Dr Dickinson joined the University two years ago and has quickly become a role model for female engineering students. The award citation described her as ‘an outstanding personal tutor and project supervisor’ who always checked that her tutor group were coping with both the academic and personal demands of university life. She has been praised for bringing together students from different year groups to inspire each other and share advice.
Dr Dickinson has been involved in an extra-curricular student-run project that aims to fund low-cost, sustainable methods of providing drinking water to communities in India. By using her expertise and academic contacts she has helped support and advance this project supported by the development organisation Engineers Without Borders.
Dr Dickinson was also commended for consistently going ‘over and above’ what is expected of a member of staff, and for her understanding of what appeals to students in her lecture. In particular her interactive lecturing style, with its emphasis on well-maintained student-lecturer communication and feedback, was praised, as was her approachability and a willingness to help and answer questions.
Dr Dickinson was presented with her award at the black-tie UBU Awards ceremony held in the Victoria Rooms on 20 June. Nearly 300 people attended the event, including the Mayor of Bristol George Ferguson, Dr Shaheen Chaudhry, High Sheriff of Bristol, mayoral candidate Marvin Rees, Pro Vice-Chancellor Professor Nick Lieven and Darren McCaffrey, a former Bristol student who is now a reporter and producer at Sky News.