School of Public Health staff recognised at 2026 awards

Staff and students from across the School of Public Health have been recognised in the 2026 Staff Recognition Awards and Imperial Garden Party.

The President’s Awards for Excellence recognise the achievements of individuals or teams in four categories: Culture and Community, Education, Research, and Societal Engagement. The President’s Medal is then awarded to an exceptional winner in each category.

Also celebrated at the awards ceremony on Wednesday 8 July were winners of the Provost’s Awards for Excellence in three categories: Animal Research, Health and Safety, and the Julia Higgins Award.

The School of Public Health celebrates the commitment to excellence demonstrated by our community.

President's Awards for Excellence in Culture and Community

President’s Medal for Excellence in Culture and Community: Dr Anne Cori, Associate Professor in Infectious Disease Modelling

This medal is to recognise Dr Anne Cori for her truly and globally influential leadership in public health and within Imperial. Combining world-leading scientific excellence with a deeply inclusive and compassionate approach, she has driven transformative change, advanced research culture, and created environments in which colleagues and students are empowered to thrive and excel.

President’s Award for Excellence in Leadership: Professor Arti Maini, Director of Undergraduate Primary Care Education

Professor Arti Maini is recognised for her inspiring and transformational leadership in education. Through a coaching-based approach, she has empowered individuals and teams to grow, fostering a culture of trust, collaboration and innovation that has influenced students, colleagues and communities both within Imperial and globally.

President's Awards for Excellence in Education

President’s Medal for Excellence in Teaching: Dr Neepa Thacker, General Practice and Primary Health Care Placement Lead

Neepa’s exemplary leadership of the General Practice and Primary Health care placements consistently provides students with outstanding, transformative learning experiences. Her innovative work with faculty, students and community partners ensures students are equipped to navigate and lead as doctors within increasingly complex healthcare environments and with increasingly diverse patients. She has introduced a multitude of innovative and highly engaging teaching sessions that have significantly enhanced the learning experience for students. Her sessions are consistently interactive, thoughtful and focused on building both competence and confidence in students.

President’s Awards for Excellence in Societal Engagement

Leadership Award: Laura Alvarado-Cruz, Public Involvement and Project Officer (Patient Experience Research Centre)

Laura’s nomination showcased a diverse portfolio of engagement activities reaching a wide range of communities. Bridging the gap between researchers and underrepresented groups can be challenging, yet Laura approaches this work with empathy and integrity. Her enthusiasm and commitment to societal engagement is clear in how she simultaneously provides training to Imperial colleagues while also supporting researchers in their own engagement.

President’s Awards for Excellence in Research

President’s Medal for Excellence in Impact: Vaccine Epidemiology Research Group (VERG) polio team

Dr Alexander Shaw, Dr Ben Bellekom, Catherine Troman, Dabri Ohanu, Dr Darlan Da Silva Candido, Dr David Jorgensen, Dr Elizabeth Gray, Dr Isobel Blake, Jasmaine Lee Wen Li, Dr Joyce Akello, Dr Julia Ledien, Dr Julia Michalow, Dr Krunal Polra, Dr Laura Cooper, Lydia Haile, Dr Margarita Pons Salort, Nathan Ward, Professor Nicholas Grassly

The Vaccine Epidemiology Research Group (VERG) polio team is nominated for this award because they developed a novel diagnostic for polio and supported its global implementation for faster detection and response to outbreaks. Building on research at Imperial, the VERGpolio team established and led the Poliovirus Sequencing Consortium (PSC), a multi-disciplinary team from academia, public health and industry, to develop a novel diagnostic including laboratory protocols, specialised software and a quality assurance programme. The molecular assay replaces cell-culture and is substantially faster, cheaper, simpler and safer. The PSC have supported implementation in national polio labs in 4 WHO regions, through a carefully developed programme of training, local verification, supply chain support and quality control. As the work has evolved from research at the bench and desk, to support for a global surveillance programme, the team have evolved and stepped up their activities to meet the demand. This has required outstanding teamwork, mutual respect and collaboration, in VERG, the PSC and with the wider implementing labs across the Global Polio Laboratory Network.

Julia Higgins Award: School of Public Health Gender Equity Writing Group

Dr Paula Christen, Dr Lucy Okell, Dr Julia Michalow, Dr Isobel Blake, Dr Tristan Naidoo, Dr Anne Cori

This award is presented in recognition of the School of Public Health Gender Equity Writing Group’s exceptional contributions to supporting women in academia at Imperial, through collaborative, data-driven work that advances equity and shapes a more inclusive and reflective research culture. – Please note this information will not be shared until Wednesday, if you are able to keep it a surprise until then.

Imperial Garden Party

The Imperial Garden Party celebrates staff and students who have made exceptional contributions, supported key initiatives, or embraced new challenges.

All invitees were nominated by their colleagues or by students, in recognition of their commitment to Imperial’s core values of respect, collaboration, excellence, integrity and innovation.

Ann-Kathrin Bartels
Dr Argita Zalli
Professor Arti Maini
Dr Celine Esuruoso
Dr Felicity Lalloo
Dr Georgina Neve
Jenna Mollaney
Dr Katie Scott
Kristina Lakey
Lauren Noto
Michael Goetzinger
Dr Mohammed Abdu
Dr Naa Akle Okantey
Dr Natasha Croome
Sarah Green
Dr Sian Powell
Stephanie Powell
Stephen Platt
Susan McBride
Tom Rozier-Hope
Dr Verity Leeson
Dr Viral Thakerar
Dr Zahra Arzoky