More TSM-CDT prizes are announced

Prizes awarded to TSM-CDT students

The Julian Walsh Prize for Outstanding Contribution to the Life of the TSM-CDT

The inaugural Julian Walsh Prize is awarded to Anthony Lim. Anthony has been a committed member of Cohort 2, acting as the student representative on the Operations Board for a year and in that time taking the lead in organising a number of cohort lunches with different members of academic staff. Last year Anthony led a complete overhaul of the way in which prospective applicants to the TSM-CDT are welcomed when they come to visit Imperial. He changed what was an informal pot-luck tour around the campus into a planned, redesigned and guided tour with key information for the tour guides, highlights of the campus, interesting facts and a prepared map of the route. Anthony took time to consider the questions that are most important to prospective students; the largest concern of applicants was often ‘where will I live and can I afford it?’ So he spent time and energy researching housing options for someone coming from outside of London and addressed this in detail in the tour notes. Also included were facts about the TSM-CDT and the Thomas Young Centre. Anthony himself enjoys giving the tours and, through his initiative, he has greatly enhanced the experience of prospective applicants visiting the TSM-CDT. He is a worthy winner of the Julian Walsh Prize!

Prizes for Major Contribution to the Life of the TSM-CDT

Congratulations to Vincent Chen, Musab Khawaja, Daniel Rathbone, and Chiara Liverani for winning prizes for their outstanding contributions to the life of the TSM-CDT. Their cohort mentors write about their contributions below.

Vincent Chen (cohort 3) made a significant contribution to the CDT as an organiser of the CDT Festival of Science 2013. Vincent invested substantial time and energy into this project over an extended period of time (10 weeks). He has made contributions in: selecting and inviting suitable speakers/panelists to speak at the festival; organising catering for the day; purchasing gifts and other miscellaneous items; promoting the festival via e-mails and posters; assisting speakers with technical issues and introducing a number of the speakers on the day. These are primarily behind-the-scenes activities which support the smooth running and professional quality of the event. Vincent has also helped with outreach activities, for example, in June (the Imperial Festival) and October (Research in Motion), demonstrating how ice cream is made using liquid nitrogen and explaining the science being displayed to the public to help foster interest and awareness in science. Daniele Dini.

Musab Khawaja (cohort 3) has contributed to many different aspects of the CDT. His most prominent contribution is the role he played as the co-organising the CDT Festival of Science 2013. Working with Vincent Chen in the team representing the TSM-CDT, Musab invested substantial time and energy into this project over an extended period of time (10 weeks). Musab’s contribution ranged from selecting and inviting suitable speakers to promoting the festival via e-mails and posters; he also made a significant contribution on the day of the Festival by assisting and introducing speakers. Musab has also been involved in many outreach activities such as the Imperial Festival and Research in Motion and other activities aimed at promoting interest and awareness in science. He was also one of the editors of this year’s TSM Annual Report and has been the driving force behind cohort 3 “football integration activities”, an initiative unanimously supported by both students (even from other cohorts) and mentors. Daniele Dini.

Daniel Rathbone's (cohort 3) contribution to the CDT is multi-faceted. He is one of the prime examples of how students can buy into the ethos of the CDT; he has been extremely supportive of all the activities promoted by the CDT, always trying to support and organise events linked to research and scientific development (such as seminars and masterclasses) and outreach (Imperial Festival and Research in Motion). However, his two most important contributions are the role he played in the cohort-building activities during year 2, the year in which students start their PhDs and it is important to maintain cohort cohesion, and his very active involvement in the organisation of HERMES 2014, especially in the fundraising initiatives and the direct contacts with sponsors. What is remarkable about Daniel is how his contributions are often behind-the-scenes, yet vital to the life and development of the CDT. Daniele Dini.

Chiara Liverani (cohort 4) is just always bursting with enthusiasm and energy. In the MSc year, she acted as the cohort representative on the Operations Board, bringing with her a positive can-do attitude to any challenges that came up and being an effective communication bridge between the students of the cohort and the Board. More recently, she has taken up a similar role in the Condensed Matter Theory Group, where she is making similar waves. Chiara is also an active participant in outreach activities such as mentoring at the Pheonix High School, passing on her enthusiasm for Science to the next generation.