2025 Policy Impact and Public Engagement Awards

We are thrilled to announce the finalists for the 2025 Policy Impact and Public Engagement Awards. Now in its sixth year, these prestigious awards celebrate the exceptional contributions of University of Nottingham staff and academics in shaping public policy, engaging communities, and making research accessible beyond academia. 

From influencing government policies to engaging directly with schools and communities, we take immense pride in witnessing University of Nottingham academics drive meaningful change on local, national, and global scales. Their work highlights the transformative power of research in informing critical decisions and how it serves to inspire and empower our communities. Together, we are addressing some of the most pressing challenges of our time. 

A highly competitive selection process

Each year, the selection process for our awards is rigorous, with an expert panel of academic, policy and engagement professionals reviewing a strong field of nominees. The panel assesses candidates based on the depth of their research impact, the effectiveness of their engagement strategies, and the reach of their initiatives.

With so many outstanding submissions this year, narrowing down the finalists was no easy task. Every nominee has demonstrated an impressive commitment to influencing lives, communities and policies through different outstanding initiatives. While we can only recognise a select few in each category, we celebrate the collective effort of all our nominees, and every academic working to bridge the gap between academia, policy, and the public.

In 2019, we established the Institute for Policy and Engagement Awards to honour the exceptional work of academics who are driving change through their research. Our goal was to create a platform that not only recognises their achievements but also highlights the real-world impact they are making in their fields. By shining a spotlight on their contributions, we aim to inspire further innovation from our academics and foster a deeper connection between academia and society.

Meet the shortlisted nominees 

Best Policy Impact Initiative

• Scale of Harm team (Todd Landman, Albert Nyako Agyei, Ben Brewster, and Doreen Boyd), University of Nottingham Rights Lab

• Helen McCabe, Associate Professor of Political Theory, Faculty of Social Science

Best Public Engagement Initiative

• Larissa Sandy, Associate Professor, Faculty of Social Science.

• Hongwei Bao, Associate Professor, Faculty of Arts.

• Lucy Jones, Associate Professor, Faculty of Arts.

• Brain Data Project, Faculty of Science.

Rising Star – Policy Impact

• Andrea Sartorius, Research Fellow at the School of Veterinary Medicine.

• Catherine Price, Research Fellow at the School of Geography.

Rising Star – Public Engagement

• Bethany Jackson, Nottingham Research Fellow in Geography and Rights Lab lead in Decent Work and Climate Change Risks 

• Blandine French, Senior Research Fellow, School of Psychology

• Joanna Lockwood, Research Fellow, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences

Best Schools Initiative

• Elizabeth Kelly, Associate Professor in Music Composition, Department of Music, Faculty of Arts

• Hilary Collins, Scientific Officer, School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Science

• Kamini Rakkar, Research Fellow, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences

Institute Award

• Vicky Brotherton, Policy Engagement Manager, University of Nottingham Rights Lab

• Sally Schofield, Laboratory Support Technician, Nanoscale and Microscale Research Centre (nmRC)

• Neil Walker, Head of Visual Arts Programming, Lakeside Arts

• Barry Shaw, Research Technician, Life Sciences

Looking ahead: Winners will be announced on Tuesday 29th April

As we move forward, our expert panel is now focused on the final selection phase, carefully evaluating all the shortlisted candidates across the six different categories to determine the final winners.

The winners will be announced on Tuesday 29th April 2025 across the university’s communication platforms. Please follow our SharePoint page and social media platforms (LinkedIn, x and BlueSky) to find out more on that day and help us shine a spotlight on the outstanding work of University of Nottingham staff and academics, thereby showcasing the real-world impact of their initiatives at the local, national and global levels.

Additionally, for the next 6 weeks and as a lead-up to 29th April, we will be sharing more about the incredible projects led by our finalists—so stay tuned!

A huge congratulations to all the shortlisted candidates. Your work is shaping policies, changing lives, and bringing research to the forefront of public conversation. We look forward to celebrating your achievements!