Dr Nick Freestone from Kingston University was announced last week as the Higher Education Bioscience Teacher of the Year at an awards ceremony on the 8th April held at the 2014 Heads of University Biosciences (HUBS) Spring Meeting, Chicheley Hall, Buckinghamshire.

He was chosen as the overall winner from an impressive shortlist of three candidates. The judges were particularly impressed with Dr Freestone’s commitment to placing students at heart of his practice, and providing high-quality feedback.

Dr Freestone said: "I am humbled and honoured to be the recipient of the HE Bioscience Teacher of the Year award for 2014. I'd like to express my unreserved admiration for the efforts of the other shortlisted finalists and every other bioscience practitioner in the UK. I hope that it will act as a spur to improve my practice for the benefit of my students now and in the future.”

As a principal lecturer and course director for undergraduate pharmaceutical science, Dr Freestone applies a suite of approaches to support student diversity – from widening participation to stretching the most able. Nick is also subject area leader for physiology and pharmacology, playing a significant role in maintaining links between Kingston University and St George’s Hospital.

Dr Freestone adds this award to earlier prizes, including Kingston University's "Most Engaging Lecturer" in 2013, and being voted Faculty of Science "Teacher of the Year" in 2011. In 2014 he was made a Senior Fellow and an Academic Associate of the Higher Education Academy.

As the HE Bioscience Teacher of the Year, Dr Freestone received the Ed Wood Memorial Prize of £1,000; one year's subscription to an Oxford University Press journal of his choice; and one year's free membership to the Society of Biology. He was also awarded a one year licence by Labster, one of the sponsors of the HUBS Spring Meeting.

Before the prize was awarded, Dr Freestone and the other finalists presented their case studies to delegates of the HUBS Spring Meeting, which included Heads of HE Bioscience departments from across the country. The other finalists were Dr Heather McQueen from the University of Edinburgh and Dr Peter Klappa of the University of Kent. Both received a £150 prize, one year's free membership to the Society of Biology and attendance to the HUBS Spring Meeting.

All written case studies and video entries from the finalists are available to read and view.