Meet our 2024 CPD Award Winners
By Peigu Zhao 27.11.24 Showcasing science
The Science Council annual CPD Awards recognise Registrants at various career stages who have demonstrated excellence in professional development and exemplary practice. A huge congratulations to the 2024 winners for their commitment to continued professional development.
If you are inspired by what you read, you can begin your application for professional registration today.
Jamie Cameron RSciTech - Royal Society of Biology
Senior Chemistry Technician, Oxford Radiocarbon Accelerator Unit
What is it like being a CPD Award Winner?
I’m really honoured to be receiving this award and grateful for this recognition. Much of the training I have done is through the generosity and time of others, and in particular I would like to thank my ORAU colleagues David Chivall, Peter Ditchfield, Joseph Graystone and Rachel Wood.
About the winner and their work
My work involves preparing archaeological samples for radiocarbon dating. The challenge is to isolate the carbon from a sample, whilst also removing any contamination which might affect the date. Our facility is trusted with fragile material from museums and archaeological excavations around the world, so this requires a great deal of care. I also carry out research into more refined dating of individual amino acids from archaeological bone collagen. Outside of the lab, I represent Oxford on the Technical Council of UK ITSS, helping to push the Technician Commitment forward nationally to support the recognition and career development of technicians.
Katie Dias RSciTech - Association of Anatomical Pathology Technology
Mortuary Quality and Operations Manager
What is it like being a CPD Award Winner?
Winning a CPD award from the Science Council is an amazing feeling ,it recognises my commitment to ongoing learning and improvement. It highlights my dedication to Anatomical Pathology Technology, developing my skills, and supporting the wider scientific community.
About the winner and their work
I am a qualified Anatomical Pathology Technologist with over 10 years of experience, currently managing four mortuaries across the West Midlands, overseeing nearly 400 deceased patients. My career is dedicated to ensuring the highest standards in post-mortem care, including forensic, coroners, and hospital cases. I am passionate about leading teams, maintaining best practices, and continually improving mortuary processes, always with a focus on delivering the highest level of patient care.
Lucy Owen RSci - Royal Society of Biology
Research Scientist, ECHA Microbiology Ltd
What is it like being a CPD Award Winner?
I am delighted to have been selected for the CPD award. I’ve found maintaining my CPD record to be a great tool to take stock of my personal development and how my work can have a positive impact, and I appreciate the recognition for my efforts.
About the winner and their work
I am a Research Scientist at ECHA Microbiology in Cardiff, where my research focusses on microbial contamination and corrosion issues in industry and the development of new products and services. I started my career completing a PhD in Microbiology at De Montfort University, before working as a postdoctoral researcher specialising in infection control and the development of antimicrobials.
Mr. Michael Detyna SFHEA FRGS RSci - Institute of Science and Technology
Learning Technologist, King's College London
What is it like being a CPD Award Winner?
I’m really pleased and grateful to the British Science Council to have received this award. Interacting with Nobel prize winning scientist Sir Paul Nurse is a highlight, as he has done such groundbreaking work in genetics, and his recent review of the science landscape (Nurse, 2023) should be heeded.
About the winner and their work
My work relates primarily to learner engagement, novel learning environments and immersive experiences in digital education. I have a passion for using science and technology both to help understand the world, and to help others. I have an academic interest in a number of fields, having degrees both in Physics and the humanities, and I'm a Senior Fellow of the HEA. I’m regularly asked to speak at a range of national and international conferences on virtual reality, hybrid teaching and active learning.
Deborah Hansen CSci - Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology
Senior Open Access Adviser, University of Cambridge
What is it like being a CPD Award Winner?
I was surprised and grateful when I learned about my nomination for a CPD award. I have sometimes wondered how best to approach the reflection aspect of CPD, whilst knowing what an important part of the activity this is. I am encouraged to find I was on the right track!
About the winner and their work
I have studied and worked for more than thirty years in the marine sector and elsewhere, spanning private industry, government and university and have been involved in a variety of scientific and technical projects using marine and other data and information. The work in my current role is also very varied, from understanding policies, advising our researchers and delivering briefings, to working with data in various ways. My scientific background and training provide good grounding for all this.
Dr. Robin Price CSci - Institute of Water
Director of Quality and Environment, Anglian Water Services
What is it like being a CPD Award Winner?
I am incredibly proud to be a CPD Award Winner, and to have the opportunity to share my experience of undertaking CPD throughout my career is a genuine honour.
About the winner and their work
I have worked for Anglian Water for almost 30 years since completing my PhD. I have worked in scientific roles throughout my career, and now, as Director of Quality and Environment, I am accountable for science, quality assurance, innovation, sustainability and climate change across the company. I am a Chartered Scientist and have served on the Board of the Institute of Water as Vice President-Science, supporting the professional development of scientists across the water industry. I am extremely proud to support the charity WaterAid and am part of an Anglian Water project working in South East Nepal.
Emma Victory CSci – Institute of Biomedical Science
Senior Biomedical Scientist, Clinical Parasitology (Hospital for Tropical Diseases)
What is it like being a CPD Award Winner?
It is an honour to be considered for a CPD award. I’ve always loved learning and I see professional development like a jigsaw puzzle – you gradually add more pieces, which reveals a picture of who you are as a person and practitioner.
About the winner and their work
I am a senior healthcare scientist and educator working in infection sciences. I have over 20 years of experience working in a specialist reference service and teaching parasitology on MSc and diploma courses. My particular areas of interest are training, assessment and leadership. I recently moved to a new role at the Hospital for Tropical Diseases and am currently studying for a PGCE at UCL.
Mohamed El-Guindy CSci - Institute of Science and Technology
Senior Cybercrime and Cybersecurity Expert, UNODC
What is it like being a CPD Award Winner?
Winning the CPD Award is both an honor and a validation of my dedication to continuous learning and professional growth. This award serves as a reminder of the importance of staying engaged and committed to excellence through lifelong learning. I am incredibly grateful for this recognition and motivated to continue advancing my expertise to better serve my field and contribute to safer digital environments.
About the winner and their work
I am Mohamed El-Guindy, Senior Cybersecurity and Cybercrime Expert at the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Cybercrime Program Director at the Faculty of Law, The British University in Egypt, and Digital Advisor to the Egyptian Public Prosecution Office. My work focuses on developing strategies and training programs to combat cybercrime and enhance digital security frameworks both nationally and internationally. With a deep commitment to advancing cybersecurity practices, I provide expert advice to policymakers, lead initiatives in cybercrime prevention, and contribute to capacity-building efforts in the field.
Thomas Pitcher CSci - Royal Society of Biology
Regulatory Science Manager - Kings College London
What is it like being a CPD Award Winner?
Thank you. It is a tremendous honour to receive this award. Not to mention a huge surprise! The science council has done an amazing job at promoting recognition for scientists and technicians alike. I am very proud to be a member of the community.
About the winner and their work
I am very lucky to live near the sea in Kent. Beach life, and a love for the fantasy genre (yes, Lord of the Rings and all that!), helps me unwind after work.
I work as the Regulatory Science Manager at King’s College, London. This involves helping researchers by ensuring that they have the correct legal documentation, registration and health and safety requirements needed to be fully compliant in their laboratory work.
Dr. Timothy Ross CSciTeach – Association for Science Education
Headteacher at Papa Westray Community School
What is it like being a CPD Award Winner?
I’m very happy to receive this award on behalf of my school and pupils. The highlight of my professional learning in recent years has been in seeing projects that take a lot of planning and preparation resulting in strong, relevant learning in class. It’s been exciting to see long term open ended learning projects develop and result in a high quality outcome.
About the winner and their work
My background is in Nuclear Physics, then in 2015 I retrained at the University of the Highlands and Islands for ‘career number 2’ in Primary Education. I now work in one of Scotland’s smallest schools, in Orkney, where we have 5 pupils. It’s an extremely rewarding place to teach, allowing quality and relevant learning for every pupil. Our small island identity always plays a key role in learning and in recent years we’ve spent time on projects related to the extinction of the Great Auk, AI supported delivery of school lunches, sustainable growing of vegetables, the impact of humans on our local environment and how we might look after it.
Gary McDonald CSciTeach - Royal Society of Biology
Biology teacher, assisting co-ordinator of the International Baccalaureate, Beijing, China
What is it like being a CPD Award Winner?
I was pleasantly surprised to be a CPD award winner!
This award follows the recognition I received recently from one of my students who gave me a little statue. The Chinese characters engraved on it translate to “You raise all students up”.
About the winner and their work
I have been working as a biology teacher for the last 16 years. During my time as a biology teacher at an International school in China, I had the privilege to design the layout of an outdoor area which was then used for educational purposes. Further to my role as a teacher, I assisted as a coordinator of the International Baccalaureate, supporting students reflecting on relevant biological projects for their course work.
I also enjoyed acting as a student mentor, supervising three students each year during their applied science course. One of my students whom I supervised during his research on fungus gained top marks for his individual work.
Pete Robinson CSciTeach - Association for Science Education
Independent Teaching and Learning Consultant
What is it like being a CPD Award Winner?
It was a very pleasant surprise to find I had been nominated for an award as I didn't think my CPD return recorded anything special. Surprise changed to delight when I heard I was a CPD Award Winner!
About the winner and their work
Pete Robinson B.Sc. (Hons) PGCE CSciTeach
Pete worked for nearly twenty years as a science teacher and head of science before becoming a local authority teaching and learning consultant and adviser from 2002 to 2010. Pete has worked as an independent teaching and learning consultant since 2010 in a wide range of contexts and settings at home and abroad. More recently, he has become an initial teacher education tutor for a SCITT based in NW England.
In 2012, Pete was elected Chair of the Association for Science Education for 2013-4, supporting the Association's restructure and reform.
The Celebration of Science announcement and full list of winners has been published on our website.