Judges

2023 UEA Judges

2023 Guest Judges and Award Presenters

Heather Jermy, National Trust - presenting the Award for Outstanding Social or Cultural Impact

Heather is General Manager of the National Trust’s Blickling Estate, a historic Norfolk estate which is home to highly significant buildings, collections, nature, and landscapes. In this role, she oversees the operational management of the visitor business and leads for conservation excellence and strategic planning. Prior to the Trust, Heather spent 20 years learning about, loving, and looking after the historic built environment. With a background in Architecture, Archaeology, and Universal Design, Heather joined conservation practice Purcell and founded a Heritage Consultancy team at the forefront of developing conservation management planning. From museums and mansions to palaces and piers, she worked with a variety of clients across the world to understand, conserve and adapt historic buildings and sites. Heather champions understanding the significance of places to enable climate adaptation and accessibility, thrives on collaboration, and believes in the power of place to connect people to heritage and each other.

Dr Victor Inyang, East Anglian Air Ambulance - presenting the Award for Outstanding Impact in Health, Wellbeing and Welfare

Victor is Medical Director and Helicopter Emergency Medicine (HEMS) Consultant with the East Anglian Air Ambulance. As an organisation, the East Anglian Air Ambulance is passionate about research and innovation, an area Victor is responsible for pushing forward.

Before this, he undertook specialist registrar training (Emergency Medicine) in the East of England Deanery, and in April 2000, was appointed as a consultant in Emergency Medicine.

Victor is a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons and a Fellow of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine. He also holds the Diploma in Immediate Medical Care (Royal College of Surgeons, Edinburgh).

Victor has a passion for education, having previously been a PBL tutor for the Emergency Module at UEA. An instructor in Advanced Trauma Life Support and Advanced Life Support and actively involved in simulation training for doctors and paramedics at the East Anglian Air Ambulance.

Prof Gary Kass - presenting the Award for Consultancy Project of the Year

Gary is Visiting Professor in the Centre for Environment and Sustainability at the University Surrey and Professor of Sustainability Policy and Practice at Royal Holloway, University of London. He is an environmental and sustainability scientist and knowledge broker, with over 35 years’ practice, working at the interface of science and policy. Gary started his career as a government scientist before moving to private practice as an environmental consultant, working on a wide range of projects for clients in the UK and overseas. He joined the public sector in 1995 as Head of the Environment and Energy programme at the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology and became Head of Public Engagement with Science and Technology within the UK Government. Gary joined Natural England in 2007 served as Deputy Chief Scientist between 2014 and 2022 with a stint as Defra's deputy Chief Scientific Adviser in 2016; and most recently served as Natural England's Deputy Director for Foresight and Innovation.

Gary recently left Natural England to pursue other opportunities, not least to spend more time with CES. He has recently been appointed as a member of the College of Experts for the Office for Environmental Protection. Gary has also worked widely in academia, including serving on the Natural Environment Research Council’s Innovation Advisory Board and the Research Excellence Framework Geography and Environmental Studies sub-panel in 2014 and 2021, focusing particularly on impact and policy relevance. Gary held a Fellowship at the University of Cambridge Centre for Science and Policy and is currently a Vice-President of the Institution of Environmental Sciences and Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society.

Glen Webster - presenting the Award for Outstanding Commercialisation of Research

Glen has over 25 years’ experience in financial services, including mortgages, retail banking and running his own financial planning business. He was formerly Regional Manager for Woolwich before joining Barclays Business in 2010, his most recent role being Business Banking Regional Manager for East Anglia. He has just finished his term as a Board member for the Norfolk Chambers of Commerce. His extensive knowledge and experience enables him to offer a unique insight into all aspects of business

Dr Thuria Wenbar, Evaro - presenting the Award for Student or Graduate Innovation and Enterprise

Thuria is the CEO of Evaro (previously e-Pharmacy) and was the recipient of an Innovation and Impact award in 2019, for Student or Graduate Innovation and Enterprise. Thuria graduated from UEA with a medicine degree in 2017. After graduating and working for 18 months as a qualified doctor, on the training route to many more years of exams, she moved away from the classic doctor training pathway and focused on her digital health business

Evaro is an embeddable pharmacy for the web. It sits on 3rd party websites and allows them to offer their customers access to prescription medication without needing to visit a doctor. It has rapidly expanded and is now supporting350,000 patients, running a team of 40 and operating out of a 12,000 sq. ft pharmacy.

Additional Award presenters:

Minnie Moll, Design Council - presenting the Award for Outstanding Impact in Policy and Practice

Minnie joined the Design Council in 2021 as Chief Executive, and introduced the new Design for Planet mission to help address the climate crisis.

Minnie started her career in brand marketing, design and innovation, including global innovation company ‘?What If!’ She then led retail businesses as Chief Executive of Jarrold Retail in Norwich, and Joint Chief Executive of the East of England Co-op. During this time Minnie was HRH Prince Charles' Ambassador for Responsible Business in the East of England. Minnie was voted Vistage Business Leader of the Year in 2020 and listed in 2018 as one of the 100 Most Inspirational Women in Suffolk and Norfolk. She is a qualified Transformational Coach with a focus on supporting women in business.

Prof Fiona Lettice, outgoing Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research and Innovation, UEA - presenting the Award for Partnership of the Year

Fiona is Professor Emerita of Innovation Management in the Norwich Business School, UEA and was Pro Vice Chancellor (Research and Innovation) from 2016 to 2023. Fiona is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, a Fellow of the Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA) and a Visiting Fellow at Cranfield University.

Prof David Maguire, Vice Chancellor, UEA - presenting the Vice Chancellor's Award for Outstanding Achievement

Prof Maguire joined UEA as Vice-Chancellor & President in May 2023. He is the principal administrative and academic officer of the University and de facto chief-executive.

Prof Maguire has more than 25 years’ experience in higher education, having worked at eight universities in the UK and the USA, as well as prominent roles in the public and private sector.

Previous Guest Judges