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. 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:
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.