Chemistry recognised in Vice-Chancellor’s Environmental Sustainability Awards

The Department of Chemistry, and many of its staff and students, were recognised this week in the Vice-Chancellor’s Environmental Sustainability Awards 2022.

These awards are an opportunity to recognize and celebrate some of the work colleagues and students do to minimise our negative impact on the environment and promote positive change. The awards were presented this week in a ceremony at the Sheldonian Theatre. Congratulations to all the winners!

• The Department of Chemistry received a “Beyond Gold” award in the NUS Green Impact scheme, a national scheme providing simple and effective ways for staff and students to make their buildings, departments or colleges more sustainable.
• 20 laboratories from the Department received awards in the Laboratory Efficiency Assessment Framework (LEAF), which encourages lab users to implement changes in areas like water consumption, energy use, and single use plastic. A particular congratulations to the Williams lab, who received a Gold award, as well as the 19 other groups who received Silver or Bronze.
• Congratulations to Sue Henderson, Executive Assistant to the Head of Department and Head of Administration, who received an Environmental Sustainability Staff Award for her “exceptional contribution to her department’s sustainability agenda over the last five years. She has been a tireless champion for sustainability in the department, quietly leading and effecting change. Examples of her achievements include, forming the Green Impact Team of volunteers, leading the department to a Beyond Gold Award, and actively promoting the Laboratory Efficiency Assessment Framework (LEAF).”
• Martin Wall, Deputy Facilities Manager, was also nominated for an Environmental Sustainability Project Award. This was for overseeing the implementation of an innovative draught-proofing system when he was working at the Bodleian Libraries, now approved for installation in more than 60 further university buildings.

Read more about all of the winners and nominees here.