Victor Boddy

The winner of the 2014 Student Academic Choice Award for Best Support Staff was Victor Boddy of the Department of Electrical & Electronic Engineering.

Biography

"Having gained over twenty years of experience in various electronic support roles I joined the support team within department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering in 2003 as Project Lab manager. My duties are to assist students with the practical side of their final year projects, typically in the form of advice on safety issues, use of equipment and constructional techniques. During the summer months I’m actively involved with summer school events that are held within the departments undergraduate laboratory."

"Being able to passing on some of my experience is very rewarding"

Reaction to winning the SACA for Best Support Staff

"It was wonderful to have been nominated for “Best Support Staff” and then to actually receive the award was a real surprise and honour. The fact that it is from the students makes it particularly meaningful and I’d like to take this opportunity to say thank you. I spend a lot of my time with students - the best part of my job - and being able to passing on some of my experience is very rewarding and it is nice to know that what I do is appreciated."

What students said about Victor Boddy

  • "We call him Vicipedia"

  • "On graduation day you can see evidence of the appreciation of Vic, he merely exited the department minding his own business, people were taking some photos with their families as graduation mementos. When people noticed he was passing a spontaneous huge group photo was initiated, with Vic at the centre."

  • "Vic is an exemplary member of staff in the EEE department who is always willing to help students in the EEE labs. Ranging from component choice to design problems and debugging issues, Vic is the best person to ask for advice as he will listen to your project problems and help you the best he can. "

  • "This man has helped countless students with his passion in engineering. He provides excellent support to the students in the Labs and outside of labs even though that is not part of his job. He is also wonderful to talk to and takes an active interest in what others do and even helps them out even if they didnt ask for it (only if they needed it though!). Overall a perfect example of what a support staff should be like."

  • "It's so enjoyful for us to listen to him explaining various things in the lab, which brings a splash of bright sunlight in to the gloomy lab sessions. His explanation is brilliant, brief and to the point, and delivered with tones of great enthuasim that also relight ours interest on the things we are doing."

  • "Vic is a fantastic asset within the Electrical Engineering department. He has an unquestionably large knowledge on the subject, which he readily and successfully shares with all students in the department. Along with maintaining a high quality work environment, Vic will always go out of his way in helping you with all your lab related wants and needs. He is both a trustworthy and trusting person with a keen interest in involvement in the course and safety within the lab."

  • "It is hard to get across in text why I think Vic is such an excellent staff member, though I do think that student admiration is a good metric, as over the last 4 years it is all the little things that Vic has done that have won my appreciation. Electronics design could be seen as a little dry by some, though even a short conversation with Vic leaves one excited to tackle the next bug, or the next piece of design."