In this post, Callum Paterson introduces the winners of the three Teacher of the Year Awards from the Edinburgh University Students’ Association’s Teaching Awards 2025. This is the fourth post in a series of blog posts celebrating 2025 Teaching Award winners. Callum is the Academic Engagement & Policy Coordinator within the Student Voice team at the Students’ Association.
Introduction
Our three Teacher of the Year Awards recognise educators who engage students in their learning, supported them to academically challenge themselves, and helped to place their learning into a wider context. Over half of our nominations came from just these three categories, so join me to meet the winners.
College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences (CAHSS)
Our CAHSS Teacher of the Year 2025 is Lynn McNair, from Moray House School of Education and Sport. Lynn’s influence goes far beyond her classroom. From her exceptional, innovative, and thoughtful teaching to her unwavering commitment to mentoring and supporting students beyond their academics, she truly goes above and beyond in every way. She organises enriching field trips, offers personal career guidance, and responds to student queries with genuine care. As one student perfectly captured,
“Her patience and kindness really motivate me to try harder and stay curious.”
As an educator, Lynn has fostered growth, built confidence, and nurtured a whole cohort of lifelong learners.
The runners up were Lillian Hueber and Zayne Thomson, both from the Centre for Open Learning.
College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine (CMVM)
Our Teacher of the Year in CMVM is Andrew Storey, from Edinburgh Medical School. Andrew spends most of his time as a clinician but also acts as the module lead for senior medicine students at Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy. Students often only see a doctor for a few weeks at a time with teaching happening sporadically as they rush around, but Andrew helps them learn through practice and ensures his students have dedicated weekly lectures. Andrew has cultivated a culture of learning across the hospital, with other clinicians being more willing to teach because of his example. It’s clear that Andrew has, and will continue to, have a huge impact on his students.
The runners up in CMVM were Niall Anderson (from the Deanery of Molecular, Genetic and Population Health Sciences) and Lyndsay Murray (from the Deanery of Biomedical Sciences).
College of Science and Engineering (CSE)
Once again last, but not least, is CSE. Our Teacher of the Year 2025 is Harvey Huang, from the School of Engineering. Harvey was praised by students for both his regular seminars and holistic support through after-class sessions, including holding a weekly surgery hour after his seminar. One student told us about a time when a fire alarm caused one of his lectures to be disrupted for so long that a lot of the students had to leave, but Harvey went back in and finished his class for those who were able to stay – a clear indication of his passion and dedication to their learning, making him a deserving winner.
The runners up were Ruth Forrester (from the School of Mathematics), and Yuvraj Patel (from the School of Informatics).
Well done to our three brilliant teachers for their wins, and of course to the hundreds of nominees across these three categories. The fact that students have taken time to submit so many nominations is testament to the impact you have had on them through your teaching, and we cannot wait to see what you do next year.
Join me next time for our final blog post, dedicated to the winner of the Sabbatical Officers’ Special Recognition Award.
Callum Paterson
Callum Paterson is the Academic Engagement & Policy Coordinator within the Student Voice team at the Students’ Association. Alongside coordinating the Teaching Awards, he works with Programme and School Representatives as well as the Vice President Education, supporting and empowering them to make their voices heard on the issues that matter most to them.
