Research and enterprise
The University of Essex consistently ranks in the UK’s top ten universities
for its overall research quality. The international quality of our research
was recognised by the Research Assessment Exercise 2008 with 22 per cent of
our research rated at 'world-leading' and more than 90 per cent recognised
internationally for its quality.
The Faculty of Science and Engineering has around 200 academic staff,
publishing about 700-peer reviewed papers and other publications per year,
and over £10 million in research income. Our research is funded by bodies
including the EU, EPSRC, NERC, the Wellcome Trust and national and local
charities. Research is based in departments and centres, with Research
Directors leading on support for early career researchers.
Our scientists and engineers are active in the University-wide
Global Challenges
initiative which focuses University research capacity on four major problems
facing the world. Researchers within our Ageing and Assisted Living Network are working on lifelong health and healthy ageing, age-related disease and assisted living,
developing new tools and technologies which enable the elderly, disabled and those with long-term conditions to live independent lives.We also work with industry and government, from
multinationals such as BT to regional health organisations - whilst we
continue to encourage curiosity-driven, discipline based research.
Some examples of our research include:
Heart Research Funding: The University is part of a £175,000 research project funded by the British Heart Foundation (BHF) into heart
disease. Working with scientists from the University of Warwick and Aston University Birmingham, the team from Essex, led by Professor Chris Reynolds, will research a small protein in the heart and circulatory system
which could feed into future research to develop new medicine for cardiovascular disease.
Exer-gaming - a new approach to rehabilitation: Researchers at the University of Essex have found that the Nintendo Wii Fit can prove an effective
method of helping improve the mobility of elderly people who are recurrent fallers.
New partnership with charity to help develop robotic wheelchair: A project to design a high performance low-cost robotic wheelchair at the University of Essex has
received a £10,000 boost from the Colchester Catalyst Charity.
Dose of
nature is good for you: The University has proved the mental
and physical health benefits of exercising outdoors in rural and green
areas.
Mission
to reinvent the internet: Scientists at Essex have teamed up
with the University of Southampton for a major £7.2 million research project
that will aim to transform the internet.
Conserving Corals: The University’s flagship Coral Reef
Research Unit has opened a unique, tropical aquarium to address issues key
to the survival of the world’s coral reefs and is featured in a
podcast
on National Environment Research Council's website PlanetEarth online
Playing music just by thinking: A ground-breaking collaboration
between scientists from the University of Essex and the University of
Plymouth could have a real impact on improving the quality of life of people
who are trapped by their severe disability.
Looking on
the bright side: Scientists from the Department of Psychology
discovered that people who always see their glass as half full have a
genetically driven tendency to do so. Research led by Professor Elaine Fox
identified a genetic variation which is powerfully linked to a tendency to
selective avoid negative images and to pay attention to positive
information.
Children
becoming weaker says research: A worrying new study, published
in journal of child health Acta Paediatrica, has found that childre’s
strength is in decline.
Looking
for early clues to breast cancer: Scientists from the
Department of Biological Sciences have received a £205,000 grant from Cancer
Research UK to investigate the early reversible changes in the genes
associated with breast cancer development.