23 June 2011

Sir James Black Award for Outstanding Achievement

Photo opportunity - 12.15pm, Thursday June 23rd
Dundee University Students’ Association
Airlie Place
Lady Black will present the awards

The inaugural Sir James Black Awards for Outstanding Achievement will be given to four students at the University of Dundee this week, as part of the Graduation celebrations.

The Sir James Black Award for Outstanding Achievement will be an annual award presented by each College of the University to the final year undergraduate student making the most outstanding contribution to research and scholarship in their field.

The award is named after the former Chancellor of the University. Sir James Black (1924 - 2010) was a Nobel-prize winning scientist renowned for his discovery of the beta-blocker, propranolol, and the H2 blocker, cimetidine (Tagemet), which transformed the treatment of angina and stomach ulcers respectively.

He grew up in Fife, studied medicine at St Andrews University and worked in academia and industry as a physiologist and pharmacologist. Between 1992 and 2006 he was Chancellor of the University of Dundee, and took a deep interest in the growth of the University. The award is in memory of his remarkable contribution to science, to society and to the University of Dundee.

The winners will be presented with a certificate and a prize of £500 by Lady Black, Sir James’ widow, at the Graduation lunch on Thursday June 23rd.

This year’s winners are:

• Michail Vanis (College of Art, Science and Engineering)
• Ashley Bell (College of Arts and Social Sciences)
• Katarzyna Kozyrska (College of Life Sciences)
• Gregory Ekatah (College of Medicine, Dentistry and Nursing)

Professor Pete Downes, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University, said, 'Each of these students has produced truly outstanding work and they are fully deserving of this honour. Sir James was passionate about students and excited by their potential. He took a very keen interest in the work they were doing and I am sure he would have been very impressed by what our four award winners have achieved.'

The awards will be presented by Lady Black at the Graduation lunch in Dundee University Students’ Association on Thursday June 23rd.

For media enquiries contact:
Roddy Isles
Head, Press Office
University of Dundee
Nethergate, Dundee, DD1 4HN
TEL: 01382 384910
E-MAIL: r.isles@dundee.ac.uk
MOBILE: 07800 581902