Celebrating our successes

Our Team Teesside colleagues and students regularly receive national and international recognition for their outstanding talent, hard work and achievements in their chosen fields and the wider community.

Meet the stars of Team Teesside 2020-2021

Congratulations to our Team Teesside Star Award winners 2020-2021. Each of our winners made an outstanding contribution to our University over the course of an extraordinary year. Thank you to everyone who submitted a nomination, all our nominees, finalists, and winners for making Teesside University such a special place to work and study.

Graduate’s role in helping Belgian football club achieve goal

Graduate and professional footballer Christian Burgess played a pivotal role in helping a Belgian football team win promotion the Belgian first division in the 2020/21 season, and then finish second in 2021/22 to secure a place in the Champions League. He graduated with a First Class BA (Hons) History in 2014 by combining his studies with playing professional football.

Prestigious recognition for engineering academic

Dr Tannaz Pak, Senior Lecturer in Energy and Environmental Engineering in the University's School of Computing, Engineering & Digital Technologies, has received a Top 50 Women in Engineering: Engineering Heroes award from the Women's Engineering Society (WES).

Business students top of the class in Greggs Marketing Challenge

A team of business students from Teesside University has won the Greggs Marketing Challenge, developing a successful campaign concept for the well-known bakery brand.

Teesside academics receive Advance HE Teaching Excellence Awards

Dr Ann Thanaraj (Assistant Academic Registrar - Digital Transformation), and Dr Samuel Elkington (Principal Lecturer – Learning and Teaching), have been awarded National Teaching Fellowships for their outstanding impact in teaching or supporting learning in UK higher education.

Teesside academic honoured in 2023 North Innovation Women list

Teesside academic, Professor Vikki Rand, who has a leading role in bioscience research was named among the region’s most inspirational women in 2023 North Innovation Women list by The Northern Health Science Alliance (NHSA), a partnership between NHS trusts, universities, and Academic Health Science Networks.

Fashion graduate selected for international design programme

A fashion design graduate from Teesside University is completing a prestigious training programme to experience working in the fashion industry.

Honouring the Star Award winners

Teesside University celebrated the success and commitment of colleagues at a prestigious annual awards ceremony.

National writing recognition for Teesside University academic

Creative writing academic, Lucy Burns, was shortlisted for the prestigious The Sunday Times Charlotte Aitken Young Writer of the Year award for her debut book, Larger than an Orange - a powerful and intimate memoir, which has been described as part diary, part prose poem and part literary collage.

Royal recognition for Teesside honorary graduates

Deborah Dyer, better known as the iconic leader singer Skin from the rock band Skunk Anansie and acclaimed novelist Philippa Gregory were both recognised in the Queen's Birthday Honours in 2021. Deborah was awarded an OBE for her services to music and Philippa received a CBE for her services to literature and charity.

Honorary graduate Adele Parks awarded MBE

Honorary graduate, and best-selling author, Adele Parks has received an MBE for her services to literature. Born in Stockton on Tees Adele is one of the best-loved and biggest-selling women’s fiction writers in the UK. Read about her career and plans for the future in Graduate Teesside (pages 28-31).

Twenty years of friendship for Teesside University academic trio

Three friends who first met as flat mates at Teesside University are now celebrating two decades of friendship, having made the transition from students to staff members.

Prestigious nursing honour for Teesside University academic

Teesside academic, Denise Dye, a lecturer in Community Nursing in the School of Health & Life Sciences, is helping shape the next generation of nurses. Earlier this year, she was honoured by the prestigious the title of Queen’s Nurse from the Queen’s Nursing Institute (QNI).

Beth Mead wins BBC Sports Personality of the Year award

International football superstar and Teesside graduate Beth Mead was named as BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2022. Beth was announced as the winner of the event’s main category in recognition of her international sporting accomplishments and the impact of her success beyond the world of football.

Prestigious international recognition for academic’s research

A Teesside University expert in mechanical engineering has won prestigious recognition for his research from an international professional organisation.

Graduate achieves record success at Adobe World Championship

Graduate Keavey Gamwell showcased her outstanding creative talents on a global platform as she took home bronze at the prestigious Adobe World Championships. She competed against the best and brightest young creatives from across the world, and she designed a poster to encourage people to play their part in saving coral reefs.

Royal thanks for student's volunteering efforts

Teesside PhD student Anderson Akponeware received a personal thank you from The Queen for his volunteering efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic. Anderson volunteers as a Check in and Chat NHS Volunteer Responder and spends his weekends and evenings phoning those in need of conversation.

Teesside University academic lands Ministry of Defence award for teaching military recruits

A Teesside University academic has been recognised with the prestigious School of Infantry (SCHINF) Commandant’s Coin from the Ministry of Defence (MoD) after tutoring Gurkha recruits in the British Army.

Artwork by Teesside University staff member selected for major art exhibition

An emotional and inspirational piece of artwork from a Teesside University staff member is on display as part of a major arts exhibition in London.

Civil Engineering student Lauren wins prestigious scholarship

Teesside civil engineering student Lauren Skidmore was named as a Millman Scholar at a Postgraduate Research Symposium in London. Lauren achieved an overall first in her first year of studies and was selected for this award because of her determination to succeed and excel.

Talented student makes her mark in national comic

Creative student, Kirsty Stebbings’s artwork was featured in a special edition of Viz, a popular British comic filled with cartoons, slapstick humour and satire. Kirsty illustrated a comic strip, titled Toffee Penny, based on the notion that the namesake Quality Street sweet is the least liked in the country.

Teesside University student competes for Team GBR at gymnastics world championships

A chiropractic student from Teesside University represented Team GBR at a major gymnastics competition in Azerbaijan.

Talented Teesside colleagues celebrate their academic successes

Five Teesside University colleagues from the same department have celebrated academic success at our April and July 2022 graduation ceremonies.

National recognition for inspirational Teesside nursing academic

Chris Dlamini, Senior Lecturer in Learning Disabilities in the University's School of Health & Life Sciences, has received a Silver Award from England's Chief Nursing Officer Ruth May, for his inspirational work supporting learning disabilities nursing colleagues and students across the country during the pandemic.

The brilliance of Team Teesside is how it empowers people to believe they can make a difference. By encouraging self-development and continuous growth, it has enhanced my confidence and helped me translate my social-conscience into actions to the community.

Leanne Graham , Partnership Manager, Student Learning & Academic Registry

Team Teesside for me is all about inclusion and feeling connected to the overall objectives and aspirations of the University. It's about knowing we can all play our part, no matter how small, in making this the best University for students and staff.

Rob Coulson, Head of Payroll Services , Finance & Commercial Development

Team Teesside is a passion, it's more than just phrase, Embedded deep within it's a culture each of us portrays, We all support each other to achieve our very best, With innovation and communication the key to our success, We may be small, but mighty. We inspire, and we have spirit, I'm proud to be Team Teesside and so is everyone who's in it.

Jessica Doyle, Senior Sport Assistant , Teesside Sport

To me, Team Teesside is all about community and respect. It doesn’t matter if you’re homegrown or from somewhere else, everyone feels welcome and part of a family here. It feels like being part of a team and as someone who wasn’t a local, I’m so glad it exists.

Kirsty-Louise Ferguson, HR Assistant , Human Resources