Kent staff celebrated for research excellence

Press Office
Research Prize winners 2018
Research Prize winners 2018

The fourth annual Research Prizes event took place on 27 April, with 10 awards handed out to staff in recognition of their accomplishments at the University.

The event was hosted by Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research and Innovation Professor Philippe De Wilde with the awards presented by Dr Tim Hopthrow, Senior Lecturer in Psychology and Associate Dean for Research and Innovation.

Professor De Wilde said: ‘The awards underline just how much impressive research work takes place in all faculties, at all career stages, across the University and it is a fantastic way to celebrate the achievements of our staff. In particular this year, it was great to be able to honour the technical support staff that are crucial in the delivery of so much of the work that takes places and is central to so much of what we do at the University.’

The research prizes this year were awarded as follows:

  • The University Prize for Advanced Research– awarded to Professor Peter Taylor-Gooby in recognition of outstanding achievements in the field of social policy, together with an exemplary record of academic accomplishment and policy impact.
  • Faculty prizes were awarded to Professor Stephen Peckham, Centre for Health Services Studies and Professor Sarah Vickerstaff from the School of Social Policy, Sociology and Social Research.
  • The University Prize for Consolidator Research– Awarded to Professor Ayse K. Uskul in recognition of outstanding achievements in the field of social and cultural psychology including outstanding research activities, research grant capture, theoretical contribution and exceptional service to the discipline
  • Faculty prizes were awarded to Dr Matthew Skinner from the School of Anthropology and Conservation and Dr Jennifer Tullet from the School of Biosciences.
  • Starting Research Prizes– In the Faculty of Social Sciences Dr Jake Bicknell from the School of Anthropology and Conservation received a prize in recognition of his work in the field of conservation science, his depth of engagement with research stakeholders and for developing a model of excellent science leading to demonstrable impact.
  • Dr Margherita Laera from the School of Arts was also awarded a prize in recognition of outstanding achievement in developing her fellowship project ‘Translation, Adaptation, Otherness: “Foreignisation” in Theatre Practice’ (TAO). This investigates the ways in which theatres represents European ‘otherness’ for UK-based audiences and for raising the awareness of the complexity and importance of drama translation.
  • Finally, a new prize was included in the event this year, The Technical Support for Research Prizes, in recognition of the work done by staff to support the research that takes place. The winners of this prize were Frank Gasking from the School of Psychology for the introduction of an online ethics application portal and Lloyd Bosworth from the School of European Culture and Languages for his outstanding expertise and application of a wide range of instruments and techniques to survey archaeological sites.

Further details of all the prize-winners are available on the Research Prize website.