ESRC Celebrating Impact Prize

Contents

Winners and finalists: 2015

Winners

Outstanding impact in business

Winners: Professor Colin Mason, University of Glasgow and Professor Richard Harrison, The University of Edinburgh

Project: Developing business angel investment in the UK

Research by Professors Colin Mason and Richard Harrison has played a crucial role in stimulating business angel investment worth £750 million a year in the UK.

Outstanding impact in public policy

Winner: Dr Aisha K Gill, University of Roehampton

Project: Countering ‘honour’ crimes and forced marriage

Dr Aisha K Gill’s pioneering research on violence against women, ‘honour’ crimes and forced marriage has improved support for victims, raised awareness and enabled better prevention strategies and the successful prosecution of perpetrators.

Outstanding impact in society

Winners: Professor Jenny Kitzinger, Cardiff University and Professor Celia Kitzinger, University of York

Project: Online support for practitioners and relatives of coma patients

Professors Jenny Kitzinger and Celia Kitzinger have created a much-needed online resource supporting relatives of patients in long-term coma states.

Outstanding impact in public policy

Winner: Dr Hester Parr, University of Glasgow

Project: Changing police attitudes and approaches to missing persons

A unique study led by Dr Hester Parr has improved the way UK police officers relate to missing persons and transformed policing guidance on the handling of missing persons and their families.

Outstanding early career impact

Winner: Dr Jennifer Doyle, Trafford Housing Trust

Project: Enriching social housing to benefit local communities

Dr Jennifer Doyle’s valuable research is helping the social housing sector foster social change in deprived communities through improvements in measuring, monitoring and evaluating social impact.

Outstanding international impact

Winner: Dr Jane Dyson, University of Oxford

Project: The film changing lives in the Indian Himalayas

Dr Jane Dyson’s inspiring documentary about the challenges facing young people in the Indian Himalayas has reached school children, students, policymakers and others in many different countries.

Impact champion

Winner: Professor Charlie Jeffery, The University of Edinburgh

Project: Bringing social science impact to wider audiences

With his long term commitment to maximising impact opportunities for his own research and that of colleagues and collaborators, Professor Charlie Jeffery is a model of leadership in the social sciences.

Finalists

Outstanding international impact

Finalist: Professor Ian Scoones, University of Sussex

Project: Changing views on Zimbabwe’s land reform

Based on his 15-year study of rural livelihoods in Zimbabwe, Professor Ian Scoones and team have successfully transformed understanding of the impact of the 2,000 land reform, leading to policy shifts within the region and internationally.

Outstanding early career impact

Finalist: Dr Oliver Owen, University of Oxford

Project: Supporting police reform in Nigeria

Dr Oliver Owen’s five-year fieldwork study within the Nigerian Police Force is providing unique research evidence for reforms aimed at improving police performance, effectiveness and accountability.

Outstanding impact in public policy

Finalist: Dr Victoria Lavis, University of Bradford

Project: Transforming prison practices on equality and diversity

A six-year research programme driven by Dr Victoria Lavis has shaped a new national equalities policy framework and new policies and guidance for the care and management of transgender offenders.

Last updated: 1 December 2022

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