This category recognises individuals whose exceptional practical skills, commitment and vision have enabled the highest quality teaching, research or knowledge transfer.
The shortlisted technical professionals are:
Michael Bayliss, University of Liverpool
Michael was instrumental in transforming media production infrastructure at University of Liverpool’s School of Histories, Languages and Cultures to make it more sustainable, efficient and user-friendly. He also contributes heavily to student learning across language, communication, politics and film studies modules, increasing satisfaction with engaging learning materials, as well as being a strong advocate for the technical community and contributing to sector-wide discussions on technician-led teaching, podcasting and research communication.
Jennifer Cassels, University of Glasgow
Jennifer has expanded flow cytometry research capabilities by introducing cutting-edge technology and innovative techniques and training researchers to use them, while championing technical professionals, sustainable laboratory practices and EDI. Her expertise has received national recognition – she has co-authored several publications, and her techniques and trainings have been picked up by other institutions.
Amelia Dingley, Brunel University of London
As founder of the Chartered Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (CASES) Technical Special Interest Group (TSIG), Amelia has moved technician representation within CASES from formally non-existent to nationally recognised and strategically embedded in less than two years. Within Brunel, her high-quality teaching has demonstrably improved student outcomes, and she has played a transformative role in strengthening the University’s technical community as co-leader of the technical staff network.
Saimir Luli, Newcastle University
Saimir has modernised and expanded the research capabilities of Newcastle University’s Pre-clinical In Vivo Imaging Facility (PIVI), strengthened training for colleagues and students, and gained national and international recognition for his multi-modal expertise, including appointment as UK Ambassador for the 2025 World Molecular Imaging Meeting. He is also a community-builder, working to foster collaborative research ecosystems and networks not only across faculties within Newcastle University, but also on a regional and national scale.
Joanna Scamp, University of Kent
Joanna has played a key role in strengthening collaborative working across University of Kent and enhancing recognition and career development for its technical professionals, including wider access to teaching qualifications and training, and recognition of technical contributions within REF 2028 planning. Her mentorship empowers fellow technicians across multiple institutions, and she has made exceptional contributions to community-building and visibility through her contributions to national networks and committees and outreach work promoting technical careers to school students.
Christopher Spice, University of Essex
Chris has combined hands-on delivery with strategic influence at Essex, leading a £330,000 research infrastructure project and redesigning laboratory space to free up nearly 300 hours a term — capacity now used for research growth and for outreach reaching around 1,000 young people annually. He has also embedded sustainability and neurodiversity awareness across the institution, and secured clearer attribution for technical staff in REF2029 and in institutional research policy.
Karen Swales, Institute of Cancer Research
Karen leads the team whose laboratory work directly informs how novel cancer drugs are dosed in patients, developing over 40 new assays and delivering biomarker analysis for 42 early-phase clinical trials. She is also a long-standing champion for technical staff, co-chairing the ICR's Scientific Officers Association for five years and co-authoring a successful £1m Wellcome Trust bid that has reshaped technician career development across five research institutions.
Ian Tidmarsh, Manchester Metropolitan University
Ian has had a national impact on strengthening technical career pathways. His guidance has helped more than 70 organisations improve their technical career pathways. He has led a twenty-university project to build an open-access Education Technical Professional pathway, co-led the UK's first promotion route for education and research technical professionals at Manchester Met, and developed professional-registration frameworks for creative technicians in partnership with Creative UK.
The annual Times Higher Education (THE) Awards celebrate excellence across UK higher education.
The Outstanding Technician of the Year award is sponsored by the Technician Commitment and winners will be announced at an awards ceremony at the Vox Conference Venue in Birmingham on Thursday 26 November 2026.
This is the eighth year the Technician Commitment has sponsored this award.
