The Impact Awards were held in the RIBA in Portland place, a fantastic venue. The room was filled with the most senior people from the environmental and earth sciences. There must have been well over a hundred people there including our Executive Director Prof John Ludden.
The event even had its own cup cake one for every guest!
#NERCawards now can I eat my birthday cake? Happy 50th Birthday NERC pic.twitter.com/9q3KyRFw7Z
— Christine Tacon (@ChristineTacon) January 27, 2015
Around the room there were several banner posters which told you all about the candidates. I had a chat with Hannah Cloke about her work she was very excited to be there and her work has brought about significant changes in decision-making practice, improvements in flood warnings and a reduction in flood risk around the world.
There were four categories;
Economic impact - Recognising research that has achieved exceptional economic benefit. This was awarded to Stephen Boult for his work on developing new instruments to monitor water and gas in the environment;
Congratulations to Dr Stephen Boult, who won the Economic Impact Award @ last night’s @NERCscience Awards #NERCawards pic.twitter.com/Eij10BpIG4
— UoMEngSci (@UoMEngSci) January 28, 2015
Societal Impact - Recognising research that has achieved exceptional social, cultural, public policy or service, health, environmental or quality of life benefits. This went to Jeremy Thomas for his work on Blue Butterflies;
Winners of the @NERCscience #NERCawards societal impact category; Jeremy Thomas, and runner up is Kevin Horsburgh pic.twitter.com/otVVZqJIlf
— Poppy Leeder (@PoppyLeeder) January 27, 2015
International Impact - Recognising research that has achieved exceptional economic and/or societal impact outside the UK. This went to John Pyle for healing the ozone hole. He also received the award for Overall Winner;
And the winner of the International Impact Award is... Prof John Pyle + team for work underpinning recovery of the ozone hole #NERCawards
— NERC (@NERCscience) January 27, 2015
Early Career - Recognising an early career researcher who has achieved exceptional economic and/or societal impact within the UK or internationally. This went to Hannah Cloke for her work on flood forecasting uncertainty;
.@hancloke (@UniReading) has worked w/ policy-makers & industry to improve #flood warnings & reduce risk #NERCawards pic.twitter.com/cRinrXn4nl
— NERC (@NERCscience) January 22, 2015
After watching all the videos about all the candidates everyone on my table was very inspired about it all. Talking with the candidates and other guests afterwards was really interesting and I really hope that NERC does this again to celebrate science and it's impacts on society. Get all the information about the finalists on the NERC website here.
Katherine
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