Winner - Bryan Brazeau (Liberal Arts, School for Cross-faculty Studies)

I use problem- and place-based learning to create inclusive interdisciplinary learning spaces that celebrate diversity, inspiring students and empowering them with the courage to discover their voice and perform their best work. I articulate the importance of forming personal connections with the material through my use of creative assessments. As the first person in my family to go to university, I endeavour to make learning spaces accessible for all students. I define teaching excellence as enabling students to navigate real-world challenges, giving them the intellectual tools that allow for personal growth, and providing them with the support needed to refine their skills for the next step on their journey.

About Bryan

Bryan is an Associate Professor in Liberal Arts at Warwick. Originally from Montréal, Canada, he first came to Warwick as a researcher in 2015 working on an ERC project on the reception of Aristotle in the Italian Renaissance. He obtained his PhD in Italian Studies from New York University in 2015, his MA in the same field from NYU in 2010, and his BA in Liberal Arts from Concordia University in Montreal in 2008. His research interests include interdisciplinary pedagogy, early modern literary negotiations of Venetian identity (Lucrezia Marinella), Renaissance Aristotelian Poetics, Chivalric Epic (Ariosto, Tasso, and Cervantes), Christian epic from Dante to Milton, and Classical Reception.

Highly Commended - James Poskett (History)

I seek to bring the global history of science and technology to a diverse group of students. I do so in a way that is accessible, inclusive, and relevant to the twenty-first century. My aim in teaching the global history of science is to help students challenge a Eurocentric narrative and to see themselves, no matter their background, as empowered citizens who can contribute to the modern scientific world in which we live.

About James

James Poskett is Associate Professor in the History of Science and Technology at the University of Warwick. He completed his PhD at the University of Cambridge. Poskett is the author of Materials of the Mind (Chicago, 2019) and Horizons (Penguin, 2022). He is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society.

Commended - Heather Meyer (Institute of Advanced Teaching and Learning)

My teaching practice in interdisciplinary education is informed and framed by my interests in inclusive education, internationalisation, and the application of humanising practices in higher education. In my two undergraduate modules, ‘Forms of Identity’ and ‘Global Connections’ I facilitate radical interdisciplinary education with UG students bringing in contributing academics from different disciplinary backgrounds. I encourage multidisciplinary collaboration and peer networks in the design and structure of these modules which integrate pre-assessment activities and flexible, student-led assignments for learning.

About Heather

I work at the Institute for Advanced Teaching and Learning (IATL) as Director of Studies. Teaching is close to my heart – I convene two UG modules (‘Forms of Identity’ and ‘Global Connections’) and co-convene the PGA Interdisciplinary Pedagogy. My research background is in international and inclusive education.

Postgraduates who teach award: Arts Faculty

Winner - Simona Di Martino (School of Modern Languages and Cultures)

My primary goal has always been to give students classes they look forward to, to enable them to look at the world in a critical way and to communicate effectively with a culture that might differ substantially from theirs. I always focus on students’ needs and I keep my teaching strongly student-centred. Individual feedback and constant communication are also crucial in my discipline, and I always interact with students during classes building an emotional healthy environment. By establishing a safe atmosphere, I provide a learning environment within which all students can succeed and thrive, which is my greatest satisfaction.

About Simona

I am a Teaching Assistant in Italian Studies at the University of Warwick and I hold a PhD in Italian Studies from the same university. I was an IAS Early Career Fellow, and I am pursuing a Visiting Research Fellowship at SAS University of London and Brotherton Library, Leeds.

Winner - Towhid Khan (Centre for Cultural and Media Policy Studies, School of Creative Arts, Performance and Visual Cultures)

I used my past experience of teaching International Cultural Policy to redesign the module content with two key goals: diversifying reading materials to reflect a more ‘global’ interpretation and generating more student-led discussions. My teaching philosophy is driven by two objectives: engaging all students in discussions and co-creating new meanings of existing policies. For the first, I draw from my own experiences and anxieties as an international BAME student in a second-language setting; for the second, I encourage students to lead discussions by choosing their own regional cultural case studies, creating a safe space for intercultural exchange of ideas.

About Towhid

I am currently pursuing a PhD in Cultural Policy Studies, having completed my MA in Arts, Enterprise and Development with distinction at Warwick, and winning the CCMPS Award for the highest marks in 2016-17. I also hold a Master’s and a Bachelor’s degree in English Literature from University of Dhaka.

Commended - Niels Boender (History)

My core philosophy of teaching is that teaching should be student-generated, research-led, and inclusive of a panoply of learning styles. I have honed this philosophy over this year of teaching, implementing it through a range of evidence-based and classroom-learnt techniques, including role-playing exercises. Inter-cultural learning, crucial in a multicultural and globally-oriented classroom is also of particular significance for me.

About Niels

I am Dutch third-year History PGR working on the history of post-colonial Africa. This year I have taught first-, second-, and third-year students on subjects ranging from a broad history of the Modern World, to Africa’s Cold War, and several classes in my speciality: the Mau Mau Uprising in Kenya.

Commended - Sophie Kempston (Global Sustainable Development, School for Cross-faculty Studies)

I’m thrilled to have been nominated for my first year of teaching in my department! I focus on teaching statistics and science concepts to an interdisciplinary group of students, aiming to make maths concepts fun and not scary! It's important to me that students feels empowered to engage with hard quantitative methods and mathematical concepts throughout their degree - whether that's being able to understand the methods section of a paper fully, or choosing quantitative research for their dissertations, my aim is to make maths and science more fun and accessible!

About Sophie

Sophie (she/they) is a second-year PhD student in the School for Cross-Faculty Studies, conducting interdisciplinary research into the sustainability of materials in electric vehicle batteries. Her research is kindly funded by the Leverhulme Trust. For teaching, they focus on quantitative methods and how these can be used in the Arts disciplines.