Dr. Temidayo Eseonu and Halima Ali Shuwa have been honored with the University of Manchester 2022 Distinguished Achievement Awards.
The award ceremony held on June 29, 2022 at the Whitworth Hall had its winners chosen for their outstanding performances and significant contributions to the University.
The Distinguished Achievement Awards recognise staff and students who have made outstanding contributions in one of the following categories: Researcher, Postgraduate Researcher, Teacher, Undergraduate Student, or as a member or team from the Professional Services or the Cultural Institutions.
Dr. Temidayo Eseonu (Faculty of Humanities) and Halima Ali Shuwa emerged Postgraduate Research Students of the Year 2022 (Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health).
According to the citation of the award:
“These winners have been selected by the judges on the basis that they have excelled in some significant manner for example after the presentation of a thesis based on the recommendation of the external examiner; a major research achievement during their postgraduate studies such as a high–quality journal publication, a research spin–off, or other forms of impact.”
The award citation for Dr. Temidayo Eseonu
Dayo Eseonu has established herself as a new and significant voice in the field of public policy and administration.
Her PhD thesis on anti–racism in public services delivery is at the leading edge of the field. Her research explored how to include the voice of colour in the co–creation of public services. Her work has been published in several scholarly journals and she has won grants to extend her research. She received a national best doctoral paper award and was employed part–time for the Greater Manchester Centre for Voluntary Organisation, which supports the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector in the region.
Dayo has made a direct knowledge transfer impact on the delivery of local government services by Oldham Council, where her work has helped them alter how they deal with young people of colour accessing employment services. She is currently working on community cohesion research for the Young Foundation.
She continues to teach as a Graduate Teaching Assistant on the Year 2 Politics course unit, Politics of Policy Making. She also served as Vice Chair for Doctoral Students on the Public Administration Committee.
Dayo has been an outstanding graduate student, performing at an exceptional standard in research, policy impact, and social justice outcomes.
The award citation for Halima Ali Shuwa
Halima is a Nigerian national who won a prestigious scholarship from her home country to undertake PhD studies in the United Kingdom. During the COVID–19 pandemic, Halima volunteered immediately and dedicated a huge amount of time to define the trajectory of the immune response in the blood of hospitalised COVID patients.
She was the first to publish the long–term changes associated with ongoing breathlessness and fatigue in patients who subsequently developed long–COVID. Halima was also a critical member of the team that defined the timing of immune problems, which informed on therapeutic selection and their delivery.
Additionally, Halima is a great team player and has helped train several graduate students in the department.
Though very early in her career, Halima already has seven publications – a remarkable achievement for someone who is about to write up their thesis.
Halima is a credit to her country and will eventually return to Nigeria and disseminate her work ethos and skills in areas of great unmet need.
