IAA Case Studies
In 2010, Lancaster University was awarded nearly £50,000 from the EPSRC Pathways to Impact Awards to embed knowledge exchange and impact activities as part of the "normal business" in research grants.
The budget was made available to researchers to try and catalyse a step change in academic behaviour and better embed impact-relevant activities capitalising on the knowledge generated from research grants at Lancaster University. It was also aimed at encouraging investigators to try out new, creative KE activities. Nine projects were funded and details of these are shown below:
Project Title | Investigators/Department | Funding/£k |
|---|
Investigator training programme for policing online paedophile activity | Prof. A Rashid,
School of Computing and Communications | £6k
+ £8k from LU |
Flood Snakes and Ladders: developing an interactive toolkit for training and professional development | Dr W Medd/ DR R Whittle/H Deeming, Lancaster Environment Centre | £4.5k |
Graphene dissemination/workshop | Prof. V Falko,
Department of Physics | £7k |
Continuing the research on nonlinear estimation methods and group object tracking | Dr M Mihaylova,
School of Computing and Communications | £4.8k |
Proof-of-concept: Magnetic decontamination of drinking water supplies | Prof B Maher, Lancaster Environment Centre/ Prof R Tucker, Department of Physics | £2.3k |
Design for Flexibility and Change within health providers | Prof. R Cooper, Daniela Sangiorgi,
Lancaster Institute for the Contemporary Arts | £5k |
e-Investigator – Exploring the commercial development of an immersive simulation for investigative training and game entertainment | Prof. T. Ormerod & Dr. C. Dando,
Department of Psychology | £6k |
Handbook of best practice in model driven engineering | Prof. J Whittle,
School of Computing and Communications | £7k |
Geo-magnetically induced current hazards workshop | Dr J Wild,
Department of Physics | £4k |
An Investigator Training Programme for Policing Online Paedophile Activity
Professor Awais Rashid – School of Computing and Communications
The impact award funding was used for the development and delivery of an Investigator Training Programme centred on the software tools developed within the EPSRC funded Isis project. These tools enable police to analyse the large amounts of chat data from social networking sites to apprehend online child sex offenders. The funding was also used to purchase and setup ready-for-trial computers that would be deployed at law enforcement agencies for trials in day-to-day investigative settings.
Flood Snakes and Ladders: developing an interactive toolkit for training and professional development
Dr Will Medd, Dr Rebecca Whittle, Dr Hugh Deeming – Lancaster Environment Centre
The impact award funding was combined with funding from the UK Cabinet Office for a number of activities. Outputs included an upgraded version of the ‘Flood Snakes and Ladders’ flood recovery training tool, complete with facilitator’s notes and discussion resources which is available for download from the project website .In addition, a comprehensive review of the National Recovery Guidance (NRG) including learning and recommendations from the two Hull Flood Studies was conducted.
Graphene Dissemination/Workshop
Professor Vladimir Falko – Department of Physics
The impact award funding was used to develop new functional graphene-based devices through direct knowledge transfer to the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) Ltd. Graphene is an atomically thin crystal of carbon which is stronger than steel but flexible, is transparent for light and conducts electricity. Through visits and knowledge exchange, researchers at Lancaster and NPL are, now developing a commercially viable fundamental resistance standard using epitaxial graphene grown on SiC and graphene-based programmable non-volatile memory devices.
Continuing the research on nonlinear estimation methods and group object tracking
Dr Mila Mihaylova – School of Computing and Communications
The impact award funding enabled publication of further papers in advanced techniques for single and group object tracking by processing the sensor data. Object tracking algorithms are important across a number of application areas such intelligent transportation systems, robotics, navigation, positioning and communication systems .The funding also provided the opportunity to collaborate with QinetiQ, who are interested in group object tracking when there are potentially thousands of targets , such as rescue operations after natural disasters.
Proof-of-concept: Magnetic decontamination of drinking water supplies
Professor Barbara Maher – Lancaster Environment Centre, Professor Robin Tucker – Department of Physics
The impact funding was used to build a novel, prototype process for using synthetic magnetic compounds (‘Magimix’) for the decontamination of drinking water supplies. Two types of experimental flow rig were constructed to exploit the properties of magnetically-coated nanoparticles for removal of contaminants (such as dissolved organic carbon) from water). Through the development of these protoypes, researchers developed new collaborations with several of the UK’s water companies such as United Utilities, Thames Water, Scottish Water, Yorkshire Water, and Northumbrian Water.
Design for Flexibility and Change within health providers
Professor Rachel Cooper and Dr Daniela Sangiorgi – Lancaster Institute for the Contemporary Arts
The impact funding was used to fund an event to disseminate the ‘Design for Flexibility and Change within Healthcare providers’ research findings with the two main audiences of the project – GPs and designers – by engaging with their main representative bodies (the Royal College of GPs and the Design Council). The half day workshop aimed at bringing together the two audiences to explore how GP commissioning could benefit from design and what designers should know to better engage with healthcare commissioning.
e-Investigator – Exploring the commercial development of an immersive simulation for investigative training and game entertainment
Professor Thomas Ormerod and Dr Coral Dando – Department of Psychology
The impact funding was used to develop a web-based demonstrator of the-Investigator game and piloted in a study of repeat play involving 60 participants undertaking game play over a two-day session. The study demonstrated the feasibility of distributed game play and also confirmed its engaging nature. Staff from Cato Consultants Ltd were able to undertake a one-week placement with the e-Investigator project team to contribute to prototype development.
Handbook of best practice in model driven engineering
Professor Jon Whittle – School of Computing and Communications
The impact funding was used to disseminate the results of a previous EPSRC funded project beyond an academic audience. The initial project brought together computer scientists, social scientists and psychologists to understand the factors that affect success and/or failure of the software development technique known as model-driven engineering (MDE). Dissemination was achieved through writing a book, the first of its kind, which outline a set of practical guidelines on how companies should adopt MDE.
Geo-magnetically induced current hazards workshop
Dr Jim Wild – Department of Physics
The impact funding was used to support a knowledge exchange workshop, “Geomagnetically Induced Current Hazards”which attracted numerous delegates from both academia and industry. The primary objective of the workshop was to build upon recent Lancaster research and lead in the formation of collaborative links between scientists researching the risks to national power grids posed by geomagnetically induced currents, the power engineering industry, and policy makers. Funding enabled the essential “critical mass” of interested parties to be brought together for round-table discussions that would not have been possible in small groups or a one-to-one setting.