Alumni Achievement Awards
Join us in celebrating members of your alumni community who are creating outstanding impact.
A community to be proud of
Newcastle's alumni are a talented group of people achieving great things. We can all take pride in our community, in which many of us are working towards positive change.
To honour those who are making an outstanding impact, we run the Alumni Achievement Awards each year. These form part of the Pride of Newcastle University Awards.
About the awards
The Alumni Achievement Awards recognise exceptional efforts and achievements in two categories – Rising Star and Alumni Impact. In 2021, we introduced an additional catergory to acknowledge the incredible bravery and determination of our alumni who have been at the forefront of pushing back in the fight against Covid-19 - Outstanding Alumni Support during the Covid-19 Pandemic.
Rising Star category
This award recognises a rising star, up to 10 years after graduation. They’ll be making an impact in their workplace, industry, community or on University life.
Alumni Impact category
This award recognises alumni at any point after graduation who meet at least one of the following criteria:
- outstanding contribution to business or industry
- outstanding contribution to society or community life
- potential to inspire the next generation of current and prospective students
- demonstrate involvement with the University, particularly through volunteering
Outstanding Alumni Support during the Covid-19 Pandemic category
This past year has been one none of us could have predicted or planned for, and the changes that this global pandemic have forced onto us all are many and varied. However, in times of adversity there are always people who step to the fore and bring positivity and big changes to help others out. So this year we’re including a special category of awards – an award that recognises outstanding alumni support during the Covid-19 Pandemic. This category is to recognise those alumni who have made a real difference in combating the virus in the past 12 months. From frontline workers to researchers and from teachers to heads of business, you can nominate alumni who have been at forefront of pushing back Covid-19.
Meet the winners
Huge congratulations to all our previous winners. Discover their inspiring stories below.
Sarah Grant (Business Administration and Management, 2011) is an inspiring entrepreneur and pioneer in healthcare recruitment. Through her start-up, My Healthcare Recruit, she has worked tirelessly to staff frontline work during the Covid-19 pandemic, deploying over 750 nurses who have been able to make a real difference to UK healthcare when it was most needed.
Dr Melesse Temesgen (MSc Agricultural Engineering, 1987) has effectively applied the scientific theory he learnt at Newcastle University to invent new technologies that solved the problems of smallholder farmers in Ethiopia. He is the co-founder and CEO of Aybar Engineering PLC, which invents and manufactures new agricultural implements for sale.
Dylan (Computer Science, 2017) is a young entrepreneur, influencer and ambassador of the North East Start-up. He’s involved in the digital and tech sectors with a growing national profile.
Dylan's multi award-winning business ‘Nebula Labs’ offers innovative digital solutions focused on health, wellbeing, travel and tourism. Nebula Labs’ mission is to solve problems that apply to real-life scenarios, creating change through applied technology.
Within 12 months of starting up, Nebula Labs won ‘Best New Business’ at the local Dynamites Awards in 2018. In February 2020 they won the Digital Technology Award at the North East Business Awards. In 2019, The Journal named Dylan one of '35 under 35s to watch in the North East'. He is currently 24.
Dylan is ambitious, with big plans to grow into the global market. He is active in encouraging the next generation of developers and innovators. This includes making regular guest appearances at Newcastle University to encourage and inspire students. Through Nebula Labs he continues to be heavily involved in projects that champion and further the North East.
Colin graduated with a PhD in 2006. Since then, he has had an enormous impact on the automotive industry in the North East. Colin is now a leading advocate for the UK’s shift to low carbon transport.
Over the last twelve years, Colin has worked tirelessly to support the UK’s transition to electric cars. Following a 17-year career with Nissan Manufacturing, he joined the Regional Development Agency (One North East) in 2007.
Colin went on to form Zero Carbon Futures (ZCF), a not-for-profit subsidiary of Gateshead College. ZCF advises cities and local authorities across the UK on the transition away from fossil-fuelled vehicles.
Colin continues to shape regional innovation policy. He is an active member of:
- North East Automotive Alliance
- North East LEP innovation board
- IET manufacturing policy panel
Colin has also kept close ties with Newcastle University, where he is a Guest Lecturer. In recognition of his successful career, Colin became a CBE in 2018 for services to business and renewable energy.
Maria (Strategic Planning and Investment, 2011) is a champion of women in finance. She's a member of several industry boards. Maria has kept a strong bond with Newcastle University Business School, repeatedly giving her time as a guest speaker. She also inspires and advises our postgraduate students.
Maria's aim is to help students on finance PGT programmes with guidance on careers in the capital. She focuses on trying to encourage more women to join the financial services industry.
Theo (Genetics, 1994) is one of the co-founders of the social enterprise SciCo. SciCo combats scientific illiteracy and promotes interactive STEM education. Throughout Theo’s academic career, he gained scholarships and awards, as well as publishing several peer-reviewed papers.
Through SciCo, Theo established a series of annual science festivals. These serve as a networking opportunity for schools, NGOs and companies. He has also co-created an interactive digital video-making platform called School-lab. Schoolchildren in various European countries now use the platform.
Through the impact of his work, Theo has achieved many accolades. These include becoming:
- President of the Onassis Scholars Association
- winner of the ASHOKA Impact Programme
- a nominee of the UNESCO Kalinga Science Popularisation Award