Margaret Low, Principal Teaching Fellow at WMG, has been awarded a Warwick Award for Teaching Excellence , granted by the University of Warwick to recognise excellent teaching and support for learning across its faculty.

Margaret was selected from a record number of nominations made in 2013/14 and was presented with her award at the University’s 2014 summer graduation ceremony. The award nominations are made by colleagues or students who wish to recognise and celebrate excellence in teaching throughout the nominee’s career at the University.

A key factor in Margaret’s award was her leadership of and contribution to Outreach and student support activities at the University. Margaret is a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) ambassador and Widening Participation officer at WMG and works with colleagues and students across the University’s Faculty of Science to encourage programmes which promote interest in STEM. She founded the highly successful Warwick Technology Volunteers programme for students across the University and continues to provide the academic leadership and coaching required for the student volunteers and their projects in the community.

Margaret has also led a number of other initiatives at the University such as the Royal Institution Engineering Masterclasses which have been hosted at WMG since 2013. The inaugural programme was the first time the Masterclasses had been held outside of London. The programme has continued to run successfully for local school children who demonstrate an interest in STEM subjects and nominations are currently open for the programme to run in 2015.

Professor Lord Bhattacharyya, Chairman of WMG, said of Margaret’s award:

Margaret is highly collegial, and will always recognise others’ contributions before her own. I am delighted that she has been recognised by the University and I see it as an overdue recognition of her contribution to teaching excellence and student experience more broadly at Warwick.”

University Pro-Vice-Chancellor Christina Hughes, chair of the judging panel said:

I have been astounded by the response to the WATE awards this year, which recognises the excellent teaching here at Warwick. It is has been pleasing to know that staff and students have taken the time to tell us about their experiences of teaching and to hear just how innovative and inspiring our academics or support staff have been.
The five winners and five commendees should be very proud of the impact they have had while working at the University and I congratulate them all on their well-deserved awards."