2018 Graduates and Students of the Year

2018 Graduates of the Year

doug allan

Doug Allan, BSc Marine Biology, 1973, Honorary Doctorate, 2007

Doug Allan is best known as the principal cinematographer for a number of world-renowned BBC nature documentaries, including Planet Earth and Blue Planet. He is also a scientific research diver, biologist, and former station commander at two of the British Antarctic Survey’s bases. His photographic awards include eight Emmys, five BAFTAs, five Wildscreen Pandas and recognition at Jackson Hole and Missoula Film Festivals. He has twice won the underwater category in the Wildlife Photographer of the Year and was awarded the Royal Geographical Society’s Cherry Kearton Medal for his wildlife images. In addition to an Honorary Doctorate and Honorary Professorship at the University of Stirling, Doug has further Honorary Doctorates from St Andrews and Edinburgh Napier. In 2012 he was made an Honorary Fellow of the prestigious Royal Photographic Society, and in 2014 he was awarded an Honorary Fellowship to the Royal Scottish Geographical Society. In late 2017, Doug received the latest of his BAFTA awards to date, a special award from BAFTA Scotland for Outstanding Contribution to Craft, an accolade recognising his incredible career.

qiu yuanyuan

Yuanyuan Qiu, MSc Media Management, 2005

Yuanyuan is President of Jiangsu Broadcasting Company’s international arm, JSBCI, where she oversees the distribution of original Chinese TV formats globally in addition to importing international formats for broadcasting in China. She also leads the development of international co-production and broadcasting with companies such as the BBC and Channel 4 in the UK, Arte in France, NHK in Japan, and PBS in the USA. Yuanyuan’s time at Stirling turned her from a journalist and presenter “who could speak good English” into a producer and manager aiming at bridging the media resources in China and abroad, as well as playing an active role international media market. Appreciating the value of UK education, Yuanyuan has since established a JSBCI subsidiary, New Access Education, which helps Chinese students pursue studies in the UK and other major countries. In her spare time, Yuanyuan is also a volunteer for the Nanjing Youth Olympic Games Organising Committee and shares her experience with young people in educational work to encourage study abroad opportunities.

angela sterling

Angela Sterling, BA Dip Ed Education and French, 2001

Angela is the founder and Managing Director of Lingotot Ltd, which provides language classes for children aged from 0 to 11 years old, working in primary schools, nurseries and community centres across the UK. Founded in 2010 and based in Co. Durham, Lingotot now teaches more than 10,000 children each week through a growing network of franchises and tutors. Angela reached national attention in 2017 following an appearance in an edition of Dragons Den, supported by a team of students who sang to the Dragons in four different languages.

2018 Students of the Year

kelsey blemings

Kelsey Blemings, BA (Hons) Sports Studies, due to graduate 2019

Kelsey serves as a Faculty Officer for the School of Health Sciences & Sport and is in her second term as Sports Union Communication Officer. Kelsey was involved in sports volunteering during her first year of studies, having signed up to visit a local disability swimming club as part of the Sports Union V-Team initiative in early 2016. Since then, Kelsey’s involvement has grown within the Students’ Union in a number of different roles, with a specific focus on encouraging and increasing the number of student volunteers.

ashley cameron

 

Ashley Cameron, BA (Hons) History and Politics, 4th Year Student due to graduate June 2018

Ashley has championed the rights of care experienced young people in Scotland, appearing on TV and radio alongside the First Minister and other politicians to lobby for support for care experienced students. She speaks regularly at conferences and seminars, and the First Minister’s decision to introduce a bursary for care experienced students was influenced by Ashley’s work. Ashley, who graduated with a BA (Hons) History and Politics degree in summer 2018, has overcome significant personal challenges to achieve considerable success, both academically and in her ongoing public affairs activities.

duncan scott

Duncan Scott, BA (Hons) Business Studies and Sports Studies, 2nd Year Student due to graduate June 2021

Freestyle swimmer Duncan became Scotland’s most decorated swimmer at a single Commonwealth Games at the 2018 competition in Australia, winning six medals at the event. In July 2017, Duncan represented Great Britain at the FINA World Championships in Budapest where we won gold in the 4x200m Freestyle and silver in the 4x100m Medley Relay. He won two silvers as part of the relay teams at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Duncan was crowned both Male Athlete of the Year and Scottish Sportsperson of the Year at the Team Scotland Scottish Sports Awards in 2018.