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This case study refers to research on British drinking cultures and alcohol policy carried out by James Nicholls, Reader in Media and Social Policy, Department of Film and Media Production/HCI (2004-September 2012). In this role, Nicholl's research and his public engagement contributed to shaping the UoA's research reference frame of cultural behaviour, cultural practice and public policy (see Ref5). Following the publication of his book, The Politics of Alcohol (2009) Nicholls developed as a specialist advisor involved in the analysis and planning of alcohol policy at national and regional levels. His work and influence has been cited in key policy documents (including the House of Commons Health Select Committee Report, Alcohol: First Report of Session 2009-10 HC151-1) in 2010. This work has subsequently helped to shape regional and national alcohol policy in both England and Scotland. This case study provides evidence of this impact in regard to the following areas:
The Royal Albert Memorial Museum and Art Gallery in Exeter was completely redeveloped 2007-2011. Lalic was commissioned to make and permanently install three paintings related to her extensive Colour and Metal group for negotiated sites integral to the remodelled building. Through these paintings the large audience at RAMM, and beyond, gained an understanding of the relationship between the site, colour, pigment and metal. This includes an understanding of innovations in contemporary painting, of how painting might relate to the environment, an awareness of landscape as having a material history, of the development and significance of this extensive series of works and, in the Museum, the relation between the works by Lalic and other works in the collections and on exhibition.
Harrison makes public sculptural installations using and referencing the processes of firing clay in live public experiments that draw on, and become metaphors for, socio-political events. A Residency at the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A), London (October 2012-March 2013) enabled Harrison to bring the process and methods of these innovative time-based works (developed since 2002) to a larger public, including those in education at all levels and professional audiences, transforming attitudes, knowledge and understanding of the ceramics field, and contributing to significant economic impact via visitor numbers and practical workshops. The V&A has c1.6million visitors in any six-month period, 50,000 school trips, and a substantial online audience.
This study focuses on the impact of the controversial and polemical research of Professor John Newsinger, whose popular multi-layered Marxist approach to modern British political history has provided an intellectual framework that has served to inform sceptical Leftist public discourse and enhance public understanding in Britain and beyond. Professor Newsinger's framework exposes the violence that exists at the heart of empires and challenges triumphal readings of 20th century British history. His work has had a wide range of political, economic, societal and educational impact.
This case study demonstrates the application of Joe Bennett's research into strategies for quantifying, observing and analysing creative processes used by songwriters. Impact has been achieved through three researcher-practitioners at the University — Bennett himself, plus Davey Ray Moor and Richard Parfitt. The research has been disseminated outside of academia through the publicly accessible workshops at the UK Songwriting Festival and Burnsong, which have received national media coverage (BBC, Sunday Times) and attracted participants from all over the world. The research has also had an impact in the commercial music industry through Bennett's forensic musicology songwriting consultancy reports, which have been used by music publishers and law courts in the settlement of songwriter copyright disputes. Summaries of the research have been presented to a non-academic music audience via international print publication (Total Guitar Magazine). Practitioners connected with the research (Moor and Parfitt) have achieved top 10 hits and international music publication for non-academic audiences.
The Centre for Research into Inclusion and Vulnerable Learners' research on dyslexia and multilingualism in schools (Tilly Mortimore, Mim Hutchings and Anny Northcote) has influenced the public policy of several Local Authorities in England and of the South African Association of Learning Differences (SAALED), through which it has also impacted upon the practice of teachers, psychologists and facilitators in both countries. Mortimore's research on dyslexia and learning style in higher education is part of her wider body of research in this field which has influenced the curriculum and policies of several UK universities, and has also made an impact upon the policy and training offered by professional associations such as the British Dyslexia Association (BDA) and Professional Association of Teachers with SpLD (PATOSS).
The Improving Science Together (IST) project developed pupils' enquiry skills, teachers' assessment and curriculum continuity across the primary-secondary transfer in 24 schools. This research had an impact upon public policy through its inclusion on the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) website as a case study supporting government guidance on primary-secondary transfer. Its impact upon practitioners in the project schools and authorities has been to change their practice in science enquiry assessment and primary-secondary transfer; it has a continuing wider impact on the work of teachers and trainees across the UK and internationally through web-based materials and training.
Professor Joseph Hyde's research explores the role of music and sound in a broader performing/digital arts context, through installation and performance works using interactive technologies. Impact is generated through active participation by audience members as a way to embody the research. This work often engages a broader audience than purely music/sound work, reaching the wider arts, creative industries, education and science/engineering communities. Two recent projects illustrate this. me and my shadow was commissioned by MADE, a European Commission-funded initiative exploring mobility for digital arts. It ran simultaneously in London, Paris, Brussels and Istanbul, and formed the basis for a European Commission White Paper. danceroom Spectroscopy was a collaborative arts/science crossover project, which attracted attention in both arts and science communities. Both projects attracted substantial funding (c. €400,000 and £165,000 respectively), reached large audiences (5000 and 20,000 physical attendees) and had wide press coverage.
Tessa Hadley's, novels and stories have reached a public audience, been listed for prizes, and led to prominent literary journalism, public debate, and appointments to prize-awarding panels. Hadley's work is an example of the cultural and economic impact of the Creative Writing research community at BSU, which includes novelists, poets, dramatists and non-fiction writers, who have reached public audiences, contributed to public literary culture through journalism, broadcasting and award-judging, and contributed to the economic viability of publishing and related industries. Hadley exemplifies the strategy of using the research base to enhance the quality of published creative writing and literary debate.
Professor Iftikhar Malik's research on the cultural and political history of South Asia has informed public discourse in the UK, and has been particularly influential in informing British and EU policy and practice in Pakistan. This has resulted from Malik's involvement in the briefing of British diplomats and the training of EU officials, including election monitors for Pakistan, 2007-13.