Eurofins Foundation prizes awarded to Life Sciences students

Prize winners Kitty Clouston and Jia Wei Teo from the Department of Life Sciences

The first Eurofins Foundation prizes have been awarded to four students in Life Sciences.

In a virtual ceremony attended by 176 students and staff, the first Eurofins Foundation Undergraduate Prizes were awarded for outstanding performance and outstanding contribution to Life Sciences.

The prize winners were selected from across the two undergraduate streams within the Department of Life Sciences: Biochemistry and Biotechnology, and Biological Sciences.

The prizes are part of a generous gift from the SENSE Foundation and the Eurofins Foundation to support students in the Department of Life Sciences and include: an undergraduate scholarship, undergraduate and post graduate prizes and funding for hardship – a lifeline for students struggling to meet living costs whilst studying.

This year's awardees

Prizes like this are always deeply appreciated by students ... not only for the opportunities they provide, but also as a tangible reminder of the results borne out of our hard work. Jia Wei Teo Department of Life Sciences award winner

Jia Wei Teo received the Eurofins Foundation Undergraduate Prize for outstanding performance in Life Sciences. "I was incredibly grateful and honoured when the department informed me of the award", he says.

"It came at a time when, due to the disruptions caused by COVID-19, the closure of my chapter at Imperial felt awkward and incomplete. This award reminded me of the knowledge and experiences I’ve accrued during this fantastic degree, which are considerable indeed. Prizes like this are always deeply appreciated by students like myself, not only for the opportunities they provide during our transition into further studies or work, but also as a tangible reminder of the results borne out of our hard work.”

Student representative Kitty Clouston was awarded for outstanding contribution to Life Sciences in recognition of exemplary support for the Department of Life Sciences and other students throughout the entire lock down. "I was thrilled to receive the Eurofins Foundation Undergraduate Prize, recognising my efforts as academic representative for my cohort", she says.

It was a pleasant surprise to see such an esteemed prize being awarded for contributions to student services and not only academic achievement. Kitty Clouston Department of Life Sciences award winner

"Fulfilling this role has been rewarding in itself, especially during such a challenging term, but receiving this award so unexpectedly has given me an unparalleled sense of accomplishment and recognition. It was a pleasant surprise to see such an esteemed prize being awarded for contributions to student services and not only academic achievement. I am also grateful for the financial impact this award will have as I begin my postgraduate studies." 

Katherine Poole, was also awarded the Eurofins Foundation Undergraduate Prize for outstanding performance in Life Sciences. “I feel very honoured to have received this award, it represents the culmination of three years of hard but enjoyable work towards my degree. After graduating into the current circumstances, it is more important than ever to distinguish yourself. This prize will offer me the opportunity to do this and will always act as evidence of my passion for Life Sciences. The prize money itself will financially assist my transition from undergraduate life to employment. Moreover, this prize offers an incentive to younger Life Sciences students to work hard, achieve your best and be rewarded for it.”

Eurofins Scientific

The donation will have a profound impact ... allowing our students to flourish without the worry of financial difficulty. Professor Anne Dell Head of the Department of Life Sciences

Eurofins Scientific is an international life sciences company providing global excellence and leadership in food, environment, pharmaceutical and cosmetic products testing as well as human and advanced clinical testing services in agroscience Contract Research Organisation (CRO) services.

In 2017, Eurofins celebrated its 30^th Anniversary and awarded €1 million to 40 charities and NGOs selected by employees. Two years later, the company established the Eurofins Foundation, as a commitment to significant, long term philanthropy. Its objectives have been proposed based on the existing commitments of the global Eurofins’ community: contributing to global health and safety and protecting the environment.  This central goal to work to contribute to a better world and widening participation across geographical boundaries is shared with the Department of Life Sciences and Imperial College London as a whole.

The purpose of the Eurofins Foundation is to support initiatives with the same mission and commitment to improving environment, nutrition and health, as well as supporting social business and sustainable development. A core focus of the Foundation is to support students who are studying and undertaking research aligned with the company’s objectives and to assist the financial burden for those students in need.

Dr Gilles Martin, Eurofins Chief Executive Officer, said of the donation: “Eurofins Foundation is proud to support talented and promising students from a renowned university in the UK that focuses exclusively on science, medicine, engineering and business, whose work can contribute positively to advancing health and environment protection for all.”

Professor Anne Dell, Head of the Department of Life Sciences has expressed her thanks, saying: “We are incredibly grateful to the Eurofins Foundation. Their generosity will have a profound impact on our students and allow the Department to provide recognition for academic excellence and vital financial support to allow our students to flourish without the worry of financial difficulty. We are very much looking forward to developing our relationship with Eurofins over the coming years and seeing our talented students realise their full potential.”

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