The Vice-Chancellor's Innovation Awards 2020 celebrate research-led innovation at all University levels that is having societal or economic impact. A series of online Innovation Conversations, being livestreamed throughout September, now offers the opportunity to hear more from each of the Winners, as well as ask questions about their award-winning research. This series will culminate on 7 October in a livestreamed panel discussion, chaired by Professor Chas Bountra, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Innovation, asking "How do universities deliver economic value?".
Winners and Highly Commended entries were selected by the Vice-Chancellor's Innovation Awards panel chaired by Professor Bountra and comprising academics from each of the four Divisions, in addition to Professional Services staff who support impact and innovation across the collegiate University. Building on the inaugural Vice-Chancellor Innovation Awards two years ago, a new category of Policy Engagement was added this year to those for Teamwork, Building Capacity, Inspiring Leadership, and Early Career Innovator.
This month's webinars illustrate the diversity and far-reaching impact of the University's world-leading research. In those still to come, Building Capacity winner, Professor Jonathan Prag will talk about I.Sicily and enabling access to ancient Sicilian inscriptions on 23 September, while Professor Anna Schuh and Dr Clara Chamba, winners of the Teamwork category, will discuss Saving Lives with SEREN on 30 September. Earlier webinars featuring Dr Annette Idler (Early Career winner for Rethinking Conflict, Building Peace), Professor Robert McLaren (Overall Winner and Inspiring Leader for Nightstar) and Professor Andrew Pollard (Policy Engagement winner for Global Policy on Typhoid Vaccines) are now available to view online.
In the livestreamed event on 7 September, Professor Chas Bountra, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Innovation, will lead the discussion on how universities can work together within their wider networks to accelerate innovation, support industry, realise national synergies and address global challenges with an expert panel:
- Wendy Becker, Chairperson, Logitech International S.A
- Sam Gyimah, Board Director, Oxford University Innovation and former Minister for Universities, Science, Sustainability and Innovation
- Professor Trevor McMillan, Vice-Chancellor, Keele University and KE Champion, Research England
- Dr Tony Soteriou, Director of Commercialisation, UK Research and Innovation
