Birkbeck recognises outstanding doctoral research in 2026 Gwynne-Vaughan Medal awards
Three doctoral researchers have been recognised for their contributions to their fields, with a further researcher receiving a highly commended award.
The winners of the 2026 Gwynne-Vaughan Medal prizes were announced at the Birkbeck Graduate Research School (BGRS) induction and welcome evening in late October.
The annual competition celebrates the life and work of Dame Helen Gwynne-Vaughan, who spent much of her academic career at Birkbeck as Head of the Botany Department and was one of the first female professors at the University of London.
Organised by the BGRS, the prizes recognise current doctoral students and recent graduates who have made notable contributions to their research fields during their studies.
This year's competition saw a particularly high standard of entries, with one prize awarded in the current student category, two in the graduate category and a further graduate researcher receiving a highly commended distinction.
Current student prize winner
Sailee Khurjekar - Arts and Humanities
Sailee's doctoral research explores questions around obscenity, artistic freedom and racial justice, examining whether art judged to be obscene should be protected when its content may cause harm to marginalised racial groups. Drawing on aesthetics, philosophy of race and political philosophy, her work engages with wider debates about free speech, censorship and representation.
Alongside her thesis, Sailee has taken her research beyond specialist academic audiences. Her sole-authored article, The Philosophy of Race, makes complex and contested debates accessible to general readers. In 2026, she was invited by Anja Steinbauer, organiser of Philosophy for All, to deliver a second talk as part of its Kant's Cave lecture and discussion series.
Sailee also co-organises the London Aesthetics Forum, sponsored by the British Society of Aesthetics, helping to build a research community in aesthetics and strengthen connections across the discipline.
Graduate prize winners
Surya Bowyer – Arts and Humanities
Surya undertook his PhD in collaboration with the Science Museum, researching the history of its art collection. Spanning the Museum's history from the mid-nineteenth century to the present, his thesis draws on a series of case studies to make an original contribution to the fields of art history, history of science and history of collections.
During his research, Surya undertook internships at the National Railway Museum and the Smithsonian in Washington, where he spent three months working in the archives. He also carried out cataloguing work and interviews with past and present Museum curators. The resulting interview records have been deposited with the Museum as a resource for its staff.
Following his PhD, Surya was appointed as a temporary curator at the Science Museum and invited to speak at the Courtauld's Manton Centre for British Art.
Anja Hollowell – Science
Anja's PhD research has made a significant contribution to the growing field of infant and toddler genetics. Her work has resulted in two publications in Nature Human Behaviour, one as first author and one as second author, with a third article currently under review.
Her research has attracted national and international media attention and led to the release of 23 publicly available genome-wide association summary statistics, which are already being used by researchers across different disciplines. Her projects involved large-scale genetic data analysis and international collaborations involving more than 20 authors on each manuscript.
Anja has also shared her findings beyond academia, including through a keynote address to the Institute for Neuro-Physiological Psychology on the role of genetics in understanding infant development. She has presented at national and international conferences, contributed to the London Genetics Network's annual meeting and coordinated weekly academic seminars at Birkbeck's Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development for more than two years.
Highly commended
Avery Curran - Arts and Humanities
Avery's research examines the queer history of nineteenth-century British and American spiritualism. Drawing on previously overlooked archival sources, her work explores the role of non-normative relationships and gender expression within the spiritualist movement, expanding understanding of both spiritualism and the history of homophobia.
Her research has received international recognition and contributed to debates in Victorian and queer studies. She has also brought her findings to wider audiences through work with the Swedenborg Society, an appearance on the Bad Gays podcast and other public engagement activities in the UK, USA, Canada and Europe.
Alongside her academic work, Avery published Spoiled Milk, a queer Gothic horror novel, in 2026, with simultaneous publication in the UK, North America and Italy. Her PhD achievements also include an article in the Journal of Victorian Culture. She passed her viva without corrections, receiving praise from her examiners.
The BGRS recognised Avery's academic achievements alongside her contribution to public engagement and the wider research community.
Commenting on the prize announcements, Director of Research at Birkbeck, Sarah Lee, said:
“The judging panel were very impressed by the calibre of entries and the way they showcased the depth and quality of research taking place across Birkbeck. The winners of this year’s awards truly reflected the creativity, dedication and research excellence that define Birkbeck’s doctoral community.”