Professor Tom Adcock recognised for excellence in Divisional Teaching Awards

The Mathematical, Physical, and Life Sciences (MPLS) Division at the University is once again celebrating the outstanding teaching efforts of its staff. Professor Adcock is one of seven remarkable individuals honoured in this year’s MPLS Teaching Awards. The awards scheme is dedicated to celebrating success and recognizing innovative teaching practices across all career stages, and is open to everyone engaged in teaching roles, including graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, faculty members, and learning support staff.

This year, the awards attracted a high level of interest with 63 members of staff nominated through 114 separate nominations. Winners were chosen based on merit by a cross-departmental panel chaired by Professor Martin Castell, Associate Head of Division (Taught Degrees), who says, "The MPLS Teaching Awards continue to be a fantastic celebration of pedagogic excellence within our Division. It was a challenge to select only seven winners from such an impressive pool of candidates. I am particularly delighted by the range of early-career and more established educators who were nominated. Congratulations to all our winners and nominees for their remarkable contributions to teaching."

Tom Adcock is Professor of Engineering Science and Tutorial Fellow at St Peter’s College and is currently serving as Senior Proctor. Tom was nominated by two members of staff and these nominations were supported by the Department. Tom’s nominations highlight his ‘enormous contribution’ to the high-quality teaching of Engineering Science at Oxford. Specifically, it notes Tom’s tireless work on various teaching-related projects including editing a new edition of the Department’s undergraduate reference book ‘Engineering Tables and Data’ known as ‘HLT’. This project is central to the department’s undergraduate teaching and Tom’s work on this project has been invaluable. The nominations also note Tom’s contributions to an outreach residential at St Peter’s College and how this programme has raised the aspirations of young engineers from groups under-represented at Oxford.

Engineering Science Head of Department Professor Ronald A. Roy says, “Tom Adcock's contributions to the teaching mission of the department are extensive and substantial. His work on projects such as ‘Engineering Tables and Data’ and leadership while serving as Associate Head of Department (Teaching) during the challenging days of Covid have been phenomenal. I cannot think of a more fitting recipient of an MPLS Teaching Award."

Professor Jim Naismith, Head of the MPLS Division, also expressed his admiration for this year’s nominees: "The Teaching Awards are a vital part of our efforts to highlight the dedication and creativity of our educators. They play a crucial role in supporting the University’s educational objectives and in motivating future leaders in science and technology. I am thrilled to congratulate not just the winners but all those who were nominated for their dedication and inspirational teaching."

The awardees will be honoured at a special reception this September, attended by senior leadership from across the MPLS Division, celebrating another year of exceptional teaching achievements.