Congratulations to all the award winners announced at the 2024 Research Culture and Research Impact Award Ceremony on Tuesday 18 June! 

The ceremony celebrated the great achievements in developing and strengthening research and impact within the Sussex research community. 

See the full list of awardees below. More information about the work of the awardees and shortlisted entrants can be found on the Research Culture and Research Impact webpages. 

Research Culture Awards 

Special Research Leadership Award: Dr Sabina Avdagic (Law, Politics and Sociology) – In recognition and celebration of Dr Sabina Avdagic's contribution to the School of Law, Politics and Sociology in her role as Director of Research and Knowledge Exchange (DRaKE). Unanimously nominated by the Department of Politics. 

Interdisciplinary Research Collaboration Award: Dr Joanna Smallwood (Law, Politics and Sociology) with Dr Evan Killick (Global Studies), Professor Fiona Mathews (Life Sciences), Dr Maria Clara Castellanos (Life Sciences), and Dr Alexander Antonarakis (Global Studies) – Implementing the Rights of Nature, the rights of the Andean bear and the rights of local communities to land titles in the Ecuadorian Andes.  

Openness in Research Award: Dr Dominique Makowski (Psychology) – Make reproducible science accessible! Building software to facilitate open research and lead by example with fully transparent studies.   

Research Leadership Award: Prof Divya P. Tolia-Kelly (Global Studies) – Building an inclusive research culture in Global Studies: Sussex University BAME and Women’s Coaching and Network.  

Early Career Research Leadership Award: Dr Faiz Sheikh (Global Studies) – Intergalactic research culture: flattening hierarchies with science fiction.   

Professional Services Research Culture Leadership Award: Bethany Logan (Library) – Supporting the shift to an open research culture across the University.  

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in Research Award: Dr Elizabeth Rendon-Morales (Engineering and Informatics) – ECR Women’s pilot: Growing leadership in women early careers researchers.  

Ethical Research Award (staff): Dr Alison Lacey and Dr May Nasrawy (Education and Social Work) – From recruitment to the archive: innovations in ethical research practice with seldom-heard families.  

Ethical Research Award (PGR): Joshua Francis (Psychology) – Discovering Ethical Practices Within Youth Research Beyond Guidelines.  

Research Impact Awards 

Outstanding early-career impact: Dr Mahmoud Bukar Maina (Life Sciences) – Transforming Global Health: iPSC Innovations and Capacity Building in African Biomedical Research. 

Commercial impact or outstanding engagement with a commercial partner: Dr Charlotte Rae (Psychology) – A research-led support program for employers trialling a 4 day working week. 

Impact through interdisciplinary work: Dr Tom F. Wright (Media, Arts and Humanities) – Transforming Approaches to 'Oracy' in UK Schools Through Interdisciplinary Research. 

Social or cultural impact: Professor Jools Simner (Psychology) – Improving the lives of children with misophonia. 

Impact on public policy: Professor John Drury (Psychology) – Improving event safety and civil contingencies planning through crowd psychology. 

Impact on health or wellbeing: Professor Sumita Verma (Margaret O'Sullivan, Ahmed Hashim, Adele Mourad) (Brighton and Sussex Medical School) – Engaging the disengaged: A novel hepatitis C community service for vulnerable adults. 

Outstanding public or media engagement: Professor Claire Smith (Brighton and Sussex Medical School) – My Dead Body: breaking down boundaries, and delivering health education to millions. 

Academic impact champion: Professor Margaretta Jolly (Media, Arts and Humanities) – Leading School-wide transformative change in impact strategy, literacy, activity, and success. 

Professional Services impact champion: Katherine Blackadder (Media, Arts and Humanities) – Driving impact literacy, activity and achievement through collaborative support and team development. 

Undergraduate and Postgraduate Research

3MT: Sunisha Neupane (Institute for Development Studies) –मातृत्व र संघर्षकाकथा [Stories of Motherhood and Resilience] - Researching maternal health and care in rural Nepal   

Adam Weiler PGR Impact Awards 

Social Sciences: Nico Edwards (Global Studies) 

Sciences: Wezi Mhango (Psychology)