Vice Chancellor’s Award for Research and Impact

Bangor University held its third annual Impact and Innovation Awards on the 3rd December 2015. These prestigious awards at Bangor University recognise and celebrate the impact that the University’s research, innovation and enterprise activities have on the wider economy and society. Many projects, which have benefited local and global communities, were recognised and rewarded.

The Impact award was a highlight among the PhD students. PhD students these days are expected to gain a wide range of skills as well as produce a piece of original research. The relatively new emphasis on ensuring that impact is made beyond the walls of the university means that, from the beginning of their research careers, they need to engage with people outside of academia, with the public, with practitioners, with businesses and other organisations.

The Doctoral School of Bangor University, rewarded some of the outstanding PhD students with the very first Vice Chancellor’s Awards for Research and Impact.

Professor John G Hughes with the PhD candidates and Dr Anita Malhotra and Dr Penny Dowdney from the Doctoral School.

The shortlisted candidates were:

• Anne Collis : School of Social Sciences : in the category Public Policy and Services : “Not the usual suspects' : developing an unusual method for members of the public to have a voice in Welsh Government policy making”.
• Sarobidy Rakotonarivo : School of Environment, Natural Resources and Geography :  in the International category : “Reducing carbon emissions from tropical deforestation: what are the impacts on local people?”
• Catherine Sharp : School of Psychology : in the Cultural and Societal category : “Development + evaluation of a combined healthy eating and physical activity behaviour change intervention targeting 3-4 year old children in primary schools”.
• Matthias Wurz : School of Music : also in the Cultural and Societal category : “The development of a new interdisciplinary methodology that emphasises the significance of modern music and furthers its engagement within society today”.

Professor John G Hughes with the PhD candidates.

It’s a new way of thinking about PhD research, but by building in engagement into the heart of their projects, these students have shown that they are able to combine practice, policy involvement, and academic study and are now well placed to make significant impact in their future careers.

Anne Collis, from the School of Social Sciences, was awarded the overall winner of the Vice Chancellor’s Awards for Research and Impact.

Professor John G Hughes with Anne Collis.

Speaking at the Awards ceremony in Pontio, Vice-Chancellor Professor John G Hughes said:

“Our research makes a difference in the region and in Wales, but also in many countries around the globe. I’ve been truly impressed with the calibre of work being undertaken by our academics and students as highlighted by these important annual Awards and I want to congratulate all of the finalists tonight.”