622 staff across UCL, working in a variety of roles were nominated in UCL Student Union's Student Choice Awards. Dr Brenda Parkeris this year's winner of the Student Choice Awards for 'Brilliant Research-based Education.' This recognised her leadership of the year 2 Integrated Engineering Programme (IEP) scenario on sustainable bioprocess.
Brenda’s doctoral research at UCL investigated how proteins could be artificially evolved for green chemistry. Her postdoctoral work at the University of Cambridge took her to a new shade of green: microalgae. Her current research at UCL focuses on how we can use photosynthetic microorganisms for sustainable industrial biotechnology. Brenda is the Co-Director of a new MSc course in Bio-Integrated Design in collaboration with the Bartlett School of Architecture.
Students have been particularly enthusiastic about the different ways in which Brenda draws on cutting edge research in academia and in industry throughout her teaching, including exciting collaborations with relevant guest speakers from academia and industry. In particular, one student cited Brenda’s encouragement for her group to conduct original research, which she then organised to be presented to a panel of industry experts.
On receiving the award Brenda said “Thank you! On behalf of UCL Biochemical Engineering I am thrilled to win the research-based education award from the UCL Student Union - it means so much to me. So fortunate to have an amazing team from our dept cheering me on.” Professor Gary Lye, Head of Department, said that ‘this was important recognition of Brenda’s sustained excellence in both education and research’.
