred research. Since 2023, the centre has delivered groundbreaking clinical trials, pioneered advanced radiotherapy techniques, and developed the FAST Clinic, reducing treatment sessions from 39 to 5 and improving patient outcomes and quality of life. The team’s multidisciplinary approach brings together clinicians, researchers, and early-career professionals, providing mentorship, training, and opportunities to shape the next generation of leaders in cancer care.
DELIVERING EXCELLENCE
Dr Darragh Lydon, School of Arts, English and Languages
A Lecturer in the School of Arts, English and Languages, Darragh combines innovation and excellence with genuine, heartfelt care, ensuring his work makes a meaningful difference to others. Inspired by his son Owen’s five-month stay at the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children, Darragh led the development of a Virtual Reality experience for the Clark Clinic in collaboration with the Children’s Heartbeat Trust. This project not only helps children and families navigate challenging hospital journeys with reduced anxiety but also provides Queen’s students with a transformative learning experience showcasing how academic research in Extended Reality (XR) can deliver meaningful impact.
BEST COLLABORATION
Recording of Teaching Policy/Lecture Capture Working Group, Directorate of Academic Services
The Video-Enhanced Learning team, consisting of colleagues from the Centre for Educational Development, Digital and Information Services, led the implementation of the University-wide lecture recording under Education Strategy 2030. A Task and Finish Group brought together key faculty representatives from academic and professional services staff, the Students’ Union, and UCU, creating space to gather perspectives and test ideas. Through a collaborative approach, the group secured approval for a new Recording of Teaching Policy, rolled out automated lecture recording across campus, and introduced a straightforward opt-out process for staff. This work led to a 150% increase in Panopto recordings on Canvas in the past year, significantly expanding video-enhanced learning for students at Queen’s.
OUTSTANDING LEADERSHIP
Ms Anya O'Connor, Queen's Global
As Head of International Partnerships, Anya has successfully grown and inspired a high-performing global team, expanding it from three to thirteen members in under a year, driving collaboration and innovation across five global regions. Anya leads with integrity, respect and care, ensuring every team member feels valued and empowered. Among her many impactful initiatives widely appreciated by her team is the “Plaudit Wall,” where team members leave notes of praise during meetings to recognise outstanding contributions, creating a culture of appreciation and engagement. Through her vision and leadership, Anya has also strengthened Queen’s reputation as a trusted, high-quality international partner.
STUDENT CHOICE
Mr John Carberry, School of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering
John is a Technical Manager in the School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and has been instrumental in supporting student learning, particularly through his work with Queen’s Formula Racing, the University’s Formula Student team. He demonstrates exceptional commitment to both the academic and personal development of his students, providing inspiring leadership, expert guidance, and thoughtful mentorship. Whether through daily conversations, technical meetings, or spontaneous check-ins, John’s dedication, patience, and encouragement have consistently enabled teams to perform at their best, helping them compete successfully at Silverstone year after year.
CELEBRATING INNOVATION
Academic Appeals Digitisation Project Team, Directorate of Academic Services
The Academic Appeals Digitisation Project Team has enhanced the student and staff experience by designing and implementing a streamlined, fully digitised academic appeals portal for undergraduate and postgraduate taught students. Supporting more than 350 students each year, the team transformed a previously manual and fragmented process into a secure, transparent, and user-friendly digital system. Since its launch, more than 270 academic appeals have been successfully submitted and processed through the platform.
EXCEPTIONAL CONTRIBUTION
Miss Brenda Flynn, School of Nursing & Midwifery
Brenda has dedicated close to 30 years of service at Queen’s, managing the School of Nursing and Midwifery’s administrative operations with efficiency and care. She currently leads a team of five, ensuring the smooth enrolment of approximately 730 pre-registration and 900 post-registration students each year. Brenda’s expertise, guidance, and knowledge have been invaluable, particularly in coordinating and planning in-person interviews for the selection of students for undergraduate nursing and midwifery programmes, implementing innovative recruitment approaches, and responding efficiently to high volumes of student enquiries.