Lancaster University to organise tribute after sudden death of PhD student

Lancaster University will be organising a fitting tribute following the sudden death of student, Rhiannon Walmsley.

Rhiannon Walmsley was a first-year PhD student and Teaching Assistant within the university.

Rhiannon had been a student at Lancaster for just short of a decade, originally joining the university in 2014.

Before beginning her PhD, Rhiannon had achieved her BEng in Engineering before completing an MSc in Data Science. She was then awarded a studentship which allowed her to begin her PhD, alongside working as a Teaching Assistant. Previously, she had also worked within the ISS Division at Lancaster University.

The university has opened an online book of condolences in order to share memories of Rhiannon and messages of condolences. A tribute is being organised, the details of which will be shared with the community.

Lancaster University has acknowledged that this will be a difficult time for many who knew her, stating: “It is always painful to lose a member of our community”, continuing, “the University has reached out to Rhiannon’s family to offer as much support to them as possible.”

Lancaster University encourages the use of support services available to all staff and students, adding, “please do not hesitate to seek support if you feel you need it”.