Passion for teaching wins first Senate Award for Excellence

A recognised pedigree of outstanding teaching combined with a genuine enthusiasm for her subject and her students has won Dr Linda Morris, the first ever Senate Award for Excellence in Teaching.

Dr Morris, a teaching lecturer in the School of Life Sciences, was nominated for the award by final year students.

The award was established to acknowledge and reward individuals for outstanding achievement in teaching and supporting student learning. It carries a personal prize of £3000, a certificate of recognition and the title of Senate Award Fellow.

'I'm absolutely delighted to have won this award,' said Dr Morris who teaches chemistry, maths and environmental science. 'It is particularly welcome as it was the students who put my name forward. It is lovely to know that they appreciate the efforts and hard work that goes in to supporting them.'

The Senate Award is not the first time Dr Morris's teaching skills have been recognised. Two years ago she won a joint Honorary Graduates Teaching Award for Innovative Teaching with Dr Nicholas Brewer for reorganising chemistry teaching and making first year chemistry modules a foundation course for all Life Sciences students.

In the same year she also awarded the Royal Society of Chemistry Higher Education Teaching Award for Innovation in Curriculum Design.

'I really enjoy teaching,' said Dr Morris, who joined the University in 2001. 'I enjoy seeing students doing well and I like making science fun, interesting and relevant. Chemistry can sound difficult and it does have a language all of its own so it is great when students really start to get to grips with it and enjoy it.'

'It's wonderful when they finish their courses and you can see how they have come on. I feel really proud of all of them when they graduate.'