Learn about the Nomination Process for 2023

This award will recognise academic staff with a significant track record of outstanding research and who have shown leadership in supporting or enabling others to deliver high quality research. Three awards will be granted in this category, one for each Faculty.

This award will recognise a team of academic staff who together have delivered exceptional interdisciplinary research that spans across departments and/or faculties

This award will recognise academic staff at an early stage of their independent career who have produced outstanding research and demonstrate strong future potential. An Early Career Researcher is an individual who is within 8 years of the award of their PhD or equivalent professional training, or an individual who is within 5 years of their first academic appointment (whichever is the lesser time). These durations exclude any period of career break, e.g. for family care or health reasons. The ‘first academic appointment’ is defined as the first paid contract of employment, either full-time or part-time, which lists research and/or teaching as the primary functions. The award of PhD is defined at the point of successful PhD viva.  There will be three awards for this category (one for each Faculty) 

This award will recognise academic staff who are mid-career and who are producing outstanding research. There will be three awards for this category (one for each Faculty).

This award will recognise University of Essex research conducted primarily by an Early Career Researcher that has contributed to the development of knowledge and know-how that is of tangible value to non-academic partners in a variety of sectors. An Early Career Researcher is an individual who is within 8 years of the award of their PhD or equivalent professional training, or an individual who is within 5 years of their first academic appointment (whichever is the lesser time). These durations exclude any period of career break, e.g. for family care or health reasons. The ‘first academic appointment’ is defined as the first paid contract of employment, either full-time or part-time, which lists research and/or teaching as the primary functions. The award of PhD is defined at the point of successful PhD viva. Three awards will be granted in this category (one for each academic Faculty).

This award will recognise University of Essex research that has contributed to the development of UK public policy at the local, regional, or national government level. This could include direct changes in policy, changes to how decision-makers view issues and the development of more effective and efficient practice by professionals or the users of public services. Entries should be supported by evidence that the research has been taken up and used by policymakers and public service practitioners.

This award will recognise impact at an international level across countries in business, policy or societal issues. Impact nominated for this category can be within a single country provided that country is not the UK, or can be in more than one country. Impact nominated for this category can include cases where impacts straddle the UK and other countries or impacts on the work of international agencies. The judges are particularly keen to encourage applications highlighting research impact for developing and transitioning societies.

This award will recognise research that has a broad range of benefits to workers, freelancers, entrepreneurs, SMEs, businesses, and the economy. Projects nominated for this award could also include those that benefit social and community enterprises. Impact could also include benefit to a group of enterprises or a sector through innovation, change in practice or management structures, or utilisation of new skills and training. Impact in this category can be within any country or within multiple countries, and the businesses that benefit from the nominated project can be national or international.

This award will recognise research which contributes to creative and cultural not-for-profit organisations, enterprises, and policy bodies, or to benefit society through culture and the arts. Impact can include change to policy and practice of museums, galleries, and other cultural institutions, and impact in the creative economy. Impact in this category can be within any country or within multiple countries.

This award will recognise a technician or technical team who have offered outstanding support for or contribution to: a research project; or overall research environment within a department.

This award will recognise a member of or team from Professional Services who have offered outstanding support for or contribution to:  research within the institution; a research project; or overall research environment.