Nominations open on Monday 2 March 2026 and will close on Wednesday 25 March 2026

The doctoral recognition awards aim to celebrate the dedication and contribution that students and staff have shown to enhancing doctoral experience and fostering a positive research culture within our doctoral community.

The awards will recognise individuals who show passion and commitment to creating positive experiences and improvements across 5 key areas that we value as a community: quality research practice; positive contributions to the doctoral and university communities; valuable and meaningful impact; enhancing doctoral research culture; and commitment to student development.

We're inviting you to nominate yourself or others for a Doctoral Recognition Award. Award winners will be invited to our Doctoral Celebration Evening on Wednesday 10 June 2026 where we will be able to recognise all of the contributions from our community.

There are two award categories - one for doctoral students and one for staff who support doctoral students.

Find out more about previous winners of this award.

Doctoral Recognition Student Award

The Student Award aims to recognise our exceptional doctoral student community. We welcome a range of different nominations, but they must meet the criteria for at least one of the categories below.

Commitment to quality research practice

Students who have set a leading example for research practice, by strengthening their own skills as a researcher, taking an innovative or rigorous approach to research design, or enhancing the quality of their research. This may be shown through dedication to improving research practice, reflecting on processes and promoting this to others, or approaching their research with a commitment to quality and positive processes.

Some examples to illustrate this may include, but are not limited to:

• Dedication to, adopting and/or advocating for open science, transparency and ethical research
• Innovative research design and practice (e.g. novel approach to a problem, develop new methodology etc.)
• Working or engaging with stakeholders or industry to enhance research practice
• Promoting and sharing good research practice with others to enhance the reputation of research at Bath (e.g. open discussions and revision to research practice, organising workshops, showcasing research through external talks, interviews, magazine profiles etc.)
• Dedication to professional development to enhance research or wider career skills (e.g. attending summer schools or development programmes, organising training that was otherwise not offered etc.)

Commitment to real-world impact

Students who demonstrate a commitment to ensuring their research has relevance beyond academia and the potential to create positive change in real-world contexts. This may be shown through engagement with external audiences, partners or communities, intentional efforts to translate research into practice, or reflection on how research can contribute to real-world outcomes. This category recognises students who actively extend the accessibility and usefulness of their work.

Some examples to illustrate this may include, but are not limited to:

• Engaging with external communities, stakeholders or partners to ensure research addresses real-world needs or challenges
• Translating research to a non-academic audience through a variety of methods
• Contributing to policy, practice or decision-making through collaboration or consultation
• Developing creative or inclusive public engagement activities that help wider audiences connect with research

Commitment to the research community

Students who demonstrate sustained commitment to strengthening, supporting and enriching the research community within their discipline, cohort or the wider University. This may be evidenced through leadership and collaboration that improves research culture, builds connections and supports others to thrive in their doctoral journeys. This category recognises students who actively contribute and reflect these values in formal roles and everyday practice.

Some examples to illustrate this may include, but are not limited to:

• Contributing time and effort to peer mentoring, support or guidance for other doctoral researchers
• Supporting initiatives that enhance collaboration, communication and shared learning within the research community
• Advocating for the needs, voices or wellbeing of fellow researchers
• Taking on roles that support the functioning of and development of the research environment such as representation roles, committee membership, peer review and seminar coordination
• Organising or helping research-focused events (e.g, seminars, conferences, interdisciplinary forums or networking activities)
• Demonstrating inclusive and respectful research practices that help foster a sense of belonging within the research community

Eligibility

Any current doctoral student at the University of Bath is eligible for the Award. This includes: PhD/IPhD students and professional doctorate students.

The nominated student or group of students must be registered on a doctoral programme at the University of Bath, graduating no earlier than July 2026.

Across all categories, nominations can be made for students that have shown a range of examples within a category (i.e. breadth) or who have shown exceptional engagement and dedication in one specific example within a category. Nominated students may meet criteria for one category or multiple categories - you can discuss different categories within the same nomination.

Doctoral Recognition Staff Award

The Staff Award aims to recognise members of staff who have shown a strong commitment to their approach to developing and supporting doctoral students, as well as those who have contributed to improving and enhancing the doctoral student experience. We welcome a range of different nominations, but they must meet the criteria for at least one of the categories below.

Commitment to enhancing doctoral research culture and experience

Any staff member working to facilitate or create a positive and inclusive culture where doctoral students feel valued, experience a sense of belonging, are able to contribute to research, and are supported to thrive throughout their doctoral journey. This may be shown by making a significant and positive contribution to the doctoral experience, by providing a voice for students, by improving doctoral processes, or by advocating for meaningful change that benefits the doctoral community.

Some examples to illustrate this may include, but are not limited to:

• Advocating on behalf of doctoral students and ensuring their perspectives are represented within University groups or systems
• Recognising and championing the contribution and value of doctoral students within the wider University research community
• Making a sustained effort to understand the doctoral student experience and translating feedback into tangible improvements
• Using innovation and creativity to review and improve doctoral processes (e.g. reflecting on and updating processes within departments, schools or faculties to better support doctoral engagement and progression)
• Seeking opportunities to integrate doctoral students into the wider research community and provide them with opportunities to make significant contributions
• Encouraging and facilitating doctoral engagement with high-quality research and open research practices

Commitment to student support and development

Any staff member who has shown dedication and care in supporting and facilitating the development of a doctoral student. This may include supporting their academic and professional progression, their wellbeing and their ability to thrive and reach their potential. This category recognises contributions from all staff involved in the doctoral experience, including academic, professional services and technical colleagues.

Some examples to illustrate this may include, but are not limited to:

• Making a sustained effort to understand a student’s career aspirations and providing tailored advice, opportunities or enhanced support for their professional development
• Providing additional learning, training or skills development opportunities that strengthen a student’s academic, technical or transferable skillset
• Offering pastoral or wellbeing support that has a meaningful impact on a student’s confidence or ability to thrive
• Delivering mentoring, supervision or specialist guidance that goes beyond the expected remit of the role and significantly enhances the student’s progress or experience
• Providing expert technical, laboratory, clinical or library support that enables a student to carry out their research effectively and develop independence and confidence
• Creating an inclusive and supportive environment within a research group, department or service area that enables students to grow, contribute and succeed

Eligibility

You can nominate any staff member or team who supports doctoral students in any capacity. They must be on either a permanent or a fixed-term contract until at least July 2026. Staff members could include (but not limited to) supervisors, Director of Studies, academic staff, administrative staff, technical and operative staff, and professional services e.g. Student Services, Careers etc.

Groups of staff can be nominated but each individual in the team must be named and their specific contribution must be outlined. Please also provide the name of one of the nominees to act as a lead contact on behalf of the group.

As these awards are organised by the Doctoral College, any nominations for Doctoral College staff will be reviewed by an independent panel.

Across all categories, nominations can be made for staffs that have shown a range of examples within a category (i.e. breadth) or who have shown exceptional engagement and dedication in one specific example within a category. Nominated staff may meet criteria for one category or multiple categories - you can discuss different categories within the same nomination.

How to nominate yourself/someone else

We’ve made it really easy for you to nominate - it is just a short nomination of no more than 250 words. You can nominate yourself or someone else. Make sure you include all the necessary information by following this structure:

• What: Explain what you are nominating the individual for. How has the nominee shown commitment, dedication or positive actions within the specified category? It may be useful to refer to the description for the relevant award category (from the criteria outline) to help you explain what the nominee should be recognised for
• How: Make sure to include specific examples to illustrate how the nominee has shown the commitment, dedications or actions you would like to recognise. This may be one specific activity/thing they have done that had a big impact, or it might be lots of different examples. You can see some examples that may fall under each student category and staff category – this is not an exhaustive list and you may have other examples. Try to include specific details, as the assessors may not be familiar with specific research topics or activities
• Why: Explain why you believe this individual should be recognised with an award. Make it clear what impact or value they have had for doctoral research or the community. The assessors may not be familiar with specific research topics or activities, so make sure you explain why the example behaviours are important or have had a positive impact.

When making a nomination, you will be asked to indicate which category you are nominating someone for. If selecting multiple categories, you will still only need to write one nomination (i.e. include details of examples from both categories in your nomination text). Please refer to the criteria for the student categories and staff categories to decide which criteria your nominee meets. The specific examples given are not an exclusive list, and you can nominate someone for any activities/behaviours that you believe deserve to be recognised within that category.

Nominations open on Monday 2 March 2026 and will close on Wednesday 25 March 2026. There's no limit on the number of nominations you can submit. For example, you can submit your own nomination and then submit multiple nominations for others.

What happens when nominations close?

Once you've submitted your nomination, and the nomination period closes, each application will be reviewed by members of the Doctoral College Recognition Awards Committee.

Nominees will be informed by Wednesday 6 May 2026 if they have been awarded a Doctoral Recognition Award. Award recipients will be invited to attend the Doctoral Research Celebration Evening on Wednesday 10 June 2026 5.45pm - 10.15pm at Komedia, Bath City Centre.