2018 Award winners

Our third awards celebration for Professional@York saw over 130 nominations across 7 categories. Here are the winners:

Outstanding Project of the Year

Matt Thompson, Estates and Campus Services - Award Winner

Matt was the first individual to join the Graduate Engineering Training Programme within DECs. The Chemistry department recently embarked on a project to capture and recycle the helium that they use to maintain expensive research equipment. Matt tookcharge of the engineering for the project, working closely with colleagues in Chemistry to understand how the equipment works, liaising with suppliers and assessing potential dangers.

The project was technically complex and used new and novel technologies. Helium recovery has huge environmental benefits and is vital in ensuring that world class research can continue to flourish in the department. Matt’s expertise, commitment and hard work are testament to what can be done if boundaries are stretched and talent is nurtured.

Health, wellbeing and resilience initiative of the year

Sponsored by Interface

The Chemistry Mental Health Support Team - Award Winner

Since 2014, the team in Chemistry have provided a mental health support network with three main aims. To increase awareness of mental health issues, to provide support to those suffering from poor mental health and to give reassurance to those who are supporting others.

The team have focussed on introducing an array of small but variable initiatives such as Yoga sessions for staff, a designated quiet room, online tool kits, drop in tea and cake sessions and support posters on toilet doors. Over 50 individuals in the department have been trained in mental health first aid and the group are working to encourage all staff with supervisory responsibility to take part in the training.

Embedding mental health conversations in day to day life has reduced stigma and encouraged staff to talk openly about their experiences.

Enhancing the Student Experience

Sponsored by Phoenix

The Digital Creativity Week Project Team - Award Winner

During Digital Creativity Week, students were encouraged to explore archive materials to consider connections between dialect, objects and places in creative ways. The innovative project gave students the opportunity to contribute to a research project and work with a variety of professionals across the University. The collaborative work culminated in an immersive and interactive showcase in the 3sixty space at the Ron Cooke Hub.

Digital Creativity Week was conceived to provide students with an opportunity to gain and explore new skills that they might otherwise not have access to. The team received overwhelmingly positive feedback from students who valued the technical skills that they learnt, such as coding, audio and augmented reality.

Outstanding Support to Teaching

Sponsored by John Robinson, PVC

The Chemistry Undergraduate Admissions Team - Award Winner

For the last 15 years the Chemistry department has not gone into clearing for home students. The success of admissions has enabled the department to continue to grow in size and its league table positions. Despite their successes the admissions team continue to explore ways to make improvements to all aspects of the admissions process. They seek feedback from every open day attendee and strive to attract top students through balancing a personalised service with efficiency and speedy responses.

Their excellent approach has been recognised by others across the University and the team have been invited to meet with colleagues from a number of academic departments, admissions and marketing to share good practice.

Outstanding Support to Research and Impact

Sponsored by Dell EMC

The Interdisciplinary Global Development Centre Team - Award Winner

The IGDC opened in February and since day one Laura and Lauren have provided outstanding support to the Centre with their fresh ideas and welcoming and inclusive approach.

Laura and Lauren took the lead in coordinating the set up of the new office facilities and also worked together to create the brand and marketing materials for the centre.

They have been integral in building the IGDC relationships with departments and external partners. They make everyone feel welcome and ensure that the centre operates efficiently and with respect for everyone’s needs. Through their positive and can-do tone Laura and Lauren have shaped the ethos and practices of the IGDC.

Outstanding Customer Service

Sponsored by Bomgar

The Unified Communications Team - Award Winner

The team completely overhauled the way that telephony is provided in the support of clearing. Working closely with admissions, the team developed a new call flow system to ensure that applicants are connected efficiently and directly to the relevant department. The team coordinated every element of the customer experience, from modernising the on hold music, unifying and professionalising all pre-recorded messages and introducing hot-dial keys to ensure fast call transfers.

The team have been praised for their dedication and innovation in implementing the new systems. Colleagues in admissions praised their extremely positive attitude and ability to come up with ingenious solutions to the problems that arose along the way.

Unsung Hero

Sponsored by Lister Electrical and YCL

Iain Barr, External Relations - Award Winner

Iain has enabled the University to create 6 moocs, with practically no budget - just a can do attitude, enthusiasm and cups of tea...Creating content on a tiny budget, reaching a global audience, enhancing the University brand, disseminating research outputs, collaborating across departments - Iain has done it all with the Mooc project. He has had a massive impact and done it all with a smile...

Unsung Hero

Sponsored by Lister Electrical and YCL

Kath Watson, Music - Award Winner

Kath has quietly caused a support revolution in Music. She is utterly and absolutely effective in everything she does, from the smallest task to larger-scale projects.

You leave a discussion with Kath feeling empowered, as you know not only will the job get done, but it will happen in such a way that is in the premier league of customer service and efficiency.