King's College London

Colleagues from across King's College London came together at the start of December for an afternoon of celebration and wintery delights at the inaugural FoDOCS PGR Student Awards Ceremony.

The awards were in two categories: 

The first is for the Postgraduate Research Colleague of the Year, and a prize was given to a colleague from each of our Centres. This award recognises postgraduate research students who have made a substantial contribution to the faculty, above and beyond their normal duties. This may include participation in internal or external networks or initiatives that have added value to the faculty. ​

​The second category is for the PGR Networking Award. We celebrated an individual that has engaged in outstanding collaborative networking outside of their Centre.

 

The winners were:

Colleague of the Year: Centre for Craniofacial & Regenerative Biology - Jordan Joel​

​The winner from CCRB started a sports and fitness club in the Centre. This initiative promotes sports, wellbeing, and networking not only within CCRB members but also with members from other departments. ​

​The PGR student is investigating the impact of Fibroblast Growth Factor signaling in craniosynostosis. In addition to science, he is passionate about sports. He has a 2nd degree black belt in taekwondo, is a long-distance runner and a recipient of the KCL Individual Performance athlete Programme scholarship. 

Colleague of the Year: Centre for Oral, Clinical & Translational Sciences - Caroline Reed​​

​​The winner is someone who is described as instrumental to a huge number of people throughout the faculty. Being the manager of the Maxillofacial Lab on Floor 20 whilst doing a part time PhD is no mean feat – and she executes both roles impeccably. She works effortlessly between the Trust (GSTT) and King’s creating partnerships between the respective institutions. ​

Our winner is undertaking a PhD that uses virtual reality and eye tracking software to observe the reactions of healthcare professionals and the general public to patients with facial disfigurements, with the aim of understanding interactions encountered and support needed for individuals that are visibly different.

Colleague of the Year: Centre for Host Microbiome Interactions​ - Dewi Owen​

The winner has been described as going above and beyond to help others in their projects, whether it be Master's students, PhD students or PIs. He even organised and led a coding class for the department’s staff and students! ​

Our winner is a final year PhD student in CHMI, researching how host genetics may influence the development of early gum disease. With a background in diverse microbiology projects—ranging from respiratory diagnostics and tuberculosis clinical trials to studying antibiotic resistance in bacteria on agricultural crops— their other passion is for teaching and public engagement.

PGR Networking Award​ - Rui Cheng

Since October last year upon embarking on her PhD journey, our winner has sought to make herself available to everyone around her. She has been supportive to colleagues both within the university environment and outside. Colleagues have said that her warmth and kindness leave a lasting impact, creating an atmosphere of trust and cooperation. Her exceptional ability to manage a complex multidisciplinary PhD project while fostering a supportive and inclusive environment sets her apart. ​

She has formed strong relationships with the biomedical engineering department at UCL; garnering connections with various professors and post-doctorate academics alike. She has fortified these relationships through her due diligence and discipline, which has also culminated in a strong working relationship with the CCRB academics on Floor 27. Indeed, she is so well integrated across the Centres that academics in the CCRB thought she was a member of that Centre (she is in COCTS)!

 

Congratulations to all nominated, and to our winners as well.