Winners of the ABTA 2012 Doctoral Researcher Awards competition have received their awards before an audience of academics, postgraduate students and parents at UCL’s Gustave Tuck Lecture Theatre on Saturday, 12th of May. Chosen from more than 120 applications after a rigorous judging process, finalists had to demonstrate their presentation skills for the selection of 1st, 2nd and 3rd places in the categories of Engineering & Physical Sciences, Biological & Medical Sciences, and Management & Social Sciences.
The award ceremony started with ABTA 2012 Doctoral Researcher Awards programme chair, Dr Ozgur Yazaydin’s welcome speech. This was followed by a presentation given by Dr Mehdi Barghchi, Postgraduate Training Co-ordinator at University of Leicester, on the importance choosing the right topic for PhD. Then the finalists in each category gave their presentations which were evaluated by a panel of judges.The presentations were followed by a break for refreshments while the judges came together and finalized their evaluations. Before the announcement of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd places in each category, Professor Alp Ozerdem, Chair in Peace building at University of Coventry, delivered a keynote address on the mission of ABTA and the importance of its activities.
The moment, which an anxious audience of more than 130 people and finalists had been waiting for, finally arrived and results from the judges were delivered to programme chair, Dr Yazaydin, who then announced the 1st, 2nd and 3rd places in each category with all receiving a huge applause from the audience. The winners were presented their cheques, General Mobile Tablets, and their certificates. Dr Bilal Gokpinar, ABTA Executive Committee member, delivered the closing remarks and finally the audience gave a standing ovation to all winners and organizers of the ABTA 2012 Doctoral Researcher Awards competition. The programme ended with a reception in Roof Garden at UCL.
WINNERS
| 1st in Biological & Medical Sciences | |
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MOLLY FOX |
| University of Cambridge | |
| Research Topic: The Evolution of Human Longevity |
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| 2nd in Biological & Medical Sciences | |
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GARRON DODD |
| University of Manchester | |
| Research Topic: Genetic dissection of neuronal populations controlling appetite, thermogenesis and glucose uptake |
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| 3rd in Biological & Medical Sciences | |
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MICHAELA RUHMANN |
| Imperial College London | |
| Research Topic: Tenascin-C drives IL-17 synthesis in arthritic joint disease |
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| 1st in Engineering & Physical Sciences | |
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MARK AINSLIE |
| University of Cambridge | |
| Research Topic: Transport AC Loss in High Temperature Superconducting Coils |
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| 2nd in Engineering & Physical Sciences | |
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AYSE NACI KORTUN |
| Queen’s University of Belfast | |
| Research Topic: Spectrum Sensing Techniques in Cognitive Radio Networks |
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| 3rd in Engineering & Physical Sciences | |
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RECEP ZAN |
| University of Manchester | |
| Research Topic: Graphene: Atomic-scale Landscapes |
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| 1st in Management & Social Sciences | |
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TURKAY SALIM NEFES |
| University of Oxford | |
| Research Topic: Towards a Sociology of Conspiracy Theories: An Investigation into Conspiratorial Thinking on Dönmes |
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| 2nd in Management & Social Sciences | |
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DIDEM BUHARI GULMEZ |
| Royal Holloway | |
| Research Topic: Turkey, European Union, and Global Standards |
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| 3rd in Management & Social Sciences | |
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PESSI HONKASALO |
| University of Surrey | |
| Research Topic: Software Linking and Its Implications Under the Law of Copyright |
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