First class

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Music faculty have elected undergraduate Darren Laine as the third Sir Thomas Beecham Scholar for his contribution to music at Sussex.

The Royal Society of Chemistry has recognised Serena Margadonna's postgraduate research in inorganic chemistry with the Laurie Vergnano Award.

Layla Paggetti's outstanding results in her maths finals brought her a prize from the Institute of Mathematics and Applications (IMA), which makes the award to only two students each year.

The Guardian newspaper revealed last month that Students' Union magazine the Pulse has been shortlisted for Student Magazine of the Year in its 22nd Student Media Awards. The winning magazine will be announced at a ceremony later this year.

Veteran fencer, Professor Peter Townsend (EIT), was placed 13th in the sabre and 20th in the foil at the recent World Championships near Budapest.

Professor Helen Wallace, co-director of the Sussex European Institute, was one of 35 scholars to be elected a Fellow of the British Academy at its 2000 AGM.