Research Staff Excellence Award Winners 2020

Research Staff of the Year 

Dr Annette Allen, Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, secured a Henry Dale Fellowship, had multiple research papers accepted for publication including one in Nature Communications and has received invitations to speak at prestigious international conferences.

Dr Danielle Alderson, Faculty of Humanities, has had two lead author papers in internationally leading journals in two different fields and delivered a standing room only presentation at the 2019 European Geoscience Union General Assembly.

Dr Ashok Keerthi, Faculty of Science and Engineering, is currently a Ramsay Memorial and Presidential Fellow. Ashok’s outstanding research publications include four Nature papers and one Science paper.

Best Outstanding Output 

Dr Joan Chang, Dr Richa Garva and Dr Adam Pickard, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, published a seminal research paper in Nature Cell Biology on their ground breaking discovery of the circadian clock control of collagen secretion.

Dr Frances Houghton, Faculty of Humanities, publication of The Veterans’ Tale won the Army History Society’s Templar Prize for a first book in 2019 and has been shortlisted for the prestigious Royal Historical Society Whitfield Prize in 2020.

Dr Mike Buckley, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Nature paper Age estimates for hominin fossils and the onset of the Upper Palaeolithic at Denisova Cave signified a landmark moment in the evolutionary history of hominids and was cited 53 times in the first 18 months of publication.

Best Outstanding Contribution to Research Impact 

Dr Kelly Burgoyne, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, led the development of evidence based online advice sessions to support parents of children which Down syndrome during the pandemic.

Dr Ajmal Hussain, Faculty of Humanities, engagement with Muslim and White young men, through the EU funded DARE project, brings cutting edge research in the field of counter extremism into academic, policy and practice circles.

Dr Chris Overton, Dr Lorenzo Pellis and Dr Helena StageFaculty of Science and Engineering, made a significant contribution to the national scientific response to COVID-19 carrying out commissioned studies for SAGE and its subgroups.

University Award Best Outstanding Contribution to the Research Environment 2019/20

Dr Michael Avery, Faculty of Science and Engineering, developed the PDRA forum in Materials into a broad forum of support with conferences, lunchtime seminars and support for grant applications. His approach is being replicated across other departments and his engagement with the Faculty ensures the researcher’s voice is heard within the Faculty and the University.

Nominations Now Open for 2021/21 Research Staff Excellence Awards

You can nominate a colleague for the Research Staff Excellence Awards, deadline 7 June 2022