Contribution to Academic Life Award – Daisie Ellis
Tuesday 19-03-2024 - 10:50
Alongside her studies, Daisie Ellis supports other students with their academic journey through the many leadership roles she has. She recently won the SU award for ‘Contribution to Academic Life’ and is a finalist for the national TargetJobs ‘Undergraduate of the Year’ competition for the ‘Celebrating Neurodiverse Talent’.
As this week is Neurodiversity Celebration Week (18-24 March), we wanted to shine a light on Daisie and highlight the groups and activities where she has made a huge impact, driving forward an academic culture of removing the stigma of disability.
But first, here’s Daisie to tell us about her award-winning contributions, what motivated her to get involved and achieve so much, and how it felt to be recognised (and win!)
The roles have been important to my student experience here because, each in their own way, contributes to trying to shift the culture at Durham towards celebrating the wealth of diversity we have here.
My first experience of feeling welcome at Durham was at a 93% Club social, and it gave me the idea that many safe spaces do come from students themselves, driving forward change. It opened the concept to me that I could participate in groups important to me and actually make a difference, as it had to me already.
Another thing that encouraged me to put myself forward for many roles at Durham is the concept of having visible role models that resonate with you. I've never kept my sexuality hidden at Durham, nor my identity as someone neurodivergent, in case that's the representation that somebody needs to help them feel more welcome or safer. I'm continuously inspired by a lot of the women in leadership that I meet in the Chemistry Department, the cycle continues when somebody else steps up and makes the world a much more exciting place by embracing who they are.
Winning the award was incredibly humbling, and it's been a real boost to my confidence seeing my contributions held in high regard against impactful work from societies. I hadn't processed my name at first when I was announced as the winner, it was incredibly surreal.
I have found the SU incredibly supportive of ideas that I've had, and the same with my department and college. It's much easier to be productive with change when you aren't battling in every direction for it. Some days it does feel like the culture is shifting, others not, but I've had to realise that I can't change everything but what I can do is be a positive driving force forward in the groups that I've been working with and hope that other students do the same to contribute to the bigger picture.
Here’s what Daisie’s nominators told us:
Student Staff Consultative Committee (SSCC)
Daisie provides valuable feedback to the Chemistry department on the accessibility of teaching activities and highlighting good practices. Such as emphasising the importance of teaching staff using visualisers instead of whiteboards to boost the engagement of students who need to rewatch on encore.
Chemistry department’s EDI committee and diversifying and decolonising the curriculum group
Daisie has raised the need for disability representation in the department and now contributes to the EDI blog on disability visibility and tips for freshers and how reasonable adjustments work in the industry – which is valuable for industrial placement students and those seeking internships. She is currently working with the committee chair on organising a disability coffee morning; a forum for chemists to discuss what changes would help boost their engagement in academic life.
Daisie has also provided information to autistic students through disability support, delivering a talk on debunking academic terminology, describing what lectures and tutorials are like, how labs are laid out and how to ask for reasonable adjustments. She is now exploring avenues to improve the transition to University for neurodivergent students in the chemistry department, for example, with an introductory toolkit explaining the differences between teaching sessions and explanations of academic nuances such as writing a professional email.
Daisie is helping students to engage much faster with their studies and signposts to support where there may be struggles. She also works the University open days and post-offer visit days, providing a student perspective on academic life to incoming chemists.
Durham Disability and Carers Association (DDaCA)
Daisie is supporting the DDaCA exec through the campaign on reforming the University’s extensions policy and enhancing the SSO structure –ensuring that students have access to their rights for reasonable adjustments and to engage with academic life effectively.
Castle Junior Common Room
Daisie is student peer support and active listening on the welfare committee. She has also successfully worked with the JCR for the last two years to implement an optional alternative accessible entrance for students following matriculation away from the noise of pots and pans.
She also restarted "Castle Pride" this year - a previously dormant society providing a safe space for LGBTQIA+ students and future-proofed the society with a successful motion to elect an ex-officio co-president annually through the college welfare committee officers. The group now meet regularly with a full committee and active members.
93% Club
Daisie was a chemistry rep for the 93% Club as her first SU student group role, improving visibility in the chemistry department for state-schooled students.
Daisie’s leading by example has had a continued positive impact on students in the University, both through encouraging them to engage with opportunities and by consistently being a role model and advocate and is an example of excellent student leadership.
