University of Aberdeen wins major new award to engage the public with its research

University of Aberdeen wins major new award to engage the public with its research

The University of Aberdeen has secured funding from Research Councils UK (RCUK) to engage the public with cutting-edge research.

The University is the only institution in Scotland to secure Catalysts funding and is one of eight successful bids from across the UK.

The grant from RCUK will be matched by the University and will enable the creation of a dedicated Public Engagement with Research Unit to share the exciting research journeys and break-throughs made at Aberdeen with the general population.

The University will use the grant to build on successful initiatives such as its highly popular series of community cafes which bring academics conducting leading research in their fields face-to-face with a public audience.

Over the last three years the cafe programme has grown to include specialist themes in areas such as science and medicine and has seen the series taking place outwith Aberdeen city, with café events running in Banchory, Fraserburgh and Inverurie.

The aim of the public engagement programme is to make the University, its people and its research as accessible as possible and to give the public more opportunities to get involved.

It will also support academics from across the University to embed public engagement within their research environment while developing their own skills and experience in the process.

The Catalyst funding will expand activities in this area to include a greater range of subjects and disciplines ranging from philosophy and archaeology to history and law.

Aberdeen’s successful bid was spearheaded by Professor Albert Rodger, Vice-Principal for External Affairs, Dr Ken Skeldon, Head of Public Engagement with Research and Dr Lucy Leiper, Researcher Development.

University of Aberdeen Principal and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Ian Diamond, said: “I am delighted that the University has secured a Catalysts Award for Scotland. This will further the University’s important commitment to engaging with society and will ensure our research community is at the heart of that process”

Professor Rodger said: “The public has a stake in the kind of research that a university undertakes and therefore should wherever possible be part of the process of that research. The University of Aberdeen has championed public engagement through a wide range of events such as our highly popular café series and will also host the British Science Festival in 2012. We are thrilled therefore that our progress in this area has been recognised. This prestigious new grant award will allow us to extend our public engagement with research programmes to encompass all academic disciplines in the University and to reach out to new audiences.”

The Catalysts funding will also enable the University of Aberdeen to take a leading role in sharing best practice in public engagement with other institutions across Scotland and beyond.

Paul Manners, Director of the RCUK funded National Coordinating Centre for Public Engagement said: “I am delighted that Aberdeen succeeded in what proved to be a very competitive bidding process.  Their success was greatly helped by the commitment the university has already shown to public engagement, and their willingness to share their work and the lessons they are learning with the wider sector.  We are greatly looking forward to working closely with them on the project”.

Notes to Editors

1.     Total of award winners

·         Award winner: Professor Albert Alexander Rodger, University of Aberdeen

Title: A progressive model for institutional culture change

Value: £299,856

 

·         Award winner: Professor Jane Millar, University of Bath

Title: Embedding public engagement across the research lifecycle at the University of Bath

Value: £298,415

 

·         Award winner: Professor Nicholas Talbot, University of Exeter

Title: The Exeter Catalyst

Value: £299,370

 

·         Professor Michael Reiss, Institute of Education

Title: Public engagement with the research process and research findings at the Institute of Education

Value: £252,494

 

·         Professor Sarah O’Hara, The University of Nottingham

Title: Integrating the human value of research through public engagement - impacts for civil society

Value: £299,954

 

·         Professor Tim Blackman, Open University

Title: An open research university: embedding public engagement within the culture of research at the Open University

Value: £299,456

 

·         Professor Evelyn Welch, Queen Mary University London

Title: Centre for Public Engagement

Value: £299,888

 

·         Professor Richard Jones, University of Sheffield

Title: Remaking the civil university: creating new cultural standards for public engagement

Value: £299,951

 

2.     Research Councils UK (RCUK)is the strategic partnership of the UK's seven Research Councils who annually invest around £3 billion in research. We support excellent research, as judged by peer review, that has an impact on the growth, prosperity and wellbeing of the UK. To maintain the UK’s global research position we offer a diverse range of funding opportunities, foster international collaborations and provide access to the best facilities and infrastructure around the world. We also support the training and career development of researchers and work with them to inspire young people and engage the wider public with research. To maximise the impact of research on economic growth and societal wellbeing we work in partnership with other research funders including the Technology Strategy Board, the UK Higher Education funding bodies, business, government, and charitable organisations. www.rcuk.ac.uk

 

The seven UK Research Councils are:

·         Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC)

·         Biotechnology & Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC)

·         Economic & Social Research Council (ESRC)

·         Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)

·         Medical Research Council (MRC)

·         Natural Environment Research Council (NERC)

·         Science & Technology Facilities Council (STFC)

Search News

Browse by Month

2024

  1. Jan There are no items to show for January 2024
  2. Feb
  3. Mar There are no items to show for March 2024
  4. Apr
  5. May There are no items to show for May 2024
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug There are no items to show for August 2024
  9. Sep There are no items to show for September 2024
  10. Oct There are no items to show for October 2024
  11. Nov There are no items to show for November 2024
  12. Dec There are no items to show for December 2024

2023

  1. Jan There are no items to show for January 2023
  2. Feb There are no items to show for February 2023
  3. Mar There are no items to show for March 2023
  4. Apr
  5. May There are no items to show for May 2023
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct There are no items to show for October 2023
  11. Nov There are no items to show for November 2023
  12. Dec

2022

  1. Jan
  2. Feb There are no items to show for February 2022
  3. Mar There are no items to show for March 2022
  4. Apr There are no items to show for April 2022
  5. May There are no items to show for May 2022
  6. Jun There are no items to show for June 2022
  7. Jul There are no items to show for July 2022
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct There are no items to show for October 2022
  11. Nov There are no items to show for November 2022
  12. Dec There are no items to show for December 2022

2021

  1. Jan There are no items to show for January 2021
  2. Feb There are no items to show for February 2021
  3. Mar There are no items to show for March 2021
  4. Apr There are no items to show for April 2021
  5. May There are no items to show for May 2021
  6. Jun There are no items to show for June 2021
  7. Jul There are no items to show for July 2021
  8. Aug There are no items to show for August 2021
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov There are no items to show for November 2021
  12. Dec There are no items to show for December 2021

2019

  1. Jan There are no items to show for January 2019
  2. Feb There are no items to show for February 2019
  3. Mar There are no items to show for March 2019
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug There are no items to show for August 2019
  9. Sep There are no items to show for September 2019
  10. Oct There are no items to show for October 2019
  11. Nov
  12. Dec There are no items to show for December 2019

2018

  1. Jan There are no items to show for January 2018
  2. Feb There are no items to show for February 2018
  3. Mar
  4. Apr There are no items to show for April 2018
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul There are no items to show for July 2018
  8. Aug There are no items to show for August 2018
  9. Sep There are no items to show for September 2018
  10. Oct There are no items to show for October 2018
  11. Nov There are no items to show for November 2018
  12. Dec

2017

  1. Jan There are no items to show for January 2017
  2. Feb There are no items to show for February 2017
  3. Mar There are no items to show for March 2017
  4. Apr There are no items to show for April 2017
  5. May
  6. Jun There are no items to show for June 2017
  7. Jul There are no items to show for July 2017
  8. Aug There are no items to show for August 2017
  9. Sep There are no items to show for September 2017
  10. Oct There are no items to show for October 2017
  11. Nov There are no items to show for November 2017
  12. Dec There are no items to show for December 2017

2016

  1. Jan
  2. Feb There are no items to show for February 2016
  3. Mar
  4. Apr There are no items to show for April 2016
  5. May There are no items to show for May 2016
  6. Jun There are no items to show for June 2016
  7. Jul There are no items to show for July 2016
  8. Aug There are no items to show for August 2016
  9. Sep There are no items to show for September 2016
  10. Oct There are no items to show for October 2016
  11. Nov
  12. Dec There are no items to show for December 2016

2015

  1. Jan
  2. Feb There are no items to show for February 2015
  3. Mar
  4. Apr There are no items to show for April 2015
  5. May
  6. Jun There are no items to show for June 2015
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep There are no items to show for September 2015
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec There are no items to show for December 2015

2014

  1. Jan
  2. Feb There are no items to show for February 2014
  3. Mar There are no items to show for March 2014
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul There are no items to show for July 2014
  8. Aug There are no items to show for August 2014
  9. Sep There are no items to show for September 2014
  10. Oct There are no items to show for October 2014
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

2013

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul There are no items to show for July 2013
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec There are no items to show for December 2013

2012

  1. Jan
  2. Feb There are no items to show for February 2012
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct There are no items to show for October 2012
  11. Nov
  12. Dec There are no items to show for December 2012

2011

  1. Jan There are no items to show for January 2011
  2. Feb There are no items to show for February 2011
  3. Mar
  4. Apr There are no items to show for April 2011
  5. May There are no items to show for May 2011
  6. Jun There are no items to show for June 2011
  7. Jul There are no items to show for July 2011
  8. Aug There are no items to show for August 2011
  9. Sep There are no items to show for September 2011
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec There are no items to show for December 2011

2010

  1. Jan There are no items to show for January 2010
  2. Feb There are no items to show for February 2010
  3. Mar There are no items to show for March 2010
  4. Apr There are no items to show for April 2010
  5. May There are no items to show for May 2010
  6. Jun There are no items to show for June 2010
  7. Jul There are no items to show for July 2010
  8. Aug
  9. Sep There are no items to show for September 2010
  10. Oct There are no items to show for October 2010
  11. Nov There are no items to show for November 2010
  12. Dec There are no items to show for December 2010