Deborah Oakley

Mick Jones, who leads the Genomics Laboratory at the MRC’s Clinical Sciences Centre in West London, was voted the best postgraduate teacher in a student poll last night.

Over 400 teachers were nominated in the Student Academic Choice Awards (SACA) run by Imperial College Union. Jones was nominated by one of his students “for his sheer enthusiasm and willingness to always go the extra mile.”

He said he was particularly pleased to win the award because it was the students’ choice. “I enjoy engaging with students, and try to get my enthusiasm for the subject over to them.”

The organisers say the awards recognise teaching and supervision as vital ingredients for student success. The aim is to help “build a community in which academics, staff and students all feel empowered to bring forth new ideas.”

Some academics have raised concerns that SACA is a popularity contest that rewards teachers who might bribe students with free sweets or gimmicks. But the organisers say it is the quality – not the quantity – of nominations that count, and only academics with heart felt nominations stand a chance of winning.

Jones has taught the MSc Molecular Medicine course at Imperial for almost 20 years. He says that the course involves small group teaching, which he enjoys because he gets to know each student as an individual.

In the words of one of his students, Jones is “an inspiring man who deserves the award.”

Read more about the SACA ceremony.

 

For further information, contact:

Susan Watts
Head of Public Engagement and Communications
MRC Clinical Sciences Centre
Du Cane Road
London W12 0NN
T:  0208 383 8247
M: 07590 250652
E:

Deborah Oakley
Science Communications Officer
MRC Clinical Sciences Centre
Du Cane Road
London W12 0NN
T:  0208 383 3774
M: 07711 016942
E: