The Royal Society of Biology is pleased to announce that Dr Sarah Gretton (University of Leicester), Professor Kevin Moffat (University of Warwick) and Dr Ian Turner (University of Derby) have been shortlisted for the 2017 Higher Education Bioscience Teacher of the Year Award.

The award recognises teachers who have shown an outstanding contribution to higher education in the biosciences. The competition is open to all bioscience teachers working in the UK higher education system and individuals can be nominated either by their students, peers, management or themselves.

Dr Mark Downs CBiol FRSB, chief executive at the Royal Society of Biology, said: "This year's award yet again highlights the invaluable role teachers in Higher Education play. Congratulations to the three finalists, who have shown their commitment to student learning through their high-quality teaching practices."

This year also marked the first year that students could nominate their university bioscience lecturer. Dr Keren Bielby-Clarke and Alison Northrop both received nominations from their students at the University of Bradford and Nottingham Trent University, respectively. In recognition of these nominations they will receive certificates.

For the next round, finalists will prepare and present a case study on their teaching methodology and practice, followed by an interview by the judging panel in March. The applicants' case studies will be displayed on our website next month and the winner will be announced at the HUBS Spring Meeting, at College Court, Leicester, on 10-11th May.

The winner will receive the Ed Wood Memorial Prize of £1,000 to spend as they wish, one year's subscription to an Oxford University Press journal of their choice, and one year's free membership of the RSB. The remaining finalists receive £150 and one year's free membership to of the Society.

This award is made possible through sponsorship from Oxford University Press (OUP) and Heads of University Biosciences (HUBS).