The University has received a recognition in the form of a top research council award, following a project revealing the social and emotional impact of flooding and an entrepreneurship unit providing business development programmes for small to medium enterprises.
Two teams were rewarded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) for their work, in the form of the ‘Celebrating Impact’ prize.
From the Management School, Professor Mary Rose, Dr Eleanor Hamilton and their team received an award for Outstanding Impact on Business.
The Hull Flood Project Team, led by Dr Will Medd, received the Outstanding Impact in Public Policy award. It was collected at the awards night by Dr Rebecca Whittle, Dr Marion Walker, Dr Hugh Deeming and Dr Maggie Mort.
Both teams were rewarded with £5000, which is to be invested in “impact activities.”
Applications were judged by a panel including experts from business, academia and the public sector. Results were announced at the ceremony in Westminster on Tuesday Week 5 by the BBC’s Evan Davis, known for presenting Dragons’ Den and the Today programme on Radio 4.
Professor Rose and Dr Hamilton set up the the Institute for Entrepreneurship and Enterprise Development (IEED) within the Manage- ment School to “establish productive knowledge-exchange relationships with small and medium-sized enterprises.”
Dr Hamilton said: “It is extremely gratifying to have had our work here in the Institute recognised by the ESRC in this way. What we learn from the businesses in the process informs our teaching of undergrad- uate and Masters students, the next generation of entrepreneurs, so the benefits are truly two-way.”
The other winners, the Hull Flood Project Team, examined the after- math of flooding in Hull. Dr Medd, who led the project, said: “This was a fantastic team effort which shows what can be done when researchers are enabled to work collaboratively and creatively with stakeholders and the public. It’s great to see the ESRC supporting this approach to impact.”
