The Vice-Chancellor's Awards 2023
for Research Impact and Engagement
Established Academic Award
Winner: Professor William Sutherland, Director of Research and formerly Miriam Rothschild Chair of Conservation Biology, Department of Zoology and team
Transforming Conservation using co-production of evidence synthesis and novel tools for practitioners
Our aim is to bring about transformational change in conservation by ensuring policy and practice are more efficient and effective. At Conservation Evidence we have worked with over 1,100 practitioners, policy makers, funders and others to support fundamental strategic and cultural shifts towards more effective conservation action. We have co-produced an open-access database summarising global evidence on the effectiveness of conservation actions, plus a book and toolkit for generating, evaluating and integrating evidence to strengthen decision-making. Working with global organisations has resulted in over 100 committed to using and generating evidence to improve outcomes for nature and society.
Runners up:
1/2
Professor Tolullah Oni, Clinical Professor, MRC Epidemiology Unit, School of Clinical Medicine. Individual submission
Cityzens for Clean Air - precision (running) advocacy for healthy cities
Prof Tolu Oni has led and convened interdisciplinary collectives of researchers, decision-makers and young people in African cities to increase understanding of urban health. She has pioneered the citizen science initiative, Cityzens for Clean Air, which has harnessed the power of youth, the vitality of physical activity, and the potential of wearable technology to change the way citizens and decision-makers experience and visualise the health hazard of urban air pollution. This has gained the support of policymakers from city leaders to the US State Department, and shown how citizens can play a role in helping to build healthier urban spaces.
Runners up:
2/2
Dr Nazia Habib, Founder and Director, Centre for Resilience and Sustainable Development, Department of Land Economy, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Submitted on behalf of the research team
Their Future, Our Action: Cambridge Small States Policy Simulation Labs
A two-year action-research collaboration between the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Centre for Resilience and Sustainable Development (CRSD) at the University of Cambridge to develop empirical evidence on how to reform the global financial ecosystem to protect Small Island Developing States (SIDS).
SIDS experience the most significant economic setbacks in terms of their national output due to extreme natural disasters. While they encountered the most severe declines in GDP among all countries during the pandemic, historically they have been struggling to reduce their sovereign debt burden while committed to overseeing approximately one-third of the world's oceans, an unparalleled importance for international resilient system-building efforts. This research outcome already created over 10,000 jobs, raised additional funds and improved the bargaining power of SIDS through Ministerial Statements of the Commonwealth Secretariat.
Early career researcher
Winner: Stephen Ajadi, PhD Researcher, Department of Land Economy, School of Humanities and Social Sciences and President Cambridge Initiative for African Urbanism
Conflict, Violence, and the Vulnerability of Open Spaces: a spatial analysis of impact
Stephen Ajadi, an award-winning architect and development economist, conducted ground-breaking research on the spatial impact of extreme conflict and violence in northern Nigeria. Over four years, led the largest ethnographic study ever attempted in a volatile African city of the region garnering over 7000 physical interviews. His awarding-winning study uncovered critical spatial and policy gaps, offering practical strategies for engagement.
Implementation of his findings has begun at a small scale in Nigeria, with recommendations for broader impact. By enhancing urban spatial awareness and promoting social resilience, Stephen's work aims to reduce vulnerability to conflict and violence. He founded the Penumbra Foundation and the Cambridge Initiative for African Urbanism. Through these organizations, he raised £150k in funding and real estate value for infrastructure addressing conflict-related issues across communities.
Early career researcher
Winner: Dr Barry Coughlan, British Academy Fellow, Clinical Medicine, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, School of Clinical Medicine
The experiences and mental health needs of children and families with social work involvement
My research addresses the experiences and mental health needs of a profoundly underserved and excluded population: children and families with social work involvement. People with lived experience of children’s social care have shaped my research and enabled me to attend to critical issues, including suicide and self-harm following abuse or neglect.
A close collaboration with the National Children’s Bureau has been decisive in facilitating dialogue with policy-makers, including the Department for Education and Ministry for Justice. Our research is already shaping national policy, for instance the proposal for a unique identifier to help coordinate children’s health, social care and education.
Collaboration Award
Winner: Project led by Professor Anna Middleton, Director Kavli Centre for Ethics, Science, and the Public , Faculty of Education, School of Humanities and Social Sciences
UK Citizens' Jury on Human Embryo Editing
Potential permanent alteration of the human genome has sparked global calls for urgent societal debate. In 2023, the UK government initiated a public consultation on the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act. In anticipation of this, we delivered the first UK Citizens Jury on Human Embryo Editing.
This connected patients with inherited diseases to experts in embryo research, genomic medicine, ethics, and reproductive medicine. The collaboration resulted in policy recommendations, shaping the future of embryo research for curing severe inherited diseases. This work has been captured in a filmed documentary, showcased at international film festivals, and shared with policymakers worldwide.
Runners up:
1/2
Project led by Professor Hatice Gunes, Professor of Affective Intelligence and Robotics (AFAR), Head of the AFAR Lab, Department of Computer Science and Technology, School of Technology
Social Robots for Assessing and Promoting Mental Wellbeing (SORO4Wellbeing)
WHO emphasizes global mental health issues and strives to enhance prevention and quality mental healthcare access. In 2020, the Cambridge AFAR Lab embarked on a mission to bridge gaps in mental well-being assessment and promotion. We combined multimodal behaviour analysis, AI, and robotics to create innovative interdisciplinary solutions. Collaborating with external partners, we developed robotic mental wellbeing coaches and tested their usefulness, impact and readiness in real-world settings like workplaces, advancing Socially Assistive Robotics. Our interdisciplinary research yielded over 12 peer-reviewed papers, several awards and was demonstrated in numerous festivals and open days, garnering media attention via 1,200+ articles and reports.
Runners up:
2/2
Project led by Dr Ems Lord, Director of NRICH, Faculty of Mathematics, School of Physical Sciences
Bringing the natural world into the primary mathematics classroom
NRICH's collaboration with The Natural Curriculum brings together the stunning BBC natural history archive with NRICH's 25 years expertise researching and developing impactful teaching and learning resources. The urgent need for inspiring and engaging classroom resources is far greater than ever before; although mathematics is a core curriculum subject, too many students are disengaged and the situation has arguably worsened post-Covid. It does not need to be this way. Our collaboration has shown that bringing the natural world into the maths classroom can engage reluctant learners and increase understanding about our natural world.
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