2023 CLF Impact Award Winners!
16 May 2023
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Here on UNESCO’s International Day of Light, we are excited to announce the winners of the CLF’s first ever Impact awards!

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​​These awards, for Societal and Economic Impact, were available on an application basis to any staff and user who has used our facility for published research.

The entries were judged by the CLF Communication and IPI (Industry Partnerships and Innovation) team. They followed the Research England definition of impact for the REF, where impact is referred to as: 

“… an effect on, change or benefit to the economy, society, culture, public policy or services, health, the environment, or quality of life, beyond academia" in the UK and internationally. 


 Economic Impact Award Winner

The CLF Impact Award for Economic Impact goes to Prof Neil Hunt (University of York) and his team for their work using Ultra to develop a patented new high speed analytical method.

Picture of Neil Hunt and the Economic Impact Award, with the text: "Neil Hunt and Team For Economic Impact!"

The method uses 2D-IR to see structures of proteins in their natural environments and analyse protein mixtures in biofluids – useful for drug design and diagnostics.     

This research has led, amongst other achievements, to a grant from the STFC innovations partnership scheme to continue to pursue this exciting new tool. 

The aim of this award is to highlight research that can demonstrate potential for or that has led to significant economic impact in the UK and/or internationally. This impact could be via (but is not limited to): 

  • An innovation, for example: patent, spin-out, or licensing of your research. 
  • Creation of a new innovative technique/technology 
  • Improvement of products or services 

  Certificate and Award

Prof Neil hunt will receive…

  • A physical award created in collaboration with the CLF's Target Fabrication  and Mechanical Engineering departments.
  • Obtain a certificate to commemorate gaining a CLF Impact Award.
  • Be featured on the CLF website and communications channels as a research impact case study.
  • Be included in our first annual 2022-2023 CLF Impact Report

​ various pictures of the economic impact award: a milimetre high metal tree with flowers.


Societal Impact Award Winner

The first ever CLF Impact Award for Societal Impact goes to Prof Jim Thomas and his team for their incredible work on tackling the problem of antibiotic resistant superbugs. 

Jim Thomas and his team Kirsty Smitten and Simon Fairbanks pictured with the societal impact award

No new class of treatment for hard-to-treat Gram-negative bacteria has been developed in over 50 years and, according to WHO, 4/5 of the bacteria that cause most concerning infections are Gram-negative. 

Using Octopus, their research has resulted in potential avenues to create new treatments - and as a result, they have recently formed a spin-out company called Metallobio.

This award is to celebrate research that can demonstrate strong societal impact and applications. For example, the research could have resulted in or be linked to: 

  • Improving healthcare and biomedical sciences 
  • Scientific policy change 
  • Environmental sustainability advances 
  • Improvement in quality of life 

 Certificate and Award

Prof Jim Thomas will receive…

  • A physical award created in collaboration with the CLF's Target Fabrication  and Mechanical Engineering departments.
  • Obtain a certificate to commemorate gaining a CLF Impact Award.
  • Be featured on the CLF website and communications channels as a research impact case study.
  • Be included in our first annual 2022-2023 CLF Impact Report

Various pictures of the Societal Impact Award: a milimetre high metal butterfly

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As this was the first year of taking applications, applications were considered for research from any time in the last decade.​

In future years, you are only eligible if you have been a user anytime in the 5 years prior to the year of the awards. (For example, you can apply for the 2023 awards if you were a user from 2018 to 2023).

 Applications for Next Year's Impact Awards will open soon! 

 



Contact: Towrie, Helen (STFC,RAL,CLF)