Engineering DPhil student receives the Best Tutor Award

Mailys Buquet, a DPhil student in Fluid Dynamics, Aerospace Engineering, has returned from a three-week teaching placement in Saudi Arabia, where she contributed in encouraging young women to pursue STEM careers through aerospace engineering.

As part of the Oxmedica–Mawhiba Universal Enrichment Program at Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, Mailys designed and delivered an original aerospace course to a cohort of gifted secondary school students. The programme aims to provide high-achieving young women with world-class educational opportunities, with a focus on hands-on learning and international expertise.

Throughout the course, students explored space and aeronautical principles through interactive experiments and practical challenges. Mailys’ commitment to accessible and inspiring teaching earned her the Best Tutor Award, a recognition of her impact among a highly talented international teaching team.

Reflecting on the experience, Mailys said: “This was one of the most fulfilling experiences of my life. Teaching these brilliant young women and watching them engage so passionately with aerospace gave me immense hope for the future of STEM. It reminded me why I love teaching and left me even more motivated to make a difference, no matter how small.”