Alumni Achievement Awards
Celebrating members of our alumni community who are making an outstanding impact around the world
Our 270,000-strong alumni community are a talented group of people achieving great things in their industries and communities. We can all take pride in the impact that is made by our graduates once they have completed their studies with us.
To honour those making an outstanding impact around the world, we hold the Alumni Achievement Awards each year. These form part of the wider Newcastle University Awards which celebrate student and graduate success.
You can read more about the three categories below.
Outstanding social and civic contribution
This award celebrates alumni who are making a real difference in the community, and could include those:
- Working with community groups and voluntary organisations to help others.
- Supporting underrepresented groups to access services they need.
- Creating new business to make a positive impact in their local community.
- Leading and innovating cultural progress through creative arts.
Outstanding global and intercultural contribution
This category recognises Newcastle graduates who have led the way in the integration of people and cultures, and who are breaking down barriers to create a greater sense of inclusivity.
Alumni nominated for this award will have made a positive difference across a broad range of issues, such as:
- Race
- Culture
- Age
- Gender
- Sexual Orientation
- Disability
- Social Class
Outstanding contribution to sustainability and environmental justice
This award champions alumni who are tackling climate change head on and making great strides in the global quest for Net Zero and sustainability. Nominees in this category are passionate about the future of the planet and are working towards a greener future. This could be through:
- Launching new, green businesses.
- Leading sustainable change at your work.
- Volunteering to make environmental change.
- Championing sustainability within your local, regional, or national communities.
All alumni are eligible for the Alumni Achievement Awards, and nominations can be submitted for yourself or to celebrate the achievements of a fellow graduate. Read on to meet our 2023 winners for inspiration.
Please note that nominations for this year's awards are now closed. The Alumni Achievement Awards will be held at Newcastle Civic Centre on Thursday 6 June 2024.
Andrew Jenkins (PhD, 2019)
Andrew’s business Kinewell Energy, which was founded while he was studying at Newcastle, is developing and commercialising innovative technologies to accelerate the transition to net-zero.
Recognised by Business Live as one of the ‘five most promising North East firms set for success in 2023’, Kinewell Energy is now a market-leader in developing cost-optimisation solutions for Offshore Wind and bespoke solutions using advanced mathematical and artificial intelligence techniques, with their software to optimise inter-array cable layouts of offshore wind farms being rolled out across the globe.
Andrew and his team have many active collaborations with Newcastle, Northumbria, Sunderland and Durham Universities to inspire and create opportunities for future generations, supporting the development of highly skilled graduates as well as graduate retention in the North East. At Newcastle, they have supported several Business School MBA projects, co-developed the Geospatial CDT ‘Challenge week’, and provided nine paid student internship opportunities over the last four years through the Careers Service.
Dennis Assanis (BSc Marine Engineering, 1980)
Dennis has dedicated his career to higher education and improving access to education for all.
Under his leadership as President, the University of Delaware (UD) has refined and innovated accessible programming options to support people formerly excluding from college education. This includes additional financial aid models, resources and scholarships. UD has also reformed a former Chrysler auto assembly plant into a 1 million square foot co-working space for 3,000 researchers, students and business owners in the field of science, technology and advanced research.
Dennis is a highly regarded expert in clean energy and power systems and has previously held teaching roles at the State University of New York, the University of Illinois and the University of Michigan. As well as inspiring the future generations of engineers, Dennis also has a hand in influencing national policy and innovation in his role on President Biden’s Advisory Council on Science and Technology.
Stuart Bailey (BA Hons History, 1985)
Stuart has been an instrumental supporter of Newcastle University students, and Newcastle University Business School students in particular, for many years.
Stuart is Head of Industry, Strategy and Design for Global Payments at Lloyds Banking Group in London, and it is through this position that he provides meaningful experiences to support the future generations of Newcastle graduates. This includes guest lectures and presentations, and mentoring MBA students.
Since 2019, Stuart has sat on the International Advisory Board (IAB) of Newcastle University Business School, offering his expertise to shape the strategic direction of the school. He has also arranged for Lloyds Banking Group to sponsor a business plan competition tied to the Gain a Global Advantage programme, which arranges talks, workshops and networking sessions for Newcastle students with employers.