Awardees

Dr Owen is widely regarded as one of the most successful car designers in the history of Formula One (F1) racing. He began working in the industry after graduating from Imperial in 2000 with a PhD in experimental fluid mechanics, and has worked with companies such as Reynard Motorsport, BMW Sauber and Honda, as well as in various roles at Mercedes, before becoming Director of Car Design in 2023.  

During Dr Owen’s tenure, the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team has been incredibly successful, winning both the Drivers’ and Constructors’ World Championships for seven consecutive seasons from 2014 to 2020, as well as a record-breaking eighth consecutive Constructors’ Championship in 2021. These successes include Lewis Hamilton’s six World Drivers’ Championships with Mercedes and Nico Rosberg’s 2016 World Championship. As Chief Designer and then Director of Car Design, Dr Owen led the design and development of all Mercedes F1 racing cars including this year’s championship-leading W17. Dr Owen has also been involved in F1 motorsport regulation, establishing many of the new rules that govern F1 car design. He has received the F1 Constructors’ Trophy on the podium at the British Grand Prix three times.  

Dr Owen retains close ties with Imperial’s Department of Aeronautics, from which he originally graduated. The department now offers undergraduate placements at Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1, while a scholarship increases opportunities in motorsport for underrepresented groups. Dr Owen has been closely involved with both of these initiatives, including being a member of the interview panel for scholarship candidates.  

Professor Walmsley is a pioneer and world leader in ultrafast quantum optics. He is an outstanding academic and an impactful leader who has made ground-breaking innovations throughout his career in both applied and fundamental science. His work has driven partnerships between academia, government and industry, including co-founding ORCA Computing in 2019. ORCA develops photonic quantum computers based on a novel approach that allows operation at room temperature. To date, ten computer systems have been delivered to clients around the world, including the Poznan Supercomputing and Networking Center in Poland and the UK National Quantum Computing Centre.  

Before becoming Provost at Imperial, Professor Walmsley was Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research and Innovation and Hooke Professor of Experimental Physics at the University of Oxford, and, prior to that, Director of the Institute of Optics at the University of Rochester. He was also President of the Optical Society of America in 2018 – one of the few UK academics to hold this post – and he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 2012, and was awarded a CBE in 2025 for services to science and quantum technologies.  

During his seven years as Provost at Imperial, Professor Walmsley made an outstanding contribution to the institution, launching a number of initiatives and steering the university through challenging times. He worked with the academic community to develop an Academic Strategy that helped shape Imperial’s new Strategy: Science for Humanity. He also championed a values-led working culture through the Imperial Together initiative, and advanced diversity, equality and inclusion through the Provost’s Visiting Professors programme. 

Mr Mir is a world-class expert in the application of artificial intelligence and advanced technology to solve some of society's most pressing challenges. With more than 25 years of experience in global technology infrastructure, he advises across multiple sectors and institutions on AI and emerging technology, bringing a rare combination of technical depth and strategic insight to bear on issues ranging from sustainability to youth empowerment. In particular, he advises on AI and advanced technology in support of HM The King's sustainability and youth initiatives, including through his role as Advisor on AI and Advanced Technology to The King's Trust International, where his guidance helps shape how emerging technologies can be harnessed to create opportunities for young people around the world. 

Mr Mir's standing in the technology sector has been recognised through his appointment as a Board Member of World Wide Technology, reflecting the trust placed in his judgement and expertise by leading organisations at the forefront of global technology innovation. 

Mr Ashton has had a distinguished career supporting education and the student experience. He held leadership positions at LSE and UCL before joining Imperial, where he was Academic Registrar for 10 years. He has been a leading voice among Academic Registrars in the UK, serving on the executive of the Academic Registrars’ Council for several years. 

With the advent of the Office for Students, the regulatory environment underwent significant changes, and Mr Ashton played a key role in ensuring that Imperial met its registration requirements and remained in good standing with our regulator. His challenging and complex work included the university’s response to COVID-19. Together with our academic leadership, Mr Ashton ran the Education Strategy and Operations Group, working tirelessly to ensure we continued to deliver high-quality education to students remotely, while remaining compliant with the Office for Students and the Competition and Markets Authority.  

His work supporting students included revising Imperial’s procedures for handling student discipline and personally overseeing a number of exceptionally challenging cases. One of the first to sign up as an Imperial Values Champion, Mr Ashton consistently role-modelled these behaviours and ensured they featured in every meeting he chaired.  

Miss Evans joined Imperial in 1980 and has been working in her current role in the Department of Life Sciences for the last 20 years. During that time, she has transformed professional services in Life Sciences, helping to establish it as one of the most vibrant and successful departments in the country. The impact of her work extends far beyond the department, with her organisational influence in evidence across the faculty and more widely across the university. Notably, her work was fundamental to the smooth organisation of laboratories and facilities during the COVID-19 pandemic.  

Miss Evans is committed to improving how Imperial supports its research facilities. She has developed organisational innovations that have reshaped strategy for managing large facilities, strengthening their financial sustainability and productivity, and supporting the research community. Her work has resulted in new systems and processes, and Miss Evans is now embedding this work so it will benefit Imperial’s mission for many years to come. 

A Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry and the Royal Society of Biology, and a Senior Fellow of Advance HE, Professor Spivey has led major advances in teaching and curriculum development since he began working at Imperial in 2003. 

While he was Head of Organic Chemistry Teaching and Director of Undergraduate Studies in Chemistry, Professor Spivey revamped 12 undergraduate programmes and doubled student intake. As Vice-Dean of Education, he improved student satisfaction, feedback and tutor support, launched the Faculty of Natural Sciences Learning and Teaching Development Programme, and co-founded the FoNS ‘Make a Difference’ (MAD) Challenge, empowering undergraduate teams to develop inventions. He was also a co-founder of the Chemical Kitchen, a pioneering approach to undergraduate teaching that has engaged thousands of students. 

As Associate Provost, Professor Spivey co-led Imperial’s Learning and Teaching Strategy, spearheaded a full curriculum review of all Imperial’s taught courses and introduced unified academic regulations. He also launched Imperial’s I-Explore programme, including modules in partnership with London School of Economics and the Victoria & Albert Museum, and established Faculty and Interdisciplinary EdTech Labs and a Digital Media Lab. During COVID-19, his leadership in EdTech enabled Imperial’s remote teaching response.  

During her time at Imperial, Professor Cori has demonstrated exceptional leadership at institutional, disciplinary and global levels. Her inclusive and compassionate approach, alongside her scientific expertise, has brought profound benefits to colleagues, students and the wider field.  

Professor Cori has been instrumental in bringing about strategic and values-led change. Within the School of Public Health, she founded and led the Pathogen Epidemiology Review Group (PERG), bringing together colleagues to build an evidence base for epidemiological parameters for high-threat pathogens. This work was widely published and adopted by the World Health Organization (WHO) and research groups worldwide. Professor Cori also co-led the 2024 Strategy Review on Education and chaired the development of the School’s Workforce Allocation Model, the first within the Faculty of Medicine. Her work on privilege, research culture and equity has strengthened inclusion across the institution, while her exceptional leadership has built strong, collaborative and supportive environments for colleagues at all career stages. Beyond Imperial, Professor Cori’s work has influenced policy, public health preparedness and research culture internationally, particularly in the fields of disease modelling and outbreak response. 

Widely known for being a kind and supportive colleague and mentor who demonstrates outstanding research supervision, Professor Fidler is an asset to the department. She has supervised 13 PhD students and three MD students, including four who have been awarded fellowships; others are now professors, associate professors, consultants and clinical lecturers. Alongside her role as a PhD supervisor, Professor Fidler has also supervised many BSc and MSc students. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she acted as a personal tutor for a number of medical students, ensuring they remained supported and able to complete their degrees during a particularly difficult time. 

Professor Fidler treats her students as colleagues, creating an inclusive working environment that adapts to their needs and fosters motivation. She helps to forge international collaborations, encourages her students to take on leadership roles and to see their work as part of a broader mission to address inequities worldwide. Her mentorship and global vision have inspired students to translate their learning into tangible worldwide benefit, bringing together academics and the wider community.  

Dr Johnson has transformed teaching, assessment and feedback with his digital platform invention: Lambda Feedback. The platform provides real-time analytics on cohort progress so lecturers can adapt pacing and prioritise problems in-year and for future cohorts. What began as a departmental solution is now used by more than 200 lecturers, reaching more than 10,000 students at Imperial. It is also used further afield in schools and universities around the world.  

Dr Johnson also led the adoption of Möbius, a commercial platform that automatically marks progress tests in core modules. Möbius relieves anxiety for students waiting for results and reduces staff workload so they can focus on developing students and adding depth to learning. Lambda Feedback and Möbius are now essential to the way the department operates and have elevated both the student learning experience and lecturers’ productivity. Dr Johnson’s innovations have transformed teaching in the department, across the university and, increasingly, beyond.  

Professor Heng has worked at Imperial for over 20 years and took on the role of Director of Undergraduate Studies in the Department of Chemical Engineering in 2020. During this time, he has delivered outstanding teaching that combines deep subject expertise with a distinctive pedagogical approach, within a department that has been ranked first nationally in The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2027. His teaching methods are highly regarded by students, as is the inclusive and supportive learning environment he creates, which enables them to stay focused and understand challenging concepts.  

Professor Heng’s calm, strategic and highly effective leadership was particularly evident during the COVID-19 pandemic, when he oversaw the transition to online and hybrid teaching that ensured continuity of learning with minimal disruption. His leadership has also helped maintain high academic standards and programme quality, while strengthening the overall student experience. This is reflected in, among other indicators, strong National Student Survey (NSS) outcomes.   

From innovations in laboratory teaching to championing sustainability across the curriculum, and contributing to sector-wide quality assurance, Professor Heng’s impact extends far beyond the undergraduate classroom. He is an outstanding educational leader whose passion for particle engineering is inspirational.  

Dr Thacker leads the GPPHC placement in Year 5 of the MBBS curriculum and co-leads development of the Year 5 MBBS examinations, she is also an academic tutor for Phase 1 medical students, an educational supervisor, and an MBBS admissions interviewer. Her exemplary leadership of GPPHC provides students with outstanding and transformative learning experiences, equipping them to lead as doctors in complex healthcare settings. Her teaching approaches are being adopted by other medical schools globally.  

Her high-impact methods include GP On-Call: The Consultation Game – a board-game-based simulation that Dr Thacker designed to engage and inspire students about general practice through experiential role-playing – and Complexity, Uncertainty and Challenging Consultations – an interactive session for students to explore authentic clinical, ethical and emotional healthcare challenges, in preparation for real-world practice. She also led a team of faculty members and students to redesign The Patient Project, a workplace-based assessment, to increase students’ understanding of person-centred care.  

Dr Thacker’s work has transformed the student experience, been presented at international conferences and has featured in publications. In March this year, Dr Thacker delivered a keynote for the Faculty of Natural Sciences International Women’s Day event, a testament to the high regard in which she is held by colleagues. 

Mr Harris led the PCSM Professional Services Team to set up a new graduate-entry medical school in Cumbria. PCSM, a partnership between Imperial and the University of Cumbria, opened in August 2025 with all 58 places filled and almost 45% of students coming from widening participation backgrounds. Applications for this academic year have increased by 25%.  

From recruiting a team of 50 new staff, to delivering an inclusive admissions process and a student-focused communications system, Mr Harris and his team worked tirelessly to ensure the School’s development and successful launch. He also collaborated with ICT teams to implement a single digital identity for all students and a secure digital interface between the two universities. Mr Harris embedded a culture of integrity, respect, collaboration and excellence that will continue to shape the School’s future. 

Across three years of Students’ Union leadership, including as Academic Chair and Deputy President, she represented more than 3,300 students and led reforms across the curriculum, academic support, representation and assessment. She pioneered the first SU Mock Finals and founded Imperial’s Nutritank Society, establishing a programme that trained over 100 student volunteers to deliver free nutrition education to primary school children. 

Beyond Imperial, Dr Baker is a national advocate for social mobility, inclusive education, youth empowerment and healthcare reform. Through the Sutton Trust, where she has served as Changemaker Ambassador and Co-Chair of its Alumni Board, she has helped support thousands of students from disadvantaged backgrounds into higher education and employment. She has delivered keynote speeches including at the House of Lords and the NHS Youth Summit and contributed to national policy roundtables as well as championed youth agency and inclusive teaching. 

Dr Baker is also the cofounder of More Than Medics, a national non-profit organisation that supports medics in accessing diverse career opportunities. Reaching more than 5,000 medics across 14 countries, she has connected its community with over 4,400 opportunities and delivered free national programmes, events and career resources. 

He is an emerging clinician-academic whose research focuses on artificial intelligence, implementation science and medical imaging. He has presented internationally, published in leading academic journals and received multiple academic, research and humanitarian awards.

As a first-generation doctor, Dr Chhatwal entered medicine without mentorship or a clear roadmap. This experience inspired his commitment to widening access to medical education and careers. He has personally mentored hundreds of students and delivered teaching sessions and workshops supporting medical examinations, career pathways and research skills.

Dr Chhatwal co-founded MedVault, a free international teaching course that has supported more than 1,000 medical students. He developed and delivered its structured clinical medicine curriculum, tailored to the UK Medical Licensing Assessment, with all teaching provided free of charge to reduce financial barriers.

He also co-founded MedNex, a platform supporting over 7,000 aspiring clinicians, medical students and doctors across over 75 countries. Through free mentorship, opportunities and resources, MedNex promotes equitable access to medicine. Its research fellowship has attracted over 2,000 applications with hundreds of fellows now contributing to research projects under the mentorship of leading academics worldwide.

At Imperial, they pioneered educational and career development opportunities as a student-staff partner with the Faculty of Medicine’s Professional Values and Behaviours team, delivered and evaluated Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) for young people nationally, and advocated for more inclusive medical education through research into the experiences of LGBTQIA+ and Queer medical students.

Dr Goldwater Breheny is currently Chair of the Students and Trainees Association of Sexual Health and HIV (STASHH) having joined its committee in 2023. They work closely with the British Association for Sexual Health and HIV (BASHH) to amplify the voices of students and early career doctors in national policy and strategy, including spearheading the first BASHH-endorsed STASHH conference.

Dr Goldwater Breheny volunteered at Sexpression:UK, a charity that empowers young people to make informed decisions about relationships and sex, between 2020 and 2026. They served as the National Monitoring and Evaluation Director in 2023–24, producing 15 reports, and overhauling internal feedback. They previously chaired Sexpression:Imperial (2022–23) during which time the branch received Sexpression:UK Branch of the Year.

Miss Haynes has used her engineering and leadership skills to empower the most vulnerable and disadvantaged members of society. Among her remarkable achievements is developing a platform to support Ukrainian refugees arriving in France after being displaced by the war in Ukraine. In just 24 hours, Miss Haynes built a user-friendly platform that drastically improved access to support, later introducing security systems to protect the platform from cyberattacks. To date, the platform has supported more than 1,000 refugees and has become a vital tool for volunteers and NGOs. The Solidarité Ukraine team has been recognised by the French government with the Gold Medal for the Ministry of the Interior – the highest honour granted by the Ministry.

Miss Haynes’ incredible work with refugees doesn’t end there. In her third year of university, she founded a coding bootcamp for refugee schoolgirls in Beirut, coordinating four Imperial students to deliver weekly coding sessions. Miss Haynes is also President of Imperial’s student-led fundraising society, Raising and Giving (RAG), and a volunteer responder with St John Ambulance.

Dr Kim has made exceptional contributions to the institution and to communities far beyond.  

While studying, Dr Kim played a pivotal role in an externally led project that utilised an AI-assisted clinical tool to support frontline healthcare workers treating infectious skin conditions in underserved settings worldwide. 

As President of the KUMAS, Dr Kim helped to widen educational access. She built KUMAS’s first website and created the KUMAS Global Premed Series, a mentorship programme that has reached more than 160 aspiring medics in the UK, Korea, and Southeast Asia. The Korean UK Medical Association (KUMA) and KUMAS jointly received the South Korean Presidential Group Commendation for public service, and Dr Kim was invited to represent the Korean community at the South Korean Presidential State Visit for the Coronation of King Charles III. 

Dr Kim also co-founded Skinfluency. A peer-led education and behaviour-change initiative for adolescents with chronic skin conditions, Skinfluency spans school-based teaching, peer support circles, youth advocacy and science engagement. It is supported by clinicians, educators and schools across the UK, the US and South Korea.