Exeter lecturer Dr Alison Hill wins chemistry education prize

Dr Alison Hill was chosen by a panel of judges as one of the most inspirational, innovative and dedicated people in education

A lecturer at the University of Exeter has won the Royal Society of Chemistry's (RSC) Excellence in Higher Education Prize.

Nominated by peers, Dr Alison Hill was chosen by a panel of judges as one of the most inspirational, innovative and dedicated people in education.

Dr Hill said she was "delighted" to be recognised.

RSC prizes have recognised excellence in the chemical sciences for more than 150 years.

Dr Hill said: "I have invented, with my colleague Prof Nic Harmer, a way to create unique exam papers for my students so that in an open-book, online exam, every student has a different answer; we also make corresponding answer files for the marker to use.

"This approach discourages students from sharing their answers."

'Inspire and nurture'

The prize recognises inspirational teaching and making a positive difference in curriculum design, implementation, assessment and to the wider community.

She said: "I created resources to help my students with the mathematics and data processing skills they need to succeed in chemistry and biochemistry.

"I created an online tool that allows students to process their data which provides instant feedback and can even solve a step if they get stuck."

Dr Helen Pain, chief executive of RSC, said: "It's of vital importance that we recognise the crucial role that educators play in the advancement of the sciences, and that we commend their ability to inspire and nurture the next generation of bright young minds, so that they can go on to make new discoveries and innovations.

"Dr Hill's work demonstrates an outstanding commitment to chemistry education, and it is our honour to celebrate her considerable contribution."