Engagement and Place Awards 2023
Our Engagement and Place Awards recognise and celebrate great examples of collaboration with different publics. They showcase how the benefits of our research and teaching go beyond the University.
Engagement and Place Awards ceremony
We've honoured projects displaying the diverse ways University colleagues and students work with external partners and communities.
The host of our third year of the Engagement and Place Awards were:
- Professor Chris Day, Vice Chancellor and President
- Professor Jane Robinson, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Engagement and Place
Outstanding projects and people nominated across eight award categories
The awards recognise many innovative collaborations between the University and its external partners. These bring value to the social, cultural and economic wellbeing in our city, region and across the globe.
This year’s awards include:
- Engaging for Inclusive Economic Growth
- Engaging for Health, Well-being and Societal Benefit
- Engaging Globally
- Engaging for Cultural Benefit
- Engaging for Policy and Practice
- Inclusive Education, LifeLong Learning and CPD
- Early Career Researcher
- Vice Chancellor and President Award
We received an overwhelming response to this year’s call for nominations and the calibre of the projects was outstanding. This made the task of shortlisting for our panel of internal and external judges very difficult.
However, we can now announce the winners for each category alongside the shortlisted projects. Congratulations everyone and we look forward to reviewing next year’s entries.
Engaging for Inclusive Economic Growth Award
Winner: Pop-up Primer Programme - Fiona Whitehurst and Jo Singh
Arrow - Chris Angus
This bespoke innovation support programme simplifies the process for SMEs to engage with Newcastle University. Piloted by the University, Arrow provides access to a wealth of expertise and resource for businesses across the region.
Business Community Engagement: Live Client Projects – Fiona Thompson
Since 2017 Newcastle University Business School has engaged with approximately 80 local organisations. ‘Live client projects’ create student-centered engagement worth an estimated £850k of socio-economic impact.
Pop-up Primer Programme - Fiona Whitehurst and Jo Singh
This pilot project collaboration involved Newcastle University Business School, Creative Heritage Studios CIC, and Create Intrigue. Their goal was to enhance the retail skills of local creative businesses through developed workshops.
Engaging for Health, Well-being and Societal Benefit Award
Winner: Losing a Baby from a Multiple Pregnancy - Anne Whitehead and Judith Rankin
Improving treatment for chronic rejection after a lung transplant - Alex Bevin-Nicholls
E-CLAD UK is a Newcastle University-led clinical trial, taking place at five NHS transplant centres across England. The research will discover if a treatment known as ECP can effectively treat chronic rejection.
Losing a Baby from a Multiple Pregnancy - Anne Whitehead and Judith Rankin
This project created an animated film to capture how families live beside their loss years after losing a baby from a multiple pregnancy. It offers a resource to support and comfort those who have experienced similar.
We Are So Much More - Charlie Wilkinson
This creative writing project explores the experiences of people living with long-term physical and mental health conditions. The hope for this anthology is that the pieces of writing produced will influence health research.
Engaging Globally Award
Winner: Fighting Gender Based Violence and HIV-stigma in Southern Africa – Nanette De Jong
Bitter-Sweet Tides - Dr Niki Black
This project explores the relationships between humans, bees and the forest wetlands. Bitter-Sweet Tides focuses on the effects of climate change in the Sundarbans in India and Bangladesh.
English Language Speaking Support for Ukrainian Students 2022 - Andrew Grenfell
This project helps Ukrainian students in war zones to improve their English language ability. It offers relief from the feeling of isolation brought about by the war and restriction on travel and daily life.
Fighting gender-based violence and HIV-Stigma in Southern Africa - Nanette De Jong
This project devises arts-based interventions in the fight against gender-based violence (GBV) and HIV-stigma. This work spans across Southern Africa include South Africa, Zimbabwe, Malawi, and Zambia.
Engaging for Cultural Benefit Award
Winner: Volunteer Voices: Engaging Volunteers with Contemporary Art and Heritage - Judith King, Rebecca Farley, Kiki Claxton and Andrew Burton
Listen to This Story - Karen Sands-O'Connor and Daniel Goodricke
Listen to This Story - Karen Sands-O'Connor and Daniel Goodricke This project involves Newcastle University, Seven Stories archives and Newcastle City Library. They wanted to celebrate the history of children’s books by and about Black Britons over the last two hundred years.
The Ghosts of Newcastle Gaol - Shane McCorristine
Designed by John Dobson, Newcastle’s new prison on Carliol Square opened in 1828. 2025 will mark the centenary of its demolition, and this project will bring the history of the Gaol into the public domain.
Volunteer Voices: Engaging Volunteers with Contemporary Art and Heritage - Judith King, Rebecca Farley, Kiki Claxton & Andrew Burton
This project focused on understanding contemporary art commissioning in heritage places. It built volunteers’ confidence in speaking about contemporary artworks to their visitors.
Engaging for Policy and Practice Award
Winner: A Wellbeing Framework for the North of Tyne - Mark Shucksmith
A Wellbeing Framework for the North of Tyne - Mark Shucksmith
The North of Tyne Combined Authority (NTCA) and Carnegie UK developed a Wellbeing Framework for the North of Tyne area. They devised a set of goals to enhance the social, economic, environmental and democratic wellbeing of everyone in NTCA.
Judgments for Children - Kathryn Hollingsworth
This project improves children’s access to justice. It engages with judges and judicial training bodies to inspire, encourage and facilitate new ways of delivering legal judgments to children.
SafeBatt: Science of Battery Safety - Wojciech Mrozik
SafeBatt project engages with the automotive, maritime and energy storage sectors. It delivers commercially relevant science and practical safety solutions for lithium-ion batteries.
Inclusive Education, Lifelong Learning and CPD Award
Winner: World Anatomy Day Events – Newcastle University Anatomy Team
Footsteps Festival Journal Club - Chris Penlington
This project established a Journal Club to offer support for anybody with an interest in persistent pain. This includes those who live with persistent pain, alongside clinicians and researchers.
Inclusive pedagogic principles in practice - Dr Nicola Patterson, Professor Sharon Mavin and Cissie Tsang
This pilot CPD project focuses on inclusion and inclusive leadership principles. Its creation will diversify the cohort of learners on the Strategic Leadership MSc and the Level 7 Senior Leader Apprenticeship.
World Anatomy Day Events - Newcastle University Anatomy Team
This series of public engagement and outreach activities will take place annually on or close to the 15th of October. This celebration across the world involves events targeted at both the scientific community and the public.
Early Career Researcher Award
Winner: Slug and Snail Diversity in UK Gardens – Imogen Cavadino
Garden Gastropods: Slug and Snail Diversity in UK Gardens - Imogen Cavadino
This project looks at slug and snail species in gardens. It helps gardeners understand more about species diversity and which gastropods are responsible for damaging plants.
Kids Action Thru Science (KATS) - Elle Young
This innovative outreach project encourages young people to learn about climate change issues. It teaches the skills to become climate activists and global citizens, helping to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Spy School - Laura Jardine, Emily Stephenson, Simone Webb and Olga Gumenyuk
This project saw a whodunnit science fair for 420 students aged 4-11 at Cragside Primary School. Its mission was to promote widespread, early, and diverse enthusiasm for STEM subjects.