The Julia Higgins Awards are awarded annually to recognise individuals, groups, and departments that have made a significant contribution to the support of academic women at the College.
The Julia Higgins Medal recognises outstanding contributions within this category and is awarded to one of the award winners.
Professor Ramon Vilar has accepted appointment as Vice-Dean (Research) for the Faculty of Natural Sciences, with effect from 1 October 2023, for a term of five years.
Reporting to the Dean, in this role Professor Vilar will be a member of the faculty leadership team, and work closely with the Dean and the research strategy team. His responsibilities will include supporting the development of strategic research priorities, raising the quality and impact of the research undertaken across the faculty, and sustaining and diversifying research funding.
Professor Liz Lightstone, Department of Immunology and Inflammation, has been elected as the Professorial Staff Member on Imperial’s Council for the period 1 September 2023 to 31 August 2025.
Professor Lightstone was appointed as a Clinical Senior Lecturer at the then Royal Postgraduate Medical School in 1995 and was promoted to Professor of Renal Medicine in 2014. She is an Honorary Consultant Physician at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust and since 2018 has been the Deputy Campus Director for Hammersmith and White City. Professor Lightstone has been the Faculty of Medicine Clinical Consul since 2019 to the end of August 2023, and will be a Proconsul from 1 September 2023 to 31 August 2026.
Tom Newman has accepted appointment as Managing Director of Imperial’s students’ union, with effect from 1 October 2022.
Reporting to the Board of Trustees, via the students’ union president and Chair of the Board, Tom will have overall responsibility for the performance, management, development and sustainability of the union. Working collaboratively with student leaders, he will lead the strategic planning process and take accountability for the delivery of organisational plans that advances the union’s long-term vision to provide the best possible student experience.