Four conferences organised by teams at the University of Aberdeen have been recognised for their excellence and the impact they have made to the local community at a local awards ceremony.
The teams behind the Scottish Schools Psychology Conference, Society for East Asian Archaeology 2025, Public Communication of Science and Technology Conference 2025 and X Grampian Research Conference took home four awards at the Visit Aberdeen Ambassador Awards.
The Scottish Schools Psychology Conference, organised by Dr Mauro Manassi, Dr Jacqui Hutchison and Dr Margaret Jackson from the School of Psychology, received the award for Best Event Under 200 delegates. The conference saw more than 150 school pupils and teachers visit the King’s College campus to get inspired about psychology and gain insight into the work and research being carried out at the University.
Workshops covered a broad range of topics including psychology in the courtroom, facial perception, personalities and applying psychology to everyday scenarios.
The award for Best Event Between 200 – 500 delegates went to the Society for East Asian Archaeology 2025. Organised by Dr Joshua Wright from the School of Geosciences, the conference took place over six days at the University’s Old Aberdeen campus, attracting 325 delegates. It comprised keynote speakers, parallel presentations, poster sessions and workshops. There was also a mid-conference field trip, which gave delegates a visit to unique archaeological sites across the north-east of Scotland, including the ‘dig’ at Burghead.
It attracted international delegates from around the world including China, Japan, Mongolia and the USA.
The Public Communication of Science and Technology Conference 2025 (PCST) was recognised with the award for Best Event Over 500 delegates. Dr Donna MacCallum from the School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition and Nikki Pearce, Commercial and CPD Manager, co-organised the conference, which explored the transitions (change versus stability), traditions (the old, current and the new) and tensions (dispute versus consensus) that influence the work of science communicators.
Originally scheduled to take place in 2020, the conference was postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The 2025 event was the culmination of the dedication and hard work of collaborations and partnerships between the University and international organisations.
The Collaboration Award was given to the X Grampian Research Conference, jointly organised by the University’s Interdisciplinary Institute and Rowett Institute in collaboration with NHS Grampian and NHS Research Scotland. The conference, which attracted 195 delegates, had 40 speakers from 20 different organisations across the UK on the theme of ‘Breaking Traditional Disciplinary Boundaries’. Besides the Lord Provost of Aberdeen, other key speakers included Head of Chief Scientist Office, NHS Grampian’s Chair, Public Health Scotland’s Chief Officer and the President of Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow. There was a networking dinner preceded by the National Scottish Ballet conducting a movement health and wellbeing workshop.
Other teams across the University were also recognised in the awards shortlist:
- SINAPSE Annual Scientific Meeting 2025 (organised by Dr Gordon Waiter)
- SERA Conference (Dr Charlaine Simpson and Dr Stephanie Thomson)
- UK Congress on Obesity (Professor Alexandra Johnstone, Dr Kevin Deans, Dr George McIlroy, Dr Wendy Watson, Carole Noble and Professor Justin Rochford)
- Arab-German Young Academy of Sciences and Humanities International Workshop (Dr Jakub Zbrzezny)
Event management support was provided by the CPD and Events Services team for the Society for East Asian Archaeology, PCST, SERA Conference and SINAPSE Annual Scientific Meeting.
Professor Peter Edwards, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Aberdeen, said: “Congratulations to the teams across the University who have been recognised for their impact at the Visit Aberdeen Ambassador Awards. Attracting major conferences and events to the region is one of the many ways in which we support the economy of the north-east, while also raising the international profile of our academics and their research.”