Jeremy Howick, Professor of Empathic Healthcare and Director of the Stoneygate Centre on the College of Leicester, has been named this yr’s winner of the Professor Sir Paul Curran Award for Excellence in Instructional Journalism.
The prize is awarded yearly to an educational who has proven outstanding talent, willpower and engagement in speaking their wisdom to readers thru their contributions to The Dialog.
Jeremy has written 26 articles that experience garnered 775,000 pageviews since his first newsletter in 2016 – together with translations into French and Portuguese. His articles have checked out placebos, the results of empathy and empathic remedy by way of clinicians, and clinical protection, amongst others.
Offered this yr by way of Girl Helen Curran in Sir Paul’s absence, we had been overjoyed to welcome round 80 authors who had written for The Dialog in 2025 at Bayes Trade College, Town St George’s, College of London. Over beverages, they met Dialog editors and co-workers from around the sector.
Jeremy mentioned: “This can be a nice honour to win this prestigious award. Thanks to The Dialog for the fantastic paintings they do, to my editor Clint Witchalls and to Stephen Khan in your lend a hand over time.
“I’ve written for The Dialog for 10 years, and it’s been crucial a part of my lifestyles’s paintings. I’ve all the time considered public communique as an obligation. My analysis as an educational has been funded by way of the MRC, NIHR, and different public our bodies, that means that the taxpayer has regularly paid my expenses. The Dialog offers me a discussion board during which I will give an explanation for my analysis to the general public.
“But additionally I’ve all the time been motivated to switch apply. You’ll do this by way of changing into a political candidate or policymaker, however I’m now not affected person sufficient for that. The opposite direction is to tell the general public to create a groundswell for exchange. On the Stoneygate Centre for Empathic Healthcare in Leicester, and prior to that on the Oxford Empathy Programme, I’ve tried to do exactly that by way of operating to make certain that all healthcare consultations come with a dose of empathy. The proof is beginning to display that we’re succeeding at making an actual distinction, and The Dialog has contributed to that real-life affect. So thanks as soon as once more for this wonderful award. I’m humbled and honoured.”
Senior Well being Editor Clint Witchalls mentioned: “I remember Jeremy’s first piece: Why doing good can do you good, about how doing good things for others doesn’t just feel nice but can actually make you healthier. Studies showed that volunteers have lower stress levels, healthier hearts, and even a brain that rewards them with feel-good chemicals for being kind. At the time Jeremy was at the University of Oxford and focused on researching the placebo and nocebo effects, which he has also written about for us. I can highly recommend Jeremy’s book: The Power of Placebos.”
Commendations
Extremely Recommended for his paintings was once archaeology researcher Stephan Blum, from the College of Tübingen in Germany. In all probability understandably he was once now not ready to wait at the day, however his certificates is winging its manner eastward.
Senior Arts Editor Anna Walker mentioned: “Not only is Stephan a delight to work with, but he instinctively understands what The Conversation needs. His ability to connect the ancient world to contemporary concerns is a defining strength of his writing. Whether exploring environmental pressures behind the fall of Troy or reassessing long-held assumptions about early trade and wine production, he shows how the distant past can illuminate present-day issues, presenting history not as something static or remote but as a dynamic field that continues to shape how we understand the world today.”
Responding to the award, Stephan wrote: “Writing for The Conversation has been a tremendously rewarding experience, and I truly appreciate the opportunity to contribute. It means a great deal to see the work recognised in this way.”
Recommended for his or her paintings at the thorny matter of local weather finance had been Meilan Yan of Loughborough College and Narmin Nahidi of the College of Exeter (who was once additionally now not ready to wait).
Meilan Yan, Senior Lecturer in Monetary Economics at Loughborough College, receives her counseled certificates from Girl Helen Curran on the 2025 Sir Paul Curran awards.
The Dialog
Senior setting editor Anna Turns mentioned: “I first labored with Meilan in Might 2025 when compiling a user-friendly information to local weather finance – a notoriously advanced and summary matter. Local weather chance is considered one of Meilan’s greatest worries and that is very a lot one thing that will get lost sight of amongst a chaotic panorama of geopolitical unrest. Her items bridge the distance between local weather science and fiscal chance in tangible and relatable techniques.
“Narmin Nahidi, who we additionally found out thru operating at the word list of local weather finance, defined many phrases for us and has since tuned in to pitching well timed and topical tales, is all the time been prepared to collaborate on edits and a excitement to paintings with.
Editor-in-Leader Stephen Khan thanked Girl Curran: “Professor Sir Paul’s ongoing dedication to The Dialog is very much favored and we had been overjoyed Girl Curran was once ready to satisfy the authors shortlisted this yr and make the displays.
“We’ve had 1000’s of unbelievable articles and podcast contributions from around the academy over the last one year, taking skilled wisdom to hundreds of thousands of folks from all walks of lifestyles around the globe.
“Those authors authors confirmed a selected skill to make advanced analysis obtainable, attractive and if truth be told helpful. Jeremy Howick’s writing exemplifies the perfect of The Dialog’s venture: rigorous proof communicated with readability, heat and public goal.”
Due to Jeremy, Stephan, Meilan and Narmin for his or her paintings with The Dialog over time. And an enormous because of all our authors – with out whose efforts there could be no Dialog.
The overall shortlisted nominees:
Emily Setty, College of Surrey; Rahul Sidhu, College of Sheffield, Ruth Thurstan, College of Exeter; and Dan Baumgardt, College of Bristol.
