IMA John Blake University Teaching Medal
The IMA is committed to raising the profile of teaching and learning within higher education and of recognising those engaged in excellent or innovative practices in this area. In 2020 it introduced to the community, with the support of his family, the IMA John Blake University Teaching Medal in honour of late Professor John Blake, who was widely known for his passionate support of teaching and learning within the mathematical sciences in higher education.
The IMA John Blake University Teaching Medal is offered every two years, and is awarded to individuals who have made a significant and sustained contribution to the teaching of the mathematical sciences at university-level (Level 4 and above) as per the award criteria below.
Award Criteria
Contributions that can be considered will vary based upon individual circumstances, however the criteria by which all nominees for the Award will be judged are listed below:
- The nominee has demonstrated, over a sustained time period, the ability to inspire, enhance and support learning in the mathematical sciences by a diverse range of students.
- The nominee has engaged with scholarship of learning and teaching within the mathematical sciences and can demonstrate how this has enhanced their own current practice.
- The nominee has influenced the practice of colleagues in their own institution and beyond.
General Information
- Run every two years, with a first award made in 2021. Normally a single award will be made on each occasion. If, exceptionally, a joint award is made, the £1,000 prize will be equally split between the nominees.
- The winner will receive £1,000, a silver medal and a certificate. It is expected that the financial award will be used in support of the professional development of the award winner or to further enhance their teaching and learning practice.
- A recommended winner of the award will be chosen by a panel consisting of four members from the IMA Higher Education (HE) Committee and two IMA Student Members. The awarding panel may, if they wish, consult independent referees or seek further evidence in support of nominations. Approval of the HE Committee membership of the awarding panel and its chair will be given by Executive Board. The student members of the awarding panel will be selected by the HE Committee members following an open call.
- Approval of each award will be given by the IMA Council.
- Nominees may not nominate themselves. Nominations may only be made by MIMAs (IMA Member grade) or FIMAs (IMA Fellow grade).
- Nominees need not be existing MIMAs (IMA Member Grade) or FIMAs (IMA Fellow Grade). However, award winners are reasonably expected to become Members (MIMAs) or Fellows (FIMAs) of the IMA if not already so.
- The winner may be required to give a lecture and / or attend a presentation ceremony.
- Responsibility for oversight of the award will reside with the IMA Honorary Secretary (Education).
Eligibility
- The award is open to anyone who is normally resident in the mathematical community represented by the IMA on the 1st January of the year of the award and who works directly with students to enhance their learning of the mathematical sciences at Level 4 or above.
- Eligible individuals may be working in recognised departmental roles, for example as either a Lecturer or Teaching Fellow, but equally could be working outside of an academic department in, for example, a mathematics support centre.
- No age restrictions. Individuals may be at any stage of their careers although it is expected they will have demonstrated sustained engagement with innovative or excellent practices over a number of years.
- The Medal should not normally be awarded to those currently serving on IMA Council. Those serving on the awarding panel will be ineligible for the award in that year.
- Shortlisted nominations may be retained for the following round of medal nominations. However, the new panel must ask the original nominator for an updated nomination form if it wishes to take forward such a nomination.
- Members of the awarding panel may not make nominations; however, the Committee may itself make nominations for the Prize once the call for nominations has closed, with the proposer completing a nomination form.
- The IMA is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion. Submissions on behalf of all individuals who meet the criteria regardless of their background or personal circumstances are warmly welcomed and encouraged. Award decisions will be made purely on the basis of the quality of the proposed merit of the individual. No nominee will receive less favourable treatment on the grounds of: gender, marital status, sexual orientation, gender re-assignment, race, colour, nationality, ethnicity or national origins, religion or similar philosophical belief, spent criminal conviction, age or disability.
Nomination: Nature of Evidence
The nominator is expected to submit the following items:
- Their name, contact details, and membership number.
- The nominee’s name and contact details.
- An up to date CV for the nominee (no longer than two A4 sides, 11pt text) which should include a summary of their education and career, breadth of teaching experience and any other information they may deem appropriate.
- A supporting commentary (no more than 2,000 words in total) addressing how the nominee meets the three award criteria.
- While references are not required for this award and will not be accepted, the nominator should also submit the following as supporting evidence of the impact of the nominee’s work:
- Two 500-word supporting statements by one (or more) colleagues from institutions where the nominee has not been employed, stating how the nominee has influenced either their own practice or that of their institution.
- A 500-word statement signed by at least 4 students who have direct experience of the claims made in the nomination.
Timescales
The exact timescale for determining the implementation of the award rests with Executive Board. The following is proposed as a timescale for administering the award by the HE Committee:
- The HE Committee members and Chair of the judging panel confirmed at the September meeting of the HE Committee.
- Nominations open on 1 October of the year prior to the award.
- Call for student panel members distributed on 1 November and closing on 31 January.
- Nominations close on 31 January of the awarding year.
- Student panel members selected by the HE Committee panel members once nominations for the award have closed.
- The Chair of the judging panel shall, throughout, ensure there exist no conflicts between applicants and members of the judging panel.
- Review of submissions by the Judging Panel and recommendation to the IMA Secretariat contact, with citation by 30 April.
- Sign-off on award winner by Council at its June meeting.
- Announcement of award winner following June meeting of IMA Council and acceptance of the award by the winner.
- Award ceremony to coincide with November meeting of IMA Council (To be confirmed).
Professor John Blake CMath FIMA (1947 – 2016)
On the 10th of June 2016 Professor John Blake passed away peacefully following a short illness and surrounded by his family. He was 69.
For over twenty years, and until his retirement in 2013, John was Professor of Applied Mathematics at the University of Birmingham, where he held the Headship of the School of Mathematics on two occasions; he was also Dean of the Faculty of Science. Through his research John played a leading role in establishing and maintaining the U.K. mathematical community’s activity in Bubble Dynamics and Low Reynolds number biological flows. He published profusely, producing over 40 papers on Bubble Dynamics alone. John was also generous in his support for younger colleagues, supervising 22 PhD students and mentoring 17 postdoctoral researchers.
In addition to this commanding profile in mathematical research, John was amongst the first true champions of teaching and learning within higher education which led him, in typical fashion, to establish the U.K. Mathematics Courseware Consortium (MATHWISE), a ground-breaking forerunner of later innovative uses of software in teaching and learning. In 2000, John became inaugural Director of the highly-regarded Mathematics, Statistics & Operational Research Network under the auspices of the national Learning and Teaching Support Network. As Director, he shaped a number of important initiatives through the Network and many regard this as his greatest legacy. That legacy, and work that flowed from it, thrives to this day.
Download John Blake biography (Mathematics Today, October 2016) (pdf)
IMA John Blake University Teaching Medal winners
2025 Dr Alun Owen
2023 Professor Chris Sangwin FIMA
2021 Dr Lara Alcock