Pembrokians Recognised at the 2025 Vice Chancellor’s Awards

Earlier this month, not one but two Pembrokians were recognised at this year’s Vice Chancellor’s Awards which celebrate achievements across the University in key strategic areas. An Awards Showcase in the Weston Library gave nominees the opportunity to present their work to the Vice Chancellor and other University members. 

Award winners were announced on Thursday 15th May at a ceremony in the Sheldonian Theatre. Among them was Pembroke’s Dr Lois Brand whose team were highly commended in the ‘Support for Students Award’ in the ‘Excellence in Education and Student Support’ category.  

Photo credit: John Cairns

Dr Lois Brand and Dr Youngjoo Kang were recognised for their work on the Oxford Graduate Entry Medicine Mentoring Programme, which provides academic, career and pastoral support for first-year graduate-entry medical students. As part of the programme, Dr Brand provides a training and supervision programme for resident doctors in basic coaching skills to act as mentors to first-years. 

“Basic coaching skills are hugely important in any walk of life, and you don’t need a formal qualification to learn and use them effectively,” shares Dr Brand. 

This year’s Awards saw 160 entries across 11 categories, with a total of 1,300 nominees. One of those nominees was Pembroke’s Catherine Jenkinson, who was highly commended in the ‘Excellence in Research and Innovation Category’ for the Breakthrough Researcher Award.

Catherine Jenkinson (letft) with Michelle Gavin (Quill Project, Pembroke)
Photo credit: John Cairns

Catherine's work as the postdoctoral researcher on ‘(Hi)stories of Violence: Myth-making, Imprisonment and the Cultural Identity of the Tower of London’ - a collaboration between the Humanities Division, Historic Royal Palaces and the Royal Armouries - was commended for providing ‘an outstanding model of cross-sector, collaborative working to achieve significant impact at the University and beyond.’ 

'I am delighted to be Highly Commended in the Vice Chancellor's Awards,' shared Catherine. 'It's been wonderful to work on this project with Dr Hannah Skoda and colleagues at Oxford, Historic Royal Palaces, and the Royal Armouries. I feel very lucky to work with such kind and generous colleagues at Pembroke, too, and I'm grateful for the community I have found here. I owe particular thanks to Dr Adrian Gregory and the Academic Director Dr Nicholas Cole.'

You can watch Catherine's flash talk here. 

Photo credit: John Cairns

We extend our warmest congratulations to Lois, Catherine, and the other nominees and award winners. A full list of winners and highly commended nominations can be found here.