Celebrating our alumni community
Each year, we present Alumni Laureate Awards to University of Nottingham alumni in the UK and around the world who have made outstanding contributions to their community, stimulated new ideas and shown exceptional dedication, creativity and leadership. Introduced in 2007, these awards are a celebration of our alumni community and demonstrate the amazing things that can be achieved with a University of Nottingham education.
Award categories
Recent Graduate Award
Recognising the achievements of alumni who have graduated since 2010
Special Excellence Award
Recognising a wide range of achievements, such as sporting success, international work or contribution to the arts and the local community
Lifetime Achievement Award
Recognising alumni who have demonstrated special excellence over an extended period of time
You can view the full eligibility criteria here (PDF)
Our 2020 award winners
We're delighted to announce our 2020 Alumni Laureate Award winners!
Madeline Pizzoni
(Nursing, 2013)
Recent Graduate Award
Madeline is a Captain in the Army Air Corps. Joining the Army after graduation, Madeline completed her officer training at Sandhurst in 2015, before training to be a pilot in the Army Air Corps. Completing her Wildcat training in 2019, Madeline advanced to front line 659 Squadron in December 2019, one of only a handful of active female pilots in the Army Air Corps. 659 Squadron are currently part of the COVID Support Force, and in addition to her work with her squadron, Madeline took part in a flypast with the Army Air Corps to mark Captain Tom Moore’s 100th birthday.
Olivia Swift
(Midwifery, 2015)
Recent Graduate Award
Olivia is the founder of Lotus Maternity, an award-winning maternity brand which provides products and services to support and empower mums as they navigate parenthood. After training as a midwife and seeing the challenges faced by new mums, especially breastfeeding in public, Olivia was inspired to start her own business which has gone from strength to strength. During the COVID-19 pandemic, in addition to the support offered through her business, Olivia returned to midwifery on Nottingham’s maternity wards to help during the crisis.
Emily Seto
(Clinical Microbiology, 2016)
Recent Graduate Award
Emily is a Planetary Protection Engineer at NASA. Joining NASA after graduating from the University in 2016, Emily has been part of the team working to launch a spacecraft to Europa (Jupiter’s moon) to investigate whether the icy moon could harbour conditions suitable for life. Most recently, Emily has joined the Mars 2020 Mission and took part in the launch from Kennedy Space Station in July 2020. Crucially, Emily is at the forefront of preparations to ensure that if we do find life on Mars, we can prove it.
Richard Wardlaw OBE
(Production Engineering, 1991)
Special Excellence Award
Richard is a Lieutenant General in the British Army and as Chief of Defence, Logistics and Support, currently holds the rank of 3* General, placing him among the most senior soldiers in the Army. Joining the Army after graduation, Richard has over 28 years’ service and has served around the globe in Hong Kong, Brunei, the Falkland Islands, Germany and the UK and operationally in Northern Ireland, Bosnia, Iraq and Afghanistan. In 2007 and 2009, he was awarded the Queen’s Commendation for Valuable Service (QCVS) following his tours of Iraq and Afghanistan.
Steve Cliffe
(Electrical Engineering, 1985)
Special Excellence Award
Steve is the CEO and President of Ultraleap, an innovative technology company which brings together the world’s most powerful 3D hand tracking with haptic technology to be able to create the sensation of touch in mid-air, making digital worlds feel more human. With over 30 years’ experience in the technology industry, Steve has held a number of senior roles at leading companies including Plessey Semiconductors, ProVision and Xintronix.
Anmarie Spaziano
(Sociology, 2002)
Special Excellence Award
Anmarie is the founder and owner of Annie’s Burger Shack, one of the most popular restaurants in Nottingham. Annie’s Burger Shack’s humble beginning started when Anmarie, a native of Rhode Island, took over use of a little kitchen in the back of a rock ‘n’ roll pub with just a bum-bag and a frying pan. People fell in love with her tasty cooked-to-order burgers, and after moving to The Navigation Inn, queues would form with up to a three hour wait for food. In 2014 the first independent Annie’s Burger Shack restaurant opened in the Lace Market, where it remains one of Nottingham’s most-visited eateries.
Jonathan Van-Tam MBE
(Medicine, 1987)
Lifetime Achievement Award
Jonathan is the Deputy Chief Medical Officer for England. Globally recognised as an expert on respiratory viruses, Jonathan has been one of the most senior advisors to the Government during the COVID-19 crisis and has regularly presented at the Government’s national briefings. Jonathan’s career spans across academia, the pharmaceutical industry and the public sector, including roles as Head of the Pandemic Influenza Office and Chair of the European Centre for Diseases Prevention and Control, and serving on the UK Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE).