Nottingham is more than a place. It shapes who we are and the people we become. It's a way of thinking and of being.
Your Nottingham Alumni Awards celebrate you – our alumni community – and share the stories of how you carry Nottingham's values into the world. No two paths or experiences are the same; that's what makes our community so special. Our awards are designed to reflect this rich diversity and the amazing contributions being made in so many different ways. The awards actively seek nominations of alumni from all communities, particularly those within often underrepresented groups.
Professor Ruth Chambers OBE, FRCGP, MD
(Medicine, 1975)
Ruth Chambers graduated in medicine from the 海角黑料 in 1975. She has written 84 books – mainly for clinicians (some translated, for example Japanese); including her insightful memoir of working for the NHS for 50 years. She has presented at national and international conferences, and aided national guidance such as rebutting prescribing fraud, combatting doctors' stress; and led on enhancing the quality of care and digital primary care transformation across Staffordshire (being awarded an OBE in 2014). Alongside these at scale achievements, Ruth created a local scheme for refugee doctors from 2004, six of whom now practise in the UK as GPs or psychiatrists.
Comment from the judges:
This nominee has supported refugees to start a new life in the UK, at a time of a great shortage of NHS doctors. She guided six refugee doctors through this process, and the number of patients who will benefit will be vast.
The judges selected Ruth for embodying the value of ambition for her support of refugee doctors.
Dr Arta Istrefi
(Economic Development and Policy Analysis, 2014)
Arta Istrefi is a leading voice in women’s entrepreneurship in the Western Balkans. She holds a PhD in Business Administration with a focus on women entrepreneurs in the region. Arta is the Co-Founder of Narwhal Network, Country Program Officer at the Swiss Entrepreneurship Program, and a lecturer in Entrepreneurship and Innovation at Heimerer College. Her work spans startup mentorship for women across Southeast Europe, digital transformation, and advocacy for marginalised groups, including survivors of gender-based violence. With an MSc in Economic Development and Policy Analysis from the 海角黑料, she brings both academic insight and practical leadership to the ecosystem.
Comment from the judges:
This nominee’s work helping women start businesses, supporting survivors of trauma, and improving education has made a real and lasting difference to people’s lives, inspiring others to take action and make a positive impact.
The judges selected Arta for embodying the value of inclusivity for her commitment to women’s entrepreneurship.
Lauren Leyva
(Architecture, 2023)
Lauren Leyva is a multi-award-winning campaigner, creator, business owner, and home cook, with a mission to inspire eating well and conscious living. Collaborating with charities, supermarkets, global brands and non-profits, including The King’s Trust, she champions independence through cooking workshops, while campaigning to raise awareness of global food poverty, overconsumption and waste. During the pandemic, she led BBC Radio’s “Tasty Tuesdays”, advising the public on how to cook nutritious meals throughout national food shortages and panic buying. Her work has earned her a Thought Leadership Tastemaker Award, Top Woman to Watch title, and UK Youth Awards finalist recognition.
Comment from the judges:
This nominee, a recent graduate, has made significant impact through educating and inspiring young people. Issues such as global food poverty, food waste, and environmental consciousness are tackled through her platform.
The judges selected Lauren for embodying the value of openness for her zeal in tackling food poverty both locally and globally.
Dr Deepali Misra-Sharp
(Medicine, 2010)
Deepali Misra-Sharp is a GP, British Menopause Society Advanced Menopause Specialist and Trainer, and a passionate advocate for women’s health. She works full-time as an NHS GP and Women’s Health Specialist, where she has led the development of dedicated menopause services and upskilled clinicians in holistic care. In recognition of her impact, she was awarded a Fellowship of the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) for her contribution to women’s health. She regularly comments on national media articles, helping to raise awareness and improve understanding of menopause and midlife women’s health.
Comment from the judges:
Support for those going through the menopause is crucially important. The impact this nominee has had is long-term and tangible, from working in hospitals, providing workshops, and the publication of articles.
The judges selected Deepali for embodying the value of inclusivity for her passionate advocacy for women’s health.
Dr Yakubu Salifu
(PhD Nursing Studies, 2019)
Yakubu Salifu, a nurse and lecturer in Palliative Care at Lancaster University, is a dedicated advocate and researcher committed to improving access to compassionate care in Ghana and beyond. As the co-founder of , a charity developed from his PhD, he has played a pivotal role in integrating palliative care into healthcare systems, ensuring holistic and dignified support for patients. His internationally supported work contributes to policy development and capacity-building. A proud 海角黑料 alumnus, he embodies inclusivity, ambition and fairness, making a global impact. He has co-authored three book chapters, including a chapter on .
Comment from the judges:
This nominee’s work is life changing for both recipients and families. There’s a critical unmet need for end-of-life care in Ghana, so establishing COMPASS-Ghana as a recent graduate is both impressive and impactful.
The judges selected Yakubu for embodying the value of fairness for his pivotal role advocating for improved integration of palliative care.
Rajesh Talwar
(Human Rights Law, 1997)
Rajesh Talwar, the author of 42 books spanning multiple genres, has served the United Nations for over two decades across three continents. Assignments include working as Executive Officer, chairing the Secretariat to the Human Rights Advisory Panel for the United Nations Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK). He studied an LLM in International Human Rights Law at the 海角黑料 on a British Chevening Scholarship. Notable publications include The Third Sex and Human Rights, based on his LLM dissertation, Courting Injustice: The Nirbhaya Case and its Aftermath, and most recently, The Mahatma’s Manifesto: A Critique of Hind Swaraj.
Comment from the judges:
This nominee has had a global impact, contributing to human rights and sustainability through policy change and education, such as writing a play on toxic terror and a book on caste discrimination.
The judges selected Rajesh for embodying the value of respect for his dedication to the cause of human rights.
Vincent Egunlae
(Politics and International Relations, 2016)
Vincent Egunlae is a multi-award winning change-maker. Vincent is an accomplished public speaker on creating equity, receiving over 1.3m views as part of One Young World, the pre-eminent global programme for future leaders.
Vincent also co-founded The Open Private School, a charity which seeks to provide state school educated students with opportunity, directly impacting over 150 students in three years. These immense community contributions saw Vincent named the UK’s ‘Best Young Professional’ by the Black British Business Awards in 2022, receiving acknowledgement from the Prime Minister.
Elizabeth Hall MBE
(Psychology, 1990)
Elizabeth Hall MBE (nee Clark) graduated with a BA in psychology in 1990. Her career began in the press office of Action Aid before joining PR company Freud Communications. Fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) agency marketing roles followed before becoming Marketing Director of The Carbon Neutral Company and teaching yoga at Holloway Prison. In 2018, driven by the belief that no-one should be held back from participating in society because they cannot afford to wash their hair, clothes, brush their teeth, use period products or change their baby’s nappy, she set up The Hygiene Bank.
With nearly 600 volunteers and 200 local projects across the UK, 1,539,182kg of basic hygiene products were distributed in 2023 to over 1,000 community partners, including schools, food banks, women’s refuges and homeless shelters.
Sarah Hayford
(International Relations and Global Issues, 2018)
Sarah Hayford is the Founder and CEO of The Land Collective, a social mobility organisation founded when she was a student at the 海角黑料. The organisation supports young people from underrepresented backgrounds into careers in real estate and the built environment sector by providing employability programmes, career opportunities and educational resources.
The Land Collective was listed as one of the Top 100 Social Enterprises in the UK in 2023. Sarah began her career in commercial real estate shortly after graduating and specialised in retail.
Credit: Michael White
Lauren James
(Natural Sciences, 2014)
Lauren James is the Carnegie-longlisted British author of many Young Adult novels, including Green Rising, The Reckless Afterlife of Harriet Stoker and The Loneliest Girl in the Universe. They are a RLF Royal Fellow at Aston University and the story consultant on Netflix’s Heartstopper (seasons two and three).
Lauren is the founder of the Climate Fiction Writers League, editor of the anthology Future Hopes: Hopeful stories in a time of climate change, and a member of the Society of Authors’ Sustainability Committee. They work as a consultant on climate storytelling for museums, production companies, major brands and publishers, with a focus on optimism and hope. They run a Queer Writers group in Coventry.
Trang Chu Minh
(International Relations and Global Issues, 2011)
Trang Chu Minh has devoted her career to leveraging storytelling to drive positive change in underreported social and environmental issues. She has worked on a multitude of high-impact campaigns, from advocating for the first state law banning child marriage in the US, to facilitating the opening of the UK’s first safe house for LGBTQ+ refugees, and campaigning for Indonesia’s first provincial ban against plastic bags.
She is currently in charge of sustainability communications and thought leadership for Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund, in addition to serving as a running guide for people with disabilities and volunteering for projects promoting wildlife conservation and disability inclusion. Her contributions earned her the One Young World Campaigner of the Year Award in 2023.
Shivansh Ahuja
(Management, 2019)
Shivansh is the founder of City One Initiative, an Indian educational organisation focused on enhancing contemporary skills. The learning gap in modern skills and need for innovative curricula led to the commencement of his venture, and he has successfully curated over 80 upskilling simulations in leading academic institutions, benefitting thousands of students across various educational boards and backgrounds.
As an educator and entrepreneur, Shivansh has a keen interest in the public speaking and leadership development arena.
Romy Andrianarisoa
(Corporate Social Responsibility, 2017)
Romy is a fervent advocate of development in her home country Madagascar and also has at heart a passion for global sustainable development. Romy has three master’s degrees: Marketing and International Business, Diplomatic and Strategic Studies from the Centre D'étude Stratégique et diplomatique, and International Trade. She also holds an MBA in Sustainable Development.
Dr Meshach Asare-Werehene
(Cancer Immunology and Biotechnology, 2014)
Meshach is a Clinical Chemistry Fellow at the University of Toronto, an expert in gynaecologic cancer diagnosis and therapeutics at The Ottawa Hospital and a part-time Professor at the University of Ottawa. He is a recipient of the TOH Worton award for his cutting-edge discoveries in ovarian cancer and community leadership, and is the author of the book The ABCs of Cancer. He graduated from Nottingham as a Commonwealth Shared Scholar and best student in his class, in addition to receiving a gold certificate award and roles as class representative and Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences library representative.
Jonelle Awomoyi
(Religion, Philosophy and Ethics, 2020)
Jonelle is a journalist at BBC News, anchoring for BBC Three’s The Catch Up and presenting impactful social media news content. Her investigation into social media fraud during the pandemic influenced app improvements to protect consumers, while her exposé on the £500 million Youth Investment Fund failure led to its reinstatement.
Recognised for her immense community contributions, she received a hand-painted mural in London and was nominated for the Woman of the Year Award in 2021.
Sakshi Bansal
(Work and Organisational Psychology, 2019)
Sakshi is the recipient of the Diana Award (2022) and is the world’s first UNESCO Kindness Leader. She is the founder of Project LEAP, a social service project committed to Sustainable Development Goal 4, and an Occupational Psychologist working in the environmental, social and governance (ESG) and sustainability space. Currently based in the UK, she is originally from India and often uses concepts from Indian psychology to facilitate change sessions. She advises multiple AI-based start-ups following three years of her start-up experience, and is a passionate solo traveller.
Nigel Hyde MBE
(Economics, 1982)
Nigel is the founder of charities Mission Direct and Home Leone. Mission Direct enables thousands of volunteers to use their holidays for good in the world’s poorest nations with an approach of joining people in what they are doing well and mobilising resources to transform lives, building homes, schools, clinics and more.
Home Leone’s “Destiny” Village is a holistic, sustainable solution to slums in Sierra Leone, providing low-cost affordable homes, growing businesses, education, healthcare and utilities, all supporting skills development. In 2022, Nigel was awarded an MBE for services to international charitable work.
Dr Richard Munang
(PhD Environmental Change and Policy, 2008)
Richard is the United Nations Environment Programme’s Deputy Regional Director and Africa Regional Climate Change Coordinator, driving Africa’s climate resilience, fostering capacity building and stakeholder engagement. He pioneered the Africa Adaptation Gap Report series, providing localised data for policymakers to bridge climate resilience gaps, and developed the first-ever framework, the Ecosystems-Based Adaptation for Food Security Assembly, to mobilise state and non-state actors for climate action in Africa. Richard has developed a mentorship tool called “Innovative Volunteerism”, which has empowered over three million unemployed youth to create profitable enterprises through climate action. Richard’s dedication to environmental leadership earned him the UNEP Baobab Programme Innovation Award in 2016.
Professor Andrew Rowland
(Medicine, 2000)
Andrew founded the children’s charity SicKids, and works clinically between the UK and Cambodia. His work in medicine and expertise in safeguarding children and protecting children’s rights have been recognised internationally.
He has been awarded a Fellowship and the Pol Roger Prize by The Churchill Fellowship; The Association Medal by the British Medical Association in recognition of his distinguished service to the Association and contribution to medicine; and The Gold Decoration of Honour by the European Union of Medical Specialists to recognise his dedicated work for European Medical Specialists. In 2023, Andrew was appointed as Officer for Child Protection at the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health.
Frances Ryan
(Politics and International Relations, 2007)
Frances is a political journalist, author and broadcaster. For the last decade, she has been a columnist and feature writer for The Guardian, focusing on the impact of government policies on low income and disabled people.
Her work has featured on the front pages of The New York Times, The Guardian and British Vogue. She has twice been highly commended at The National Press Awards, as well as shortlisted for the Orwell Prize and Paul Foot award. She is the author of Crippled (2019), which was made into the short drama Hen Night for the BBC, and the upcoming Who Wants Normal? (2025).
Dr Medha Tadpatrikar
(Business Management Studies, 1990)
Medha is an entrepreneur, writer, TEDx speaker and #ChiefPlasticWarrior. She initially never thought of working in the waste management sector and describes her journey as “an accidental environmentalist”.
Medha is the co-innovator and pioneer of the Thermo Catalytic Depolymerization Process in India, which converts thin and traditionally non-recyclable end of life plastic into usable liquid fuel. She has been named one of the Top 30 “Women Transforming India”, and has helped collect more than 3.6 million kg of plastic waste and inspired more than 200,000 people to join this movement.