Shortlist for prestigious ESRC Celebrating Impact Prize 2017 announced

21 Apr 2017 11:37 AM

The annual ESRC Celebrating Impact Prize, now in its fifth year, is an opportunity to recognise and reward researchers whose work has made a real difference to society or the economy.

The prize is awarded to ESRC-funded social science researchers or ESRC associates who have achieved impact through outstanding research, collaborative partnerships, engagement or knowledge exchange activities.

There are many different ways that social science can change our society for the better, for example by enhancing the economic competitiveness of the UK; improving public services; raising standards of living and health; contributing to the development of UK policy; driving innovation or improving management practices of businesses; helping a particular group in society; or helping societies in other countries. To reflect this diversity there are five different categories, as well as a prize for the Impact Champion - an individual who has a significant personal track record in supporting and enabling others to achieve impact.

A prize of £10,000 is awarded to the winner of each category, whilst a further prize of £10,000 is awarded to the Impact Champion.

The awards ceremony will take place at Central Hall, Westminster on the evening of 21 June 2017, where the winners will be announced.

The researchers shortlisted for the 2017 Celebrating Impact Prize are:

Outstanding Early Career Impact (in partnership with SAGE publishing)

• Dr Harriet Thomson, University of Manchester
  Bringing fuel poverty in from the cold: addressing the knowledge and policy gaps across Europe
• Ms Hannah Bows, Durham University
  Sexual violence against older people in the UK

Outstanding Impact in Business and Enterprise

• Professor Nigel Driffield, Warwick University
  Understanding the benefits of inwards investment locally and nationally
• Professor Monder Ram (and Professor Kiran Trehan), University of Birmingham
  Diversity, inclusion and facilitating change: The enterprise and diversity alliance

Outstanding Impact in Society

• Ms Madeleine Sumption (and Carlos Vargas Silva), University of Oxford
  Informing debates on international migration and public policy
• Professor Jane Green (team application), University of Manchester
  Unexpected political shocks: informing the public and shaping the polling industry

Outstanding International Impact

• Professor Michael Levi, Cardiff University
  Research to reduce the global and national harm caused by organised and financial crimes
• Professor Lucie Cluver, University of Oxford
  Social science preventing adolescent HIV in Africa

Outstanding Impact in Public Policy

• Professor Amina Memon, Royal Holloway University
  Achieving best evidence: Fair and effective criminal justice for all victims and witnesses
• Professor Mike Brewer, University of Essex
  Work incentives, poverty: perspectives on welfare reform
• Dr John Gathergood, University of Nottingham
  Leading consumer financial protection policy in the UK
• Professor Nicola McEwen (team application), Centre on Constitutional Change, University of Edinburgh
  Shaping constitutional change in the UK

Impact Champion

• We will also be announcing our 2017 Impact Champion on the evening of 21 June.

The shortlist was selected by a panel of experts from a wide range of submissions which included written evidence from organisations that have used the research to shape their policies and practice.

This year’s panel consisted of:

• Professor Richard Breen, Professorial Fellow, Nuffield College, University of Oxford
• Dr Abbi Hobbs, Senior Advisor in Social Science, UK Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology
• Dr Johannes Klumpers, Head of Scientific Advice Mechanism Unit, European Commission
• Dr Claire McNulty, Director Science and Research, British Council
• Professor Tony McEnery, Director of Research and International, ESRC
• Matt Sansam, Programme Manager, Innovate UK
• Dr Emma Weitkamp, Associate Professor in Science Communication, UWE Bristol

Notes for editors

1. The ESRC Celebrating Impact Prize is an annual opportunity to recognise and reward the successes of ESRC-funded researchers who have achieved, or are currently achieving, outstanding economic and societal impacts. First run in 2013 and now in its fifth year, the prize celebrates collaborative working, partnerships, engagement and knowledge exchange activities that have led to significant impact of ESRC-funded research. Prizes will be presented in five main categories:
   • Outstanding Impact in Public Policy
   • Outstanding Impact in Society
   • Outstanding International Impact
   • Outstanding Early Career Impact (in partnership with SAGE Publishing)
   • Outstanding Impact in Business
   An additional prize will be awarded to an Impact Champion, who has been nominated by others for their role in enabling impact.
2. The Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) is the UK’s largest funder of research on the social and economic questions facing us today. It supports the development and training of the UK’s future social scientists and also funds major studies that provide the infrastructure for research. ESRC-funded research informs policymakers and practitioners and helps make businesses, voluntary bodies and other organisations more effective. The ESRC also works collaboratively with six other UK research councils and Innovate UK to fund cross-disciplinary research and innovation addressing major societal challenges. The ESRC is an independent organisation, established by Royal Charter in 1965, and funded mainly by the Government.
3. Sara Miller McCune founded SAGE Publishing in 1965 to support the dissemination of usable knowledge and educate a global community. SAGE is a leading international provider of innovative, high-quality content publishing more than 950 journals and over 800 new books each year, spanning a wide range of subject areas. Our growing selection of library products includes archives, data, case studies and video. SAGE remains majority owned by our founder and after her lifetime will become owned by a charitable trust that secures the company’s continued independence. Principal offices are located in Los Angeles, London, New Delhi, Singapore, Washington DC and Melbourne.
4. The awards ceremony will be held at Central Hall, Westminster on 21 June 2017. Attendance is by invitation only. To attend as press please contact the ESRC press office