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Public Engagement with Research Awards

Public Engagement with Research Awards

Applications for the 2017 Public Engagement with Research Awards are now open. 

The awards are for researchers and staff at the University of Cambridge who dedicate their time and expertise to public engagement with research. This might include undertaking an innovative project, taking your research to a new audience or working creatively or collaboratively to raise the profile or impact of research.

Researchers and staff across all six academic Schools at the University at any career stage are encouraged to submit an application to have their contributions recognised by the Vice-Chancellor and receive a £1000 prize. Previous applicants are encouraged to reapply with revised applications.

These awards are supported by the University of Cambridge’s RCUK Catalyst Seed Fund.

Last year’s honourees included Mr Bill Nicholl, lecturer in design technology for the Faculty of Education, and Mr Ian Hosking, a senior research associate in the Engineering Design Centre. They are co-founders of Designing Our Tomorrow (DOT), a platform for transforming design and technology (D&T) education in schools.

Their public engagement initiative began in 2009 and brought together research around inclusive design and creativity in education. Through production of their DOT box set of tools, Bill and Ian have taken active research questions into the classroom and given students control of designing technological solutions. Engagement with teachers, students and policymakers is integral to the success of their initiative and has resulted in engineering design being included in the national curriculum and GSCE qualifications. New classroom resources and research partnerships are continually under development.

To learn more about their achievements view the video above.

The full video playlist of the 2016 Public Engagement with Research Awards winners is below.

To find out more about the Public Engagement with Research Awards or to apply, visit their website. Entries for the 2017 Awards close on the 21 April 2017.

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