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Winners Announced for the 2026 Teaching Excellence Awards

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Winners, student reps and Vice President Education following the ceremony.

Strath Union is excited to announce the winners from the 2026 Teaching Excellence Awards following the ceremony on Tuesday 19th May.

Lucia Gil Dorta, VP Education, shared: 

The Teaching Excellence Awards are a powerful opportunity for students to define what excellence in education really means. This year’s nominations make one thing clear: students value human ingenuity and connection.

Across hundreds of submissions, students celebrated not just expertise, but the creativity, passion, and care that staff bring to teaching and support. They recognised those who teach with humour, enthusiasm, and dedication, staff who take the time to meet students where they are while maintaining high academic standards.

These nominations send a clear and important message to the University: education is not just delivered through systems, but through people. Students value teaching that is relational, thoughtful, and human, and they want to see that protected, prioritised, and invested in."

Above and Beyond Teaching Award

Winner – Rogelia Pastor-Castro

Shortlisted:

  • Alan Kemp
  • Brian McMillan
  • James Leak
  • Mahdi Doostmohammadi
  • Rogelia Pastor-Castro
  • Vanesa Sabala

Innovative Teaching Award

Winner – Claire Timmins

Shortlisted:

  • Claire Timmins
  • Conor McBride
  • Sarah Day
  • Susan McCool
  • Teresita Sevilla

Changemaker Award

Winner – Lucrezia Casulli

Shortlisted:

  • Craig McLaughlin
  • Lucrezia Casulli
  • Nicola Cogan
  • Robert Collins
  • Robert Drummond
  • Rosanne English

Student Voice Champion Award

Winner – Helina Marshall

Shortlisted:

  • Ahmad Ayub
  • Christine Switzer
  • Dermot Fitzsimmons
  • Helina Marshall
  • Jordan Kistler
  • Penny Haddrill

Best Non-Teaching/Support Staff

Winner – Susan Jackson

  • Margaret Robinson
  • Natalie Wilson
  • Rachel Pooley
  • Stephanie Shewan
  • Susan Jackson

Best Teaching Assistant or Tutor

Winner – Sara Szoboszlai

  • Emma Tye
  • James Nightingale
  • Jan Jasinski
  • Sara Szoboszlai
  • Yi Zhan

Best PGR Supervisor

Winner – Chris Robertson

  • Alan Huang
  • Anna Spadavecchia
  • Catherine Eschle
  • Chris Robertson
  • Edoardo Patelli
  • Shona Hilton

Best in HaSS

Winner – Alan Huang

Shortlisted:

  • Alan Huang
  • Alice Chapman-Kelly
  • Robert Collins
  • Rogelia Pastor-Castro
  • Timothy Eschle
  • Vanesa Sabala

Best in Business

Winner – Natalie Wilson

Shortlisted:

  • Anna Spadavecchia
  • Ian Moir
  • Lucrezia Casulli
  • Natalie Wilson
  • Sara Szoboszlai

Best in Science

Winner – Alan Kemp

Shortlisted:

  • Alan Kemp
  • Brian McMillan
  • Christine Dufes
  • James Nightingale
  • Pernille Sorensen
  • Robert Drummond

Best in Engineering

Winner – Robert Hamilton

Shortlisted:

  • Amr Ali
  • Edoardo Patelli
  • James Leak
  • Michael Murray
  • Robert Hamilton
  • Sarah Day

Best Overall

Winner – James Leak

Shortlisted:

  • Alan Huang
  • Alan Kemp
  • Amr Ali
  • James Leak
  • Natalie Wilson
  • Peter Scott
  • Rogelia Pastor-Castro

Special Recognition

Winner – Peter Scott

Congratulations to everybody who was shortlisted and who won in their category – everyone on this list has received fantastic nominations and has delivered outstanding work this year.

Group of TEAs winners at ceremony in front of stage.

Read through the longlist showing all the nominees across 614 nominations!