Professor Heidi Probst has said she was "shocked and overwhelmed" when she discovered she had been included on the 2024 New Years Honours list.
In recognition of her contribution to the radiography profession professor Probst, from Sheffield Hallam University, has been made an MBE in the most recent honours list, pulished on 29 December.
Professor Probst is a professor of radiotherapy and oncology, and was nominated for the award because of her contributions to teaching, research and innovation during her time in academia.
Having led many training sessions on interprofessional research methods, professor Probst has also supported initiatives on mentoring courses for undergraduates and early career researchers.
Research and innovation
Additionally, she has been a vocal advocate for junior researchers to get involved with research projects and innovation in practice, as part of the College of Radiographers’ National Research Group.
Professor Probst is also chair of the Industrial Partnership Research Grant panel.
She said: “[The MBE is] hugely important for our profession.
"I've known for a few weeks, and when the letter came I was just completely shocked and overwhelmed.
“I think the thing that was so lovely, that I hold most close to my heart and that really made me really happy, was that somebody somewhere had taken the time to nominate me and I know that that's not an insignificant task.
“It takes quite a bit of time to put that nomination together to submit it, and so I feel incredibly honoured that somebody took the time to do that and thought that my contribution to radiography was worthy of such a nomination."
'Find your passion'
“I'm hugely grateful to them for that," she added.
"As a therapeutic radiographer, we're quite a small profession. Radiography itself is quite a small profession, and therapeutic radiographers are quite unknown. I feel really privileged to be able to fly the flag for radiographers in general, but also our Allied Health Professional colleagues, because we do get missed out."
“I was so happy to accept the award on behalf of my colleagues who day in, day out, under challenging circumstances, do their job brilliantly and look after patients and care for patients, sometimes at their darkest time.”
Prof Probst said that the best way to contribute to the profession was to find “what you are passionate about, and get involved with it.”
“I was passionate about research and innovation, and wanting to change things," she said.
"I think because I get irritated by things that I don't understand or think, ‘why are we doing things that way? Surely, there's a better way’. That fuels me and I'm really passionate about making things better with evidence.”
(Image: Heidi Probst)