Impact Awards brochure 2011

exeter

impact awards impact / im-pakt / n. the benefit or contribution of research to society

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Judging the Entries We would like to express our sincere gratitude to the judging team of experts from within and outside the University. We were particularly grateful to our distinguished external judges, who freely gave up their time to help us achieve a fair result.

University of Exeter Panellists Professor Gabriella Giannachi – Chair (College of Humanities)

Professor Debra Myhill, (College of Social Sciences and International Studies)

Nick Davis, (President, University of Exeter Students’ Guild)

Professor Tim Naylor, (College of Engineering, Mathematics and Physical Sciences)

Sean Fielding, (Research and Knowledge Transfer)

Professor Gareth Shaw, (Business School)

James Hutchinson, (Chief Executive, University of Exeter Students’ Guild)

Professor Paul Winyard, (Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry)

Professor John Love, (College of Life and Environmental Sciences)

Dr Michael Wykes, (Research and Knowledge Transfer)

External Reviewers Julian Bird, Chief Executive, Society of London Theatre and Theatrical Management Association (Economics 1995) Jeremy Budd, Director of Global Services, IBM UK (Geography 1985)

Camilla Hampshire, Museums Manager, Royal Albert Memorial Museum Karime Hassan, Director of Economy and Development, Exeter City Council

Nicholas Bull, Chairman, Smith’s Corporate Advisory, Westhouse Securities; Member of Council; (Chemistry 1973)

Dame Suzi Leather DBE, Chair of the Charity Commission; Member of Council; (Politics 1977, Social Work 1986, Hon LLD 2003)

Dr Martin Crewe, Director, Barnardo’s Scotland (Geology 1981, PhD Geology 1986)

Dr Dave Pippard, Regional KTP Adviser

Professor Jason Farman, Assistant Professor of American Studies, University of Maryland Jeremy Filmer-Bennett, Chief Executive, Devon & Cornwall Business Council John Gubert, Author (French and German 1968) Leslie Halpin, Chairman, Lightfoot Solutions Group Ltd (Mathematical Statistics and Operational Research 1979, Hon LLD 2011)

Alison Reed, Non-Executive Director, British Airways (Economic History and Geography 1978) Andrew Rickards, CEO and Managing Partner, Moonblue Capital (Engineering 1984)

Welcome from the Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive Professor Sir Steve Smith Welcome to the Exeter Impact Awards 2011, an event to recognise and celebrate the outstanding impact of the research achievements of our academic staff and students and their collaborating partners.

It is on special occasions like tonight that we can truly celebrate the success of our staff, students, alumni, collaborators and partners across the globe.

Many of the awards tonight relate to global problems which simply must be solved. Our research continues to deliver outstanding impact and we must continue to work together on new projects to further develop our academic impact.

I am delighted to see that so much important work is going on at Exeter, and would like to thank you all for your outstanding contribution. The research activity and partnerships featured tonight make me extremely confident for future years and very proud to work with you all.

I wish you all success tonight and for the future.

Professor Sir Steve Smith Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive, University of Exeter

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Our research The University of Exeter is a vibrant centre for new ideas. We are a University with no internal boundaries, and interdisciplinary research and working with partners is key to our future.

The strength and depth of projects entered for the first Exeter Impact Awards has been exceptional. Nearly one hundred high quality in-depth case studies were received, and the strongest projects across the seven categories are detailed in this booklet.

The shortlisted projects here offer a glimpse of the impact of our research which is being underpinned and expanded by significant investment. We are investing £230 million of internal and external income in science, medicine and engineering. We are working with many high profile regional and national funders to develop initiatives in both Cornwall and Devon. In the past year alone we have announced and launched facilities including a £26 million refurbishment in biosciences; cutting-edge research facilities in additive layer manufacturing; the £25 million Business School building; and a £30 million investment in the Environment and Sustainability Institute in Cornwall. Our Science Strategy covers five core themes which are enabling us to significantly grow our research base.

Our new Humanities and Social Sciences Strategy will enable us to expand upon our core expertise in six themes researching medical humanities, identities and beliefs, societal and lifestyle shifts, environment and sustainability, global uncertainties, and the interaction of science, technology and culture. Our humanities and social sciences research creates impact in many ways, from rejuvenating heritage sites in the South West to guiding international policies in major conflicts.

Our most recent performance in the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise proved that Exeter’s strength in research carries across all of our 31 disciplines, with each recording world-class research and each delivering impact in a unique way. We currently generate £46.3 million a year in research income, and intend to grow this figure significantly in future through encouraging interdisciplinary work with partners across the globe. Staff, students and collaborators at Exeter share a bright future and we hope you enjoy reading about some of our successes.

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Exeter Impact Awards Finalists 2011 1 Outstanding Social and Cultural Impact 1. n

This award recognises outstanding research in the cultural sector, working with industry, community organisations or other groups to establish benefits to the wider economy and society.

Let’s talk about sex and history Dr Kate Fisher and Dr Rebecca Langlands The art of innovation: transforming the museum and gallery visitor experience worldwide Professor Gabriella Giannachi and Professor Nick Kaye Building communities: how historic landscapes inform present lives Professor Stephen Rippon, Dr Oliver Creighton and Professor Henry French 2 Outstanding Impact in Commerce and Industry n 2.

This award recognises outstanding research with industry which has generated significant global or UK based economic or societal impact.

High growth young firms and risk capital: putting the ‘evidence’ into evidence-based policy making Professor Gordon Murray Accounting for water Professor Dragan Savic Winds of change: insurance risk pricing for clusters of natural catastrophes Professor David Stephenson A model of simplicity: next generation imaging software Professor Philippe Young 3 Outstanding International Impact 3. n

This award recognises research which has delivered either benefits or impact overseas, or has involved significant collaboration with international partners in any sector.

Shaping policy to save sea turtles Dr Brendan Godley, Dr Annette Broderick and Dr Matthew Witt Transforming the lives of children born with diabetes Professor Andrew Hattersley, Professor Sian Ellard, Dr Maggie Shepherd and Dr Sarah Flanagan The Evliya Çelebi Way: tracking East-West relations Professor Gerald Maclean 4 Outstanding Regional Impact 4. n

This award recognises impact in the South West region and community in any sector.

Encouraging writing for children and writing by children Professor Debra Myhill, Professor Helen Taylor, Dr Maeve Pearson and Dr Anthony Wilson Maximising the ecological value of coastal structures: why materials matter Dr Larissa Naylor and Dr Martin Coombes Clear about carbon: supporting Cornwall’s transition to a low carbon economy Professor Annie Pye, Dr Fernando Correia, Dr Beverley Hawkins, Professor Mickey Howard and Simon Ramsay Uncharted waters: leading the world in marine renewable energy Professor George Smith, Dr Lars Johanning, Dr Brendan Godley, Professor Michael Belmont and Dr Matthew Witt

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Outstanding Impact in Public Policy and Services

This award recognises outstanding research which has significantly developed or revised the policy, governance, or outputs of public sector services or governing policies.

A bad wrap: the hidden dangers of packaging Professor Tamara Galloway and Professor David Melzer Creating brighter futures: working in partnership to reduce the effects of depression Professor Willem Kuyken, Professor Ed Watkins, Professor Eugene Mullan, Professor Dave Richards and Dr Catherine Gallop Policy learning: appraising the quality of regulations Professor Claudio Radaelli Reconstructing Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya Professor Gareth Stansfield Cleaning up our act: the hormonal impact of chemical discharges on fish Professor Charles Tyler, Dr Eduarda Santos, Dr Amy Filby, Dr Ronny van Aerle, Dr Anke Lange, Dr Patrick Hamilton, Dr Lisa Bickley, Dr Ok-Hyun Lee, Dr Greg Paull, Jan Shears 6 6. n

The Bright Future Award

This award recognises outstanding early stage research which is expected to generate substantial impact in future.

Shedding new light on dementia Dr David Llewellyn Helping Shell fuel the future Professor John Love, Professor Steve Aves, Dr Clive Butler and Professor Nick Smirnoff Improving weather and climate predictions Professor John Thuburn Hydrogen Sulfide: kicking up more than just a stink Professor Matt Whiteman and Dr Mark Wood 7 7. n

Student Impact

This award recognises students who have demonstrated significant societal or economic impact through their activities with the University of Exeter.

The Heart of Borneo Project: conservation, sustainability and community empowerment Students: Tim van Berkel and Martin Holland Weather forecasting for livestock disease Student: Laura Burgin, supervisors: Dr Suraje Dessai and Professor Tim Quine Improving flood control with computational fluid dynamics Student: Dr Daniel Jarman, supervisors: Professor David Butler, Professor Bob Andoh and Dr Gavin Tabor The Ivor Gurney papers: the restoration of a cultural legacy Student: Philip Lancaster, supervisor: Professor Tim Kendall Testing times: increasing the accuracy of diabetes diagnosis Student: Tim McDonald, supervisors: Professor Andrew Hattersley and Professor Sian Ellard

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Outstanding Social and Cultural Impact Our research in the social and cultural sectors is renowned. In 2010/11 Exeter received ÂŁ1.8 million in research income from the Arts and Humanities Research Council, securing the largest number of grants compared with any other University. We recently launched a new Humanities and Social Sciences Strategy which will enable us to focus on six key strands, in addition to our Arts and Culture Strategy which was launched in 2010.

Our researchers engage with Exeter Cathedral in research projects ranging from examining the Bible’s impact on the environment to studying the Exeter Book, the largest collection of Old English literature.

Let’s talk about sex and history Exeter Leads: Dr Kate Fisher and Dr Rebecca Langlands Researchers Dr Kate Fisher (History) and Dr Rebecca Langlands (Classics) are using their research into past sexual practices to empower people of all ages to talk more openly about sex. Collections of objects from past cultures such as ancient Rome or China are ideal for stimulating discussion about sex: they showcase global cultural diversity, they provide historical distance, and they demonstrate that sex has been a concern for centuries. Activities have included a successful exhibition ‘Revealing Collections’ which received around 20,000 visitors at the Royal Cornwall Museum, Truro and a well-received sex education resource Talking Sex currently trialling in over 40 schools in Devon and Cornwall.

The art of innovation: transforming the museum and gallery visitor experience worldwide Exeter Leads: Professor Gabriella Giannachi and Professor Nick Kaye The digital age presents new opportunities for the exploration, documentation and exhibition of contemporary and traditional forms of art. Through world-leading research, Gabriella Giannachi, Professor of Performance and New Media, and Nick Kaye, Professor of Performance Studies, have helped redefine how art is documented, archived, exhibited and replayed. Working with artists, curators and scientists and drawing on expertise in multimedia, film, visual technology, e-science and virtual and mixed reality environments, they have enhanced the visitor experience in galleries and museums in the UK and internationally. Major exhibitions using their research have been held in galleries such as Jerusalem’s Israel Museum, while their ideas on archiving have influenced research and thinking in firms such as Vodafone and Katalabs.

Building communities: how historic landscapes inform present lives Exeter Leads: Professor Stephen Rippon, Dr Oliver Creighton and Professor Henry French A sense of place and an understanding of their historic environment are vital to a community’s well-being and quality of life. Professor Stephen Rippon, Professor Henry French and Dr Oliver Creighton have worked with thousands of people in local communities, regional governments and heritage agencies in research projects across Britain, nurturing public interest and pride in their heritage, and an understanding of how the landscapes and environments we see today reflect historic social and community structures. These projects have left lasting legacies in the form of interpretative materials, portfolios of resources, and a series of heritage hubs, designed to inform future management of our historical landscapes.

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Outstanding Impact in Commerce and Industry Researchers at the University engage with a huge range of organisations, and engaged with over 1000 businesses in 2010/11 alone. Our commercial engagement stretches from key strategic partnerships to intricate consultancy work and European projects.

This category encompasses projects which develop groundbreaking products, revitalise organisations, and change sectors.

e University engages with many businesses across the world at all levels, from providing graduates to working at a senior level with leading researchers.

High growth young firms and risk capital: putting the ‘evidence’ into evidence-based policy making Exeter Lead: Professor Gordon Murray Both developed and emerging nations have come to recognise the centrality of High Growth Young Firms to future economic prosperity via their impact on innovation and employment. Such firms often face barriers to critical resources, particularly risk capital.

Governments have sought to address this intractable problem for over fifty years.

Professor Gordon Murray undertakes empirical research with a direct focus on improving policy responses. Through his Exeter Entrepreneurship Policy Research Seminar Series (EXPRESS), an international network of practitioners and academic researchers, he seeks to ensure the effective transfer of both research findings and policy initiatives. He is recognised with changing enterprise policy in several countries as diverse as Australia, Finland and the UK.

Accounting for water Exeter Lead: Professor Dragan Savic Research undertaken by the Centre for Water Systems into ‘whole-life’ cost management planning and infrastructure investment strategies for the water and sewerage industries led to a University spin-out, SEAMS Ltd, which has an average annual turnover of £2.5 million, around 40 staff, and over £1 million of investment.

Water companies use their software and systems to plan maintenance, replacement and building of new infrastructure, and reduce water and sewerage costs for themselves and customers. SEAMS’ technology represents a paradigm shift in asset management planning, with new markets opening up in rapidly emerging economies, and new industries such as construction and civil infrastructure.

Winds of change: insurance risk pricing for clusters of natural catastrophes Exeter Lead: Professor David Stephenson Hurricanes and European windstorms are the largest source of insured catastrophe losses on the planet. Research at Exeter has stimulated the insurance industry to address the increased risks caused by the clustering of such storms, which has led to more reliable insurance pricing. Research funded by leading global reinsurance firm Willis Re and AXA aims to understand the collective risk of storms, such as the European windstorms in 1990 and 1999, when European losses exceeded $10 billion.

The work is led by Professor David Stephenson, an expert in climate science based in the University’s Mathematics Research Institute. In February 2006, discussion between Willis Re and Professor Stephenson helped create the Willis Research Network – the world’s largest partnership between academia and the insurance industry.

Photograph: Tim Pestridge

is model was created layer by layer at our Centre for Additive Layer Manufacturing which is studying the future of manufacturing with joint funding from the ERDF, RDA, University of Exeter and EADS UK Ltd.

Outstanding Impact in Commerce and Industry continued

A model of simplicity: next generation imaging software Exeter Lead: Professor Philippe Young Since 2004 spin-off company Simpleware Ltd has been developing and licensing their world-leading imaging software to blue-chip companies and research organisations around the globe. Founded on research from Exeter’s Engineering Department, their software converts 3D scans from CT, MRI and other imaging technologies into high-quality models. These are used in the bioengineering, materials, oil, gas, and electronics and engineering industries for pre-production testing, to optimise designs, increase efficiency, reduce costs and improve product quality. The business has annual sales of more than £700,000, of which over 85% is exported, employs 14 full-time staff, has recently opened a US sales office, and operates across the Far East and South America.

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Outstanding International Impact

Photograph Paul Anthony Wilson

Our research has an impact on the world; from breakthroughs in climate change to Middle East conflicts to helping combat infectious diseases. We are ranked 156th in the world according to the Times Higher Education’s World University Rankings, and have partnerships with leading universities and multinational companies worldwide. In the RAE 2008, 90% of our research was rated as being at internationally recognised levels, with every subject including world-class research.

Research in the University’s Astrophysics group includes the study of exoplanet systems using valuable observatory time, at locations such as Mauna Kea in Hawaii.

Shaping policy to save sea turtles Exeter Leads: Dr Brendan Godley, Dr Annette Broderick and Dr Matthew Witt Research at our Centre for Ecology and Conservation in Cornwall is influencing international legislation to protect sea turtles. Drs Godley, Broderick and Witt’s analysis of turtle populations and their migratory patterns has inspired policy changes in the Cayman Islands, Cyprus and Gabon; countering threats such as overfishing and seismic surveys. The research has also improved assessments by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Development of satellite tracking tools to map movements of marine giants has empowered hundreds of researchers, raised around £200,000 in conservation funding, attracted an online audience of millions, and generated coverage in global broadcast and print media.

Transforming the lives of children born with diabetes Exeter Leads: Professor Andrew Hattersley, Professor Sian Ellard, Dr Maggie Shepherd and Dr Sarah Flanagan The lives of most patients born with diabetes have been revolutionised by the medical research conducted by the Exeter team led by Professors Andrew Hattersley and Sian Ellard. Employing state-of-the-art molecular genetics, the team have identified eight genetic causes of neonatal diabetes, and proved that the two commonest types are better treated with sulphonylurea tablets rather than insulin injections. Their work meant international guidelines for the diagnosis and care of these patients have been rewritten. Patients from over 60 countries now have a normal life on tablets when they expected to be on insulin for the rest of their life.

The Evliya Çelebi Way: tracking East-West relations Exeter Lead: Professor Gerald Maclean In 2009 Professor Gerald Maclean and his research team re-enacted the 40-day horseback journey from Istanbul on the route to Mecca undertaken by the celebrated Ottoman travel-writer Evliya Çelebi in 1671. Camping in rural areas along the route, the team built links with local communities to ensure the continuation of the Way as a tourist and cultural resource capable of delivering economic and heritage benefits to Turkey. Through public lectures, broadcasts, international exhibitions, translations of Evliya’s writings, and a guidebook to the Way, Maclean’s research raised public awareness of Ottoman history, prompting UNESCO to declare Çelebi ‘Man of the Year 2011’, and demonstrating the importance of travel-writing in promoting East-West understanding.

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Outstanding Regional Impact Exeter has a well established position within the South West, and delivers impact in many different ways. We have an estimated impact of over £275 million on the local economy, and are supporting regional initiatives such as the Exeter Science Park, Innovation Centre, and the Environment and Sustainability Institute in Cornwall.

e Redhayes Bridge, located over the M5, is part of the ongoing developed of the Exeter Science Park. is is one of the most significant investments in the South West and is due to open by 2013.

Encouraging writing for children and writing by children Exeter Leads: Professor Debra Myhill, Professor Helen Taylor, Dr Maeve Pearson and Dr Anthony Wilson Inspired by her work on children’s composing processes in writing, which highlighted the importance of talk in preparing to write, Professor Debra Myhill instigated Exeter’s first Children’s Literature Festival. EXE-treme Imagination celebrated writing for and by children, and involved over 10,000 children from across Devon. The festival included public performances from celebrated children’s authors such as Michael Morpurgo, author visits to local schools, short story and poetry competitions, storytelling sessions, theatre performances, and a public debate entitled After Hogwarts. The festival was the first major collaborative event of the University’s Arts and Culture Strategy, led by Professor Helen Taylor, with significant contributions from the English Department’s Dr Maeve Pearson and Heritage Collections’ Dr Christine Faunch.

Maximising the ecological value of coastal structures: why materials matter Exeter Leads: Dr Larissa Naylor and Dr Martin Coombes Researchers at Exeter led by Dr Larissa Naylor (Geography) have conducted some of the first studies globally into the way plants and animals colonise artificial coastal structures such as seawalls. These studies included investigating how the texture of materials like concrete affects colonisation by plants and animals, and how this colonisation can alter the physical properties of the structural materials. The findings from these studies have already influenced the design of a new £6.5 million flood defence scheme in Devon and led to Exeter being the lead partner in new national guidance on designing ecology into hard coastal structures.

Clear about carbon: supporting Cornwall’s transition to a low carbon economy Exeter Leads: Professor Annie Pye, Dr Fernando Correia, Dr Beverley Hawkins, Professor Mickey Howard and Simon Ramsay Clear About Carbon, a European Social Fund (ESF) Convergence project run by a research team from the University of Exeter Business School and regional partners, has been working with senior managers from organisations across Cornwall. The project helps to develop low carbon literacy and leadership and management skills within public sector procurement and private sector supply chains. The impact on the region has already been significant, with the NHS, the police service, educational institutions and private sector firms developing low carbon procurement policies, strategies and practices aimed at reducing their direct and indirect CO2 emissions.

The project has recently won the 2011 ESF Sustainable Development Specialist Project Leader Award.

e Environment and Sustainability Institute (ESI) is a £30 million interdisciplinary centre leading cutting-edge research into the consequences of environmental change and the mitigation and management of its effects.

Outstanding Regional Impact continued

Uncharted waters: leading the world in marine renewable energy Exeter Leads: Professor George Smith, Dr Lars Johanning, Dr Brendan Godley, Professor Michael Belmont and Dr Matthew Witt South West England is earning a reputation as a world leader in marine renewable energy thanks to research spanning the University’s College of Engineering, Mathematics and Physical Sciences and College of Life and Environmental Sciences. Through contributions to the development of Wave Hub, an offshore test facility for wave devices, and, in partnership with Cornwall Council, supporting development for peripheral regions of Europe, academics are dismantling the technical barriers to commercial success. Their expertise has created a unique commissioning site in Falmouth already attracting worldwide interest, bolstering the global competitiveness of South West-based companies, and potentially accelerating the route to market for the technologies.

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Outstanding Impact in Public Policy and Services Changing and informing public policy is a critical part of our research, and we have changed policy in the UK and far beyond. Our researchers participate in international panels on scientific research, provide evidence used in national white papers, brief ministers, and inform leaders of communities and policy making bodies throughout the world.

Major investment into healthcare research is taking place in Exeter, with a £19 million Centre for Translational Medicine recently announced. e Centre will focus on translating key medical research into personalised patient care.

A bad wrap: the hidden dangers of packaging Exeter Leads: Professor Tamara Galloway and Professor David Melzer A perfect scientific match has exposed the true risks posed to more than 95% of the global population by one of the most widely used chemicals in the world. Professor Tamara Galloway, an expert in the effects of pollutants on human health, and Professor David Melzer, an authority in identifying risk factors for chronic diseases, worked together to show bisphenol A (BPA), a substance found in plastic bottles and tinned foods, increases the possibility of cardiovascular illnesses and diabetes. After sustained media coverage, the US Food and Drug Administration promised to reduce BPA residues in food and the use of BPA in baby bottles was banned in the EU and Canada.

Creating brighter futures: working in partnership to reduce the effects of depression Exeter Leads: Professor Willem Kuyken, Professor Ed Watkins, Professor Eugene Mullan, Professor Dave Richards and Dr Catherine Gallop Over 121 million people worldwide suffer from depression, but a partnership between Psychology and the NHS is reducing the disease’s debilitating effects on human health and economic productivity. Through the development of new Cognitive Behavioural Therapy treatments, the Mood Disorders Centre (MDC) has been a key driver in a £700 million programme to provide access to treatment for every adult and child in England and revised national guidelines used by all Primary Care Trusts to treat depression. Its own clinic has treated 2,000 patients in Devon and MDC faculty have taught a number of training workshops based on the textbook and manuals that it created, in collaboration with other key professionals in the field, in Hong Kong and Australia.

A new £3.6 million facility backed by the Wellcome Trust will open soon to expand research into mood disorders.

Policy learning: appraising the quality of regulations Exeter Lead: Professor Claudio Radaelli How do policy-makers know their regulations are working? Historically, governments and organisations such as the World Bank, European Union and OECD have relied on standard principles and benchmarks to assess their impact. Now, research by Professor Claudio Radaelli and his team is leading a radical move away from ‘one-size-fits-all’ systems towards evaluation techniques which are sensitive to real-life circumstances, social mechanisms and learning processes across time and nations. As advisor to major UK and European governments, and through the dissemination of his insights to global policy and financial institutions, Professor Radaelli’s research is bringing about a fundamental shift in the way policies, laws and regulations are formed and assessed.

Photograph: Mark Biddle

e Food Security and Land Research Alliance tackles the world’s food security crisis, and was launched by the Universities of Exeter, Bristol, and Rothamsted Research (BBSRC) on 27 October 2011 in the House of Commons.

Outstanding Impact in Public Policy and Services continued

Reconstructing Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya Exeter Lead: Professor Gareth Stansfield Utilising his research on the political situation in Iraq after 2003, Professor Gareth Stansfield, Director of the Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies, has advised the British Army, the United Nations and energy giant Shell on the reconstruction of Iraq. Stanfield’s research has focused on three issues of concern in post-conflict Iraq: counter-insurgency, management of disputed territories, and the development of the fossil fuel sector. He has therefore been called on to help develop strategies for stabilising Iraq and advise on Kurdish-Arab issues and Iraqi politics; he is now applying the expertise gained in Iraq to the situations in Afghanistan and post-Ghaddafi Libya.

Cleaning up our act: the hormonal impact of chemical discharges on fish Exeter LeadS: Professor Charles Tyler, Dr Eduarda Santos, Dr Amy Filby, Dr Ronny van Aerle, Dr Anke Lange, Dr Patrick Hamilton, Dr Lisa Bickley, Dr Ok-Hyun Lee, Dr Greg Paull, Jan Shears Ground-breaking research into endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), led by Professor Charles Tyler, has helped clean up rivers around the world with an estimated saving to the UK economy around £60 million a year. Professor Tyler showed that EDCs from both domestic and industry sources can find their way into rivers, where they harm the reproductive capability of male fish. This led to a £40 million UK programme to remove EDCs from wastewater, helping to protect fish stocks and generate efficiency savings for industry. It has also influenced the development of OECD test guidelines for detecting EDCs and the EU’s REACH chemical registration programme and stands to continue delivering impact following major laboratory investment.

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The Bright Future Award

Photograph: Tim Pestridge

Exeter’s growth and expansion across its research disciplines is leading to many exciting developments. The Bright Future category sought to find researchers with the ideas most likely to change the world in coming years.

e Geoffrey Pope Building on Streatham Campus enables our researchers to conduct leading research across biosciences disciplines, with recent investment and refurbishment totalling £26 million.

Shedding new light on dementia Exeter Lead: Dr David Llewellyn By conducting the first study discovering a link between low vitamin D levels and cognitive decline in the elderly, a team of medical researchers led by Dr David Llewellyn may have uncovered a simple way to treat people at risk of dementia. Vitamin D protects the brain and is naturally produced by our bodies on exposure to sunlight, but this process becomes less efficient with age, leading to low levels. With funding from the US Alzheimer’s Association the team is now conducting studies to investigate whether vitamin D supplements offer a cheap and effective way to protect against dementia.

Helping Shell fuel the future Exeter Leads: Professor John Love, Professor Steve Aves, Dr Clive Butler and Professor Nick Smirnoff Over the past seven years, the Exeter Microbial Biofuels Group (EMBG), led by Professor John Love, has helped Shell develop a thriving and innovative biofuels research programme. With over seven years of continuous funding from Shell, the EMBG employs a multidisciplinary combination of advanced technologies to investigate the molecular and metabolic pathways responsible for hydrocarbon production in bacteria, yeast and algae. The ultimate aim of this research is to develop economic ‘drop-in’ biofuels that are chemically identical to fossil fuels. Shell and the EMBG have established a close working relationship, with the work conducted by the EMBG influencing the direction of Shell’s bioenergy development strategy.

Improving weather and climate predictions Exeter Lead: Professor John Thuburn Accurate weather forecasts benefit the agriculture, transport, construction and other sectors, and are worth an estimated £600 million a year to the UK economy. Longer term climate prediction is vital to the development of effective policies to mitigate against and adapt to climate change.

Underpinning these predictions are complex computer codes that solve the equations of atmospheric fluid dynamics. Professor John Thuburn, from the University’s College of Engineering, Mathematics and Physical Sciences, is working with the Met Office to deliver ENDGame, the next-generation code designed to increase accuracy and efficiency. ENDGame could be operational as early as 2013.

Our Centre for Graphene Science, joint funded by the University of Bath and EPSRC, is researching a material which could revolutionise technology.

The Bright Future Award continued

Hydrogen Sulfide: kicking up more than just a stink Exeter Leads: Professor Matt Whiteman and Dr Mark Wood Most of us probably regard hydrogen sulfide (H2S) as a bad egg. After all, that’s the smell it gives off when used in a stink-bomb. But it does have other uses – some potentially world-changing. By developing a novel set of compounds to boost the power of mitochondria – the cellular equivalent of a car engine – up to 10,000-fold, the University’s Peninsula College of Medicine & Dentistry and department of Biosciences are using H2S to prevent disease and guard against global food shortages. These compounds could potentially be used to combat arthritis, cardiovascular conditions such as high blood pressure and strokes, metabolic diseases like diabetes and obesity and neurodegenerative illnesses including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, as well as increasing crop yields.

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Student Impact

Photograph: George Taylor, Drift MTB

Exeter has nearly 18,000 students, all of whom deliver their own impact in many unique ways. Whether through going on to participate in groundbreaking research, transform an organisation through a Knowledge Transfer Partnership, or develop and run their own business, our students and alumni have many success stories.

George Taylor, a University alumnus and co-founder of Drift MTB won a Smart Solutions award in 2010 for his Fork Armour and has received support from the University’s Innovation Centre.

The Heart of Borneo Project: conservation, sustainability and community empowerment Exeter students: Tim van Berkel and Martin Holland In 2010 students Martin Holland and Tim van Berkel organised and led an 18-strong expedition to Borneo to document the flora and fauna of Bukit Batikap Nature Reserve, one of the most remote, biodiverse and threatened rainforests on earth. The quality of the scientific research and pioneering use of interactive communications, through which exciting discoveries were shared in real time with a worldwide audience, brought numerous awards, extensive media coverage, and the accolade of ‘Expedition of the Year’. The expedition’s work continues through the Heart of Borneo Project, a UK charity focusing on the processes that regulate biodiversity, and empowering local communities to achieve sustainability and conserve biodiversity in their fragile environment.

Weather forecasting for livestock disease Exeter students: Laura Burgin Supervisor: Dr Suraje Dessai and Professor Tim Quine By incorporating experimental data on the transport of midges by the wind into an atmospheric dispersion model, Geography PhD candidate Laura Burgin helped to save the UK farming industry £500 million and protect 10,000 jobs. Burgin developed an early warning system that provided a daily assessment of the risk that midges carrying the important livestock disease bluetongue would be blown into the UK from infected areas of Europe. This system provided advance warning of the first UK bluetongue outbreak in 2007, and was subsequently used to help control the outbreak and design a vaccination programme that has prevented any further outbreaks.

Improving flood control with computational fluid dynamics Exeter student: Dr Daniel Jarman Supervisors: Professor David Butler, Professor Bob Andoh and Dr Gavin Tabor As part of a Knowledge Transfer Project with Hydro International, a UK wastewater technology company, PhD engineering student Daniel Jarman successfully used computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to assess the effectiveness of the company’s new line of vortex flow control (VFC) units. These units harness and direct the power of swirling flows generated by storm and flood water; using CFD techniques, Jarman was able to simulate these complex flows and develop an accurate empirical model of a VFC unit. This work helped the new VFC units gain official accreditation and has encouraged Hydro International to use CFD in its future product development.

University of Exeter students create impact in many ways, from innovative student start-ups to CASE (Collaborative Awards in Science and Engineering) partnerships between PhD candidates and businesses.

Student Impact continued

The Ivor Gurney papers: the restoration of a cultural legacy Exeter student: Philip Lancaster Supervisor: Professor Tim Kendall Ivor Gurney, English poet and composer of the early 20th century, was a genius, much of whose creative output has been sadly neglected. Musician and English Literature PhD Philip Lancaster has restored Gurney’s legacy by creating an online catalogue of his archive, including literary and musical works. Working with the Ivor Gurney Estate, Gloucestershire Archives, the WWI Digital Poetry Archive, record companies, publishers and concert promoters, Lancaster has discovered, edited and brought to publication and performance forgotten poems, essays and unheard musical works. Gurney’s reputation as a great ‘Son of Gloucester’ has been revitalised, and a resource of immeasurable value to the world of English poetry and music is rendered accessible to all.

Testing times: increasing the accuracy of diabetes diagnosis Exeter student: Tim McDonald Supervisors: Professor Andrew Hattersley and Professor Sian Ellard Only three years into his PhD, Tim McDonald has already increased the accuracy of diabetes diagnoses in the UK. As the only biochemist in the Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry’s diabetes team, Tim developed a urine test to identify sufferers of monogenic diabetes, who are often misdiagnosed with more common type 1 or type 2 diabetes. The test is now routine across the Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust and also receives referred samples from over 40 different hospitals across the UK. Tim’s work has also fed into a wider university project expected to inform national guidelines that will help find the missing thousands of patients living with a rare form of diabetes.

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Thank you for attending the Exeter Impact Awards The inaugural Exeter Impact Awards Gala Dinner celebrates the diverse range of research taking place across the University of Exeter.

The Exeter Impact Awards recognise successes in knowledge exchange, collaborative working and partnership, which have led to benefits for the wider economy and society.

If you would like to find out more about any of these research projects, please contact us: Research and Knowledge Transfer University of Exeter (Streatham Campus) Innovation Centre Phase 2, Rennes Drive, Exeter, Devon EX4 4RN UK Phone: +44 (0) 1392 723456 Email: rkt@exeter.ac.uk

Fax: +44 (0) 1392 723686 Web: www.exeter.ac.uk/research

Research and Knowledge Transfer University of Exeter (Cornwall Campus) Peter Lanyon Building, Penryn, Cornwall TR10 9EZ UK Phone: +44 (0) 1326 371881 Email: rkt@exeter.ac.uk

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