Achievements of students recognised by late professor

The late Professor Jeff Cash, who taught Mathematics at Imperial College London, had to battle against the odds to gain a university education.

While attending Trafalgar Primary School in Twickenham and Thames Valley Secondary School, he was laughed at by classmates for his ambition to study mathematics at university, due to his working-class background.

However, Professor Cash became the first person in his family to go into higher education, winning a place at Imperial College and Cambridge University to do a PHD.

After he passed away from a long illness in June, his family are giving others the chance to follow in his footsteps.

Professor Cash surrounded by his family

They have donated prizes to educational charity, The Access Project (TAP), which helps disadvantaged students access top universities.

Professor Jeff Cash’s daughter Hannah Brown said:

“He wrote books on mathematics, published over one hundred academic papers, developed outstanding software packages and supervised multiple PhD students.

"He remained incredibly modest despite his achievements, he shared his knowledge freely and was a wonderful mentor and advisor to his students.

"He believed in people and ideas rather than reputations and treated everybody equally without preconceptions.”

The Access Project supports students from disadvantaged backgrounds by offering personalised tuition and in-school mentoring.

UCAS data shows that students who attended TAP tutorials are four times as likely to attend a top university.

More than £1000 was raised in Professor Cash’s memory and the money will pay for vouchers for prize winners over two years.

The prizes recognise students' dedication to their studies in turning up for tutorials and committing to improving their grades.

Ellie Baird, University Events & Student Enrichment Officer at TAP, says the awards will lift student’s spirits at the start of a new term:

“We are so proud of what our students have achieved during such a challenging year. The donation in memory of Professor Jeff Cash has meant we have been able to celebrate and congratulate them for their hard work.”

Jessica Kappy who will be studying medicine at Oxford

One of the Year 13 students recognised by TAP this year is Jessica Kappy, a former student at City of London Academy Highbury Grove, she recently secured a place to study Medicine at Oxford University. She is also the first person in her family to go to university.