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Some of the UKs leading research is to be celebrated at The University of Nottingham’s Postgraduate Research Showcase on Tuesday June 7 2011.
The event provides members of the public and potential employers with the opportunity to meet world-leading researchers of the future, hear about their work, and question them about what it means for society.
The annual showcase also provides students, from a wide range of academic disciplines, with the chance to meet with employers and learn how to promote their work to a wide audience.
Each of the 60 research projects on display – including those from finalists in Malaysia which will be presented via video-conference – will be judged by a panel of experts.
Entries this year include:
- Lesley Brewer, School of Education: The former head teacher has conducted a study which aims to identify good leadership practices for tackling bullying in schools
- Chris Burges, School of Politics and International Relations: A PhD project considering how posters can be used to shed new light on how political parties speak to the people
- Eleanor Grimes, Centre for Biomolecular Sciences: A Chemistry PhD explaining how a new drug can be used to detect cancer cells resistant to radiotherapy and chemotherapy when using a magnetic resonance scanner (MRI).
- Bogdan Popescu, School of Politics and International Relations: ‘Press Freedom in Non-democratic regimes’ sheds light on how non-democratic regimes have censored the press.
A number of prizes will be awarded to the students based on a poster, a pre-submitted press release and how they convey their research to the audience. Members of the public will also be able to nominate their favourite piece of research for the Visitor’s Choice Award.
In 2008 the UK Research Assessment Exercise (RAE), ranked Nottingham seventh in the UK in terms of research power, which measures the quality and quantity of research conducted by an institution. More than 90 per cent of the research was judged to be of international quality and almost 60 per cent was defined as world leading or internationally excellent.
Dr Rachael Pearson, Researcher Development Manager at the University’s Graduate School, explained that postgraduate students had had a major role to play in that success and that the showcase would be the perfect way to highlight their contribution.
She said: “As one of the leading research institutions in the UK, The University of Nottingham is renowned for its world-class research. Our large community of postgraduate researchers, from a range of disciplines, contribute significantly to this reputation.
“The showcase provides these students with the opportunity to develop their presentation and communication skills, engage the public with their research, network with potential employers and other researchers, and consider the contribution that their research makes to society.”
Prizes on offer include: The University of Nottingham Prize for the Best Poster (top four), the Postgraduate Students’ Association Peer Recommendation Prize, the Media Prize, the Judges’ Choice Award, Best Poster - via video-conference, Visitors’ Choice Award and the Award for Artistic Flair.
After the Showcase, which will take place in the Great Hall, Trent Building from 12.45-2.45pm, the ten winners will go on to represent the University at The Vitae Midlands Hub Regional Poster Competition 2011. Last year Mohamed Al-Aqaba went onto win the Vitae competition after claiming a prize at the Postgraduate Research Showcase 2010.
To find out more, please visit: www.nottingham.ac.uk/graduateschool/events/researchshowcase or see the 2010 winners: http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/graduateschool/events/researchshowcase/winners2010.aspx
More information about the research being conducted at The University of Nottingham is also available at: http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/research/research.aspx
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Notes to editors: The University of Nottingham, described by The Sunday Times University Guide 2011 as ‘the embodiment of the modern international university’, has award-winning campuses in the United Kingdom, China and Malaysia. It is ranked in the UK's Top 10 and the World's Top 75 universities by the Shanghai Jiao Tong (SJTU) and the QS World University Rankings. It was named ‘Europe’s greenest university’ in the UI GreenMetric World University Ranking, a league table of the world’s most environmentally-friendly higher education institutions, which ranked Nottingham second in the world overall.
The University is committed to providing a truly international education for its 40,000 students, producing world-leading research and benefiting the communities around its campuses in the UK and Asia.
More than 90 per cent of research at The University of Nottingham is of international quality, according to the most recent Research Assessment Exercise, with almost 60 per cent of all research defined as ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’. Research Fortnight analysis of RAE 2008 ranked the University 7th in the UK by research power.
The University’s vision is to be recognised around the world for its signature contributions, especially in global food security, energy & sustainability, and health.
More news from the University at: www.nottingham.ac.uk/news
The Graduate School: As a leading, research intensive institution, The University of Nottingham believes that postgraduates are central to our research mission. Our 2,700 UK-based postgraduate researchers have access to the Graduate School which provides a range of facilities, training opportunities and support, as well as workshops and events, to enhance the postgraduate experience and help develop a range of skills essential to enhance career opportunities. Similar facilities are available at our campuses in China and Malaysia.