We are proud to officially welcome and celebrate the full panel of Chair Judges for the 2026 The Global Undergraduate Awards Programme.
Across our 25 categories, these exceptional academics and industry experts will once again help guide the world’s largest independent undergraduate academic awards programme. Their expertise, insight and leadership are central to ensuring fairness, academic rigour and integrity throughout every stage of the judging process.
Each year, the Undergraduate Awards brings together leading scholars, researchers and practitioners from institutions around the world to recognise outstanding undergraduate work across a diverse range of disciplines. Our Chair Judges play a particularly important role within this process, helping to oversee category judging, uphold academic standards and ensure that every submission receives the thoughtful and careful consideration it deserves.
What makes this contribution especially meaningful is that our judges volunteer their time, knowledge and experience because they believe in the importance of recognising undergraduate ideas, research and creativity at an international level. Their commitment reflects a shared belief that emerging voices and early academic achievement deserve meaningful recognition and encouragement.
We are deeply grateful to the many returning Chair Judges whose continued support has helped shape and strengthen the programme over a number of years. Their dedication has played a central role in recognising and encouraging thousands of undergraduate students globally, many of whom have gone on to make significant contributions within academia, industry and wider society.
We are also delighted to welcome three new Chair Judges to the 2026 programme:
Assistant Prof. Jill Pearse — Earth & Environmental Sciences, California State University, Long Beach
Assistant Professor and Geophysicist Jill Pearse as this year’s Chair Judge for the Earth & Environmental Sciences Category.
Her areas of research interest include crustal geodynamics, geodesy, environmental geophysics and remote sensing, and she works on projects monitoring and modelling the deformation of volcanoes, subsidence related to resource extraction, and changes in land cover and land use.
As an Assistant Professor at the California State University, Long Beach Department of Earth Science, she brings disciplinary expertise to a category that continues to grow in relevance and urgency globally.
Prof. Brian McLaughlin — Philosophy, Rutgers University–New Brunswick
Professor Brian McLaughlin is our new Chair Judge for the Philosophy category.
Distinguished Professor of Philosophy & Cognitive Science at Rutgers University–New Brunswick, Prof. McLaughlin brings internationally recognised expertise to a category that consistently challenges students to think critically, rigorously and independently.
His work focuses on the mind-body problem and various metaphysical and epistemological problems concerning the mind. He is also a member of the Executive Committee of the Rutgers University Center for Cognitive Science
Philosophy remains one of the most important spaces for undergraduate inquiry — encouraging students not only to question ideas, but to interrogate the assumptions that shape disciplines, societies and human understanding itself.
Assistant Prof. Libby Steel — Sociology & Social Policy, University of Nottingham
Assistant Professor Libby Steel, is our new Chair Judge for the Social Science: Sociology & Social Policy Category.
Based within the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Nottingham, Assistant Professor Steel joins a category that continues to attract thoughtful and socially engaged undergraduate research from around the world.
She recently led the Social Policy Association (UK) – The Current State of Social Policy Teaching in UK Higher Education Institutions and her current research is examining international student engagement, with particular attention to teaching and learning practices and exploring how international pedagogical traditions can be integrated to develop a more inclusive and effective ‘middle way’ in curriculum and instructional design.
Their addition further strengthens the international and interdisciplinary expertise represented across this year’s judging panels.
Together, our 2026 Chair Judges represent a remarkable breadth of global academic leadership and disciplinary excellence. Their collective experience helps ensure that outstanding undergraduate work is evaluated with the care, insight and academic excellence it deserves.
As we prepare for another exciting year of submissions from students around the world, we extend our sincere thanks to every member of the 2026 judging panels for their generosity, professionalism and commitment to supporting the next generation of thinkers, researchers and innovators.
You can meet all our Chair Judges here.
We are honoured to have such an outstanding group of academics and experts helping guide this year’s programme and we look forward to the impact their work will have on recognising undergraduate excellence worldwide.
If you are interested in joining a panel there is a little bit longer to apply for the 2026 judging cycle please apply here.
