Celebrate Changemaking through research

Students, staff and members of the community can recognise the work of their University Changemaker champions as nominations for the annual award ceremony have opened.  This year, research students and early career researchers, who are involved in research that contributes to the University’s four changemaker challenges, could scoop an award in recognition of their work.

The Changemaker PGR/ECR Researcher of the Year Award is open for anyone currently undertaking a research degree at the University, as well as staff who have been awarded their research degree by the University of Northampton within the last five calendar years.

Changemaker is the University of Northampton initiative which focuses on staff and students finding solutions to environmental or social problems to improve people’s lives, either at home or abroad.

The Changemaker awards recognise the most innovative and impactful projects and showcase the achievements of staff, students and community members as a celebration of Changemaking in the local community, nationally and globally.

Anthony Stepniak, Students’ Union Research Officer, said: “The aim of this new award is to celebrate, champion and recognise the fantastic impact-rich and innovative research happening across the University, which align to one or more of the changemaker challenges. The changemaker challenges have been developed to focus the University activity to create real impact around the following four areas, Education, Health & Wellbeing, Heritage & Culture and Business & Enterprise. This award is a very exciting prospect for the PGR community at Northampton, I’m excited to see what nominations we receive.”

Wray Irwin, Head of University Centre for Employability and Engagement said: “I’m absolutely delighted that led by Anthony, the Research community have developed and launched this Changemaker Researcher Award. The role of Research is central to Changemaking and it is great that this year we will be recognising the contribution Northampton’s vibrant Postgraduate researchers and early-career research community makes to Transforming Lives and Inspiring Change.”

Nominations – are open now, until Friday 24 November. The nomination form will be emailed out to all PGR’S / ECR’s and Supervisors and that nomination forms should be sent to changemaker.research@northampton.ac.uk.

For full details of these categories and the criteria for each of them, visit the Changemaker Awards webpage where you can also read about all nominees and winners from the last four years.