Celebrating our successes

Our Team Teesside colleagues and students regularly receive national and international recognition for their outstanding talent, hard work and achievements in their chosen fields and the wider community.

Teesside University graduate and professional footballer Christian Burgess

Graduate’s role in helping Belgian football club achieve goal

Graduate and professional footballer Christian Burgess played a pivotal role in helping a Belgian football team win promotion the Belgian first division in the 2020/21 season, and then finish second in 2021/22 to secure a place in the Champions League. He graduated with a First Class BA (Hons) History in 2014 by combining his studies with playing professional football.

Dr Jonathan Robinson, Trevor Langford and Michelle Robinson

Twenty years of friendship for Teesside University academic trio

Three friends who first met as flat mates at Teesside University are now celebrating two decades of friendship, having made the transition from students to staff members.

Beth Mead wins BBC Sports Personality of the Year award

International football superstar and Teesside graduate Beth Mead was named as BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2022. Beth was announced as the winner of the event’s main category in recognition of her international sporting accomplishments and the impact of her success beyond the world of football.

Fashion graduate selected for international design programme

A fashion design graduate from Teesside University is completing a prestigious training programme to experience working in the fashion industry.

Left to right: Michael Adewunmi, TUSU President (Education), Heather Nichols, Professor Paul Croney OBE, Vice-Chancellor, and Chief Executive.

Honouring the Star Award winners

Teesside University celebrated the success and commitment of colleagues at a prestigious annual awards ceremony.

Donna Rodgers, Organisational Development and Learning Manager

Prestigious sporting recognition for international rugby player twenty years on

Twenty years after representing her country in Rugby League, Organisational Development and Learning Manager Donna Rodgers was honoured for her achievements. Donna played three test matches for the Great Britain Women’s Rugby League team in 2002, and finally received her cap in recognition of her sporting achievements last year.

Dave Roberts, Narelle Barkes, Gemma Sawyer , Amy Askham and Lauren Heslop

Talented Teesside colleagues celebrate their academic successes

Five Teesside University colleagues from the same department have celebrated academic success at our April and July 2022 graduation ceremonies.

Creative Writing academic Lucy Burns (photograph by Sophie Davidson)

National writing recognition for Teesside University academic

Creative writing academic, Lucy Burns, was shortlisted for the prestigious The Sunday Times Charlotte Aitken Young Writer of the Year award for her debut book, Larger than an Orange - a powerful and intimate memoir, which has been described as part diary, part prose poem and part literary collage.

National recognition for inspirational Teesside nursing academic

Chris Dlamini, Senior Lecturer in Learning Disabilities in the University's School of Health & Life Sciences, has received a Silver Award from England's Chief Nursing Officer Ruth May, for his inspirational work supporting learning disabilities nursing colleagues and students across the country during the pandemic.

Zoulika Lamamra, Senior Lecturer in Marketing & Public Relations, with challenge winners Charlie Williams, Adam Dalton and Mark Harrison, and Femi Waters-Ajisafe, Principal Lecturer in Marketing and Recruitment.

Business students top of the class in Greggs Marketing Challenge

A team of business students from Teesside University has won the Greggs Marketing Challenge, developing a successful campaign concept for the well-known bakery brand.

Honorary graduate Adele Parks awarded MBE

Honorary graduate, and best-selling author, Adele Parks has received an MBE for her services to literature. Born in Stockton on Tees Adele is one of the best-loved and biggest-selling women’s fiction writers in the UK. Read about her career and plans for the future in Graduate Teesside (pages 28-31).

Teesside University academic lands Ministry of Defence award for teaching military recruits

A Teesside University academic has been recognised with the prestigious School of Infantry (SCHINF) Commandant’s Coin from the Ministry of Defence (MoD) after tutoring Gurkha recruits in the British Army.

Royal recognition for Teesside honorary graduates

Deborah Dyer, better known as the iconic leader singer Skin from the rock band Skunk Anansie and acclaimed novelist Philippa Gregory were both recognised in the Queen's Birthday Honours in 2021. Deborah was awarded an OBE for her services to music and Philippa received a CBE for her services to literature and charity.

Prestigious recognition for engineering academic

Dr Tannaz Pak, Senior Lecturer in Energy and Environmental Engineering in the University's School of Computing, Engineering & Digital Technologies, has received a Top 50 Women in Engineering: Engineering Heroes award from the Women's Engineering Society (WES).

Artwork by Teesside University staff member selected for major art exhibition

An emotional and inspirational piece of artwork from a Teesside University staff member is on display as part of a major arts exhibition in London.

Meet the stars of Team Teesside 2020-2021

Congratulations to our Team Teesside Star Award winners 2020-2021. Each of our winners made an outstanding contribution to our University over the course of an extraordinary year. Thank you to everyone who submitted a nomination, all our nominees, finalists, and winners for making Teesside University such a special place to work and study.

Dr Hossein Habibi, School of Computing, Engineering & Digital Technologies

Prestigious international recognition for academic’s research

A Teesside University expert in mechanical engineering has won prestigious recognition for his research from an international professional organisation.

Teesside University graduate Keavey Gamwell

Graduate achieves record success at Adobe World Championship

Graduate Keavey Gamwell showcased her outstanding creative talents on a global platform as she took home bronze at the prestigious Adobe World Championships. She competed against the best and brightest young creatives from across the world, and she designed a poster to encourage people to play their part in saving coral reefs.

PhD student Anderson Akponeware, (pictured middle row, left) during the video call.

Royal thanks for student's volunteering efforts

Teesside PhD student Anderson Akponeware received a personal thank you from The Queen for his volunteering efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic. Anderson volunteers as a Check in and Chat NHS Volunteer Responder and spends his weekends and evenings phoning those in need of conversation.

Teesside academics receive Advance HE Teaching Excellence Awards

Dr Ann Thanaraj (Assistant Academic Registrar - Digital Transformation), and Dr Samuel Elkington (Principal Lecturer – Learning and Teaching), have been awarded National Teaching Fellowships for their outstanding impact in teaching or supporting learning in UK higher education.

Talented student makes her mark in national comic

Creative student, Kirsty Stebbings’s artwork was featured in a special edition of Viz, a popular British comic filled with cartoons, slapstick humour and satire. Kirsty illustrated a comic strip, titled Toffee Penny, based on the notion that the namesake Quality Street sweet is the least liked in the country.

Celebrating our star performers

Professor Paul Croney OBE, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive, announced the winners of the Team Teesside Star Awards 2021-2022 at a prestigious gala evening event held at Middlesbrough Campus, celebrating the very best of Team Teesside.

Prestigious nursing honour for Teesside University academic

Teesside academic, Denise Dye, a lecturer in Community Nursing in the School of Health & Life Sciences, is helping shape the next generation of nurses. Earlier this year, she was honoured by the prestigious the title of Queen’s Nurse from the Queen’s Nursing Institute (QNI).

Lauren Skidmore at the Armourer’s Hall in London after it was announced that she is the latest Millman Scholarship recipient

Civil Engineering student Lauren wins prestigious scholarship

Teesside civil engineering student Lauren Skidmore was named as a Millman Scholar at a Postgraduate Research Symposium in London. Lauren achieved an overall first in her first year of studies and was selected for this award because of her determination to succeed and excel.

The brilliance of Team Teesside is how it empowers people to believe they can make a difference. By encouraging self-development and continuous growth, it has enhanced my confidence and helped me translate my social-conscience into actions to the community.

Leanne Graham , Partnership Manager, Student Learning & Academic Registry

Team Teesside has given me the opportunity for me to work somewhere for over 20 years, with talented friends who want the best for the each other, the University, the town and the region. There’s nowhere else I’d rather work and no other colleagues would could compare. Long may it continue.

Sarah Smith, Marketing Co-ordinator, Student Recruitment & Marketing

Team Teesside means feeling supported by colleagues that care and ask if you’re okay and really mean it, and inspirational provision for local students who never thought they’d get to go to university.

Helen Kirk, PhD student , School of Social Sciences, Humanities & Law

Team Teesside means working together to achieve the best results no matter your role, and supporting each other through the highs and lows.

Danny Mawle, Information Analysis Administrator, Finance & Commercial Development