Alumni engagement and philanthropy



RESEARCHERS RECOGNISED FOR POSITIVE IMPACT ON SOCIETY 

21 November 2016

The winners have been announced of this year’s Vice-Chancellor’s Research Prizes, each of whom will receive £3,000. In total, 12 academics were shortlisted across four categories: Research Impact, Research Innovation, Post-Doctoral Research and Early Career Researcher with the results revealed on Friday (November 18).

Researchers from across the University who successfully made the prestigious shortlist attended the annual Chief Executives’ Club Gala on November 18 in the Sir William Whitla Hall at Queen’s where the Vice-Chancellor announced the winners.

Speaking about the awards, Queen’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Patrick Johnston, said: “These awards celebrate the scope, ambition and success of research that is taking place at Queen’s University. As a world-leading research institution we are proud to be 8th in the UK for Research Intensity.

“This is a credit to our academics, who continue to inspire and astound with ground-breaking research, which is making a positive impact right across society.”

The winning researchers were as follows:

Dr Lorraine Martin – Research Impact (School of Pharmacy) (2nd from left)

Dr Martin’s research focuses on active proteases and their role in health and disease. She led the development of ProAxsis Ltd., founded in 2013. The company, which has customers in the US and European research groups, has arisen out of Dr Martin’s innovative research developing patented technology to improve treatment of chronic respiratory diseases such as cystic fibrosis. 

Her work highlights how university research can lead to commercial success, as well as meeting clinical need and improving patient care.

Professor Christopher Marsh – Research Innovation (School of History, Anthropology, Philosophy and Politics) (1st left)

Professor Marsh is renowned for creating one of the most innovative projects in the humanities to date, compiling a ‘top of the pops’ in early modern English society, and framing them as multi-media artistic productions. 

In his work, he has brought together historians, rock musicians, folk singers and others. His work has featured on BBC4 and Radio 4 programmes presented by Diarmaid MacCulloch, William Dalrymple, Lucy Worsley and Len Goodman.

Dr Anna Bryson – Postdoctoral Research (School of Law) (2nd from right)

Dr Bryson has worked with colleagues from Queen’s, Ulster University, the Committee on the Administration of Justice, and a former senior Foreign and Commonwealth Officer lawyer, to develop a Model Bill for the ‘Dealing with the Past’ elements of the Stormont House Agreement. 

The Model Bill was formally launched at an event at the House of Lords in October 2015.

Dr Trung Q Duong – Early Career Research (School of Electronics, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science) (1st right)

Dr Duong is recognised as an international leader in signal processing and wireless communications. Through his mathematical modelling research, he is working to create capacity in wireless communication networks that will allow for the next generation of cellular networks.

Research at Queen’s has profound effects on society both at home and world-wide and is an integral part of the University’s Vision 2020 mission.

The Vice-Chancellor’s Research Prizes were established to recognise and reward those whose research has impact beyond academia, whether on health, society, public policy, business, education, the environment or quality of life.

To find out more about all those shortlisted, please click here. 

Media inquiries to Emma Gallagher, Communications Officer at Queen’s on +44 (0)28 9097 3087. 

 

Back to Main News

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

           

Top of Page