SPS Sociology student wins Global Award
Published: 29 November 2018
Sociology student, Izzy Howlett, wins prestigious Undergraduate Award
Sociology student, Izzy Howlett, was recently presented with the Thomas Clarkson Gold Medal at The Global Undergraduate Summit in Dublin, Ireland.
Izzy completed her degree in sociology and philosophy with First Class Honours, and was the Global Winner in the Social Sciences: Sociology & Social Policy category for their paper, “A Descriptive Study of The Documents Presented to Patients Following Down Syndrome Screening.”
Izzy, from Bury St Edmunds, said: “I was inspired to write about prenatal testing after watching a documentary called “A World Without Down’s Syndrome”, in which it was stated that 100% of Down's syndrome pregnancies are terminated in Iceland. As a Sociologist, I was curious to study the social factors which may be influencing this very personal decision. This research was incredibly difficult at times due to the sensitive nature of its content, however, I found it deeply rewarding and will continue researching health informatics.”
The 23-year-old added: “It is a massive shock to have received this award but I am so grateful to be named among the global winners. My time at the University of Glasgow has been a great motivation for me and spurred me on in my research. Sociology has taught me a range of skills that have helped me to see things from a different perspective, and all these skills and experiences I am taking with me into my working life."
Andrew Smith, Head of Subject in Sociology, said: “All of us in Sociology were delighted to hear of Izzy’s remarkable success at the Undergraduate Awards. Working with our students on their dissertation projects is always a tremendous privilege. It’s constantly exciting to see – as with Izzy’s project – the imagination and critical insight which they bring to their sociological investigations of the world”.
In total, The Global Undergraduate Awards (UA) received more than 4,800 submissions to the 2018 programme from undergraduates in 333 universities from 46 countries. There is no other event of this scale or academic breadth and quality that is focused exclusively on the work of undergraduates.
First published: 29 November 2018
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