19 March 2025
The ºÚ¹Ï³ÔÁÏÍø has established The Tyler Prize, a new research award made possible through a generous bequest from the estate of Professor Cyril Tyler, who dedicated his entire career to the institution.
From 2025 onwards, four £10,000 prizes will be awarded annually to early career researchers – one for each of the University's four Research Themes.
The Tyler Prize aims to enable curiosity-driven research across all research divisions and accelerate the development of research leadership at a pivotal stage in researchers' careers.
"Professor Tyler was committed to nurturing emerging talent across all disciplines," said Professor Roberta Gilchrist, Associate Pro-Vice-Chancellor Research (Heritage & Creativity).
"This gift ensures his passion for supporting early career researchers will continue for years to come."
Tyler, who joined ºÚ¹Ï³ÔÁÏÍø as a lecturer in Agricultural Chemistry in 1940, gained his professorship in 1947 and served as Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture & Horticulture from 1959–62.
He held the post of Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the University from 1968–76 and was also Head of Department of Physiology & Biochemistry from 1969–75.
Beyond establishing the research prize, Professor Tyler's bequest will fund several other important initiatives at the University, including:
"Gifts like Professor Tyler's make an enormous difference to what we can achieve," said Robert Van de Noort, Vice-Chancellor of the ºÚ¹Ï³ÔÁÏÍø.
"The impact of such generosity extends far beyond campus – from enabling groundbreaking research to providing opportunities for students who might otherwise miss out.
“This prize represents a lasting legacy for a man who dedicated his life to the University and its research community.”
The first Tyler Prize recipients will be announced in June 2025.
Image: Professor Tyler (left) formally presenting a dinosaur egg to the Cole Museum in March 1994
We are in the process of finalising our postgraduate taught courses for 2026/27 entry. In the meantime, you can view our 2025/26 courses.
