As proud recipients of a prestigious Queen’s Anniversary Prize (QAP), our team from Population Data Science at Swansea University had the honour of attending the Presentation Ceremony at Buckingham Palace on the 22nd of February, where members of the Royal Family presented prizes.
Part of the delegation that travelled up to London representing Population Data Science at Swansea University and SAIL Databank were more junior members of our team, including researchers, data scientists and developers. These emerging talents are integral to our team, and in this blog post, we reconnect with Hazel Lockhart Jones, Rachel Carpenter and Laura Cowley, who attended the ceremony in London – to learn more about the day.
Can you each share your excitement leading up to and during the awards ceremony.
Hazel: It was very exciting to represent the team at the palace. I have been with the team for 14 years, and it was an exciting time to reflect on all the hard work that has been achieved by so many throughout the years.
Rachel: I was excited about this opportunity but felt nervous about what to expect, what to wear, and what to say.
Laura: It was so exciting to be asked to attend, and probably a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! I picked out a new outfit and loved dressing up to represent Swansea University at the Palace.
How did it feel to be part of the celebration in London?
Hazel: I felt very grateful to be part of the ceremony celebrating our team and university at the Palace. I felt a huge sense of pride when hearing our team and university be announced at the prize-winning ceremony.
Rachel: I felt honoured and profoundly moved to be considered part of this special ceremony and represent the team.
Laura: As a group, we were very excited to be there, as you can probably tell from the photos! There was a real celebratory atmosphere, and getting to know some colleagues better was lovely.
What were your standout moments or personal highlights from the day.
Hazel: The highlights of the day were celebrating with colleagues and learning about the other universities that have also won their prestigious prizes. A personal favourite was the orchestra, which played beautifully throughout the ceremony.
Rachel: One of my personal highlights was sitting in the throne room watching our team receive the award – it was great to be at the Palace and part of a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Laura: It was great to be able to watch the ceremony, and the reception meant that I got the chance to chat with senior colleagues as well as the Duke of Gloucester! It turns out that the VC and I share a love of coastal walking!
What does winning the Queen’s Anniversary Prize mean to you and your team?
Hazel: The prize represents our expertise in Swansea and the Population Data Science Team and has highlighted the importance of data in world-leading research. I am proud to work within the team, and the prize recognises everyone’s commitment and hard work.
Rachel: It is an extraordinary honour to receive this award. The winning of the prize evoked team pride in our accomplishments and appreciation in gaining recognition for all the hard work and contributions the SAIL team has made.
Laura: Watching the ceremony with the string quartet playing, I genuinely felt such a huge sense of pride to work at Population Data Science and to be a part of such an amazing and supportive team. I feel it is a well-deserved recognition of the teamwork and collaboration that plays such a huge part in enabling our research to have a world-leading impact. I feel so grateful to have been part of such a special day and to have represented the whole team at the Palace.