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Research undertaken at the Centre for Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities(CIDD), has significantly impacted upon:
The adoption of hydrogen and fuel cell systems provides one solution to fossil fuel depletion, security of energy supplies and sustainability concerns. However, safety is a key technological barrier to the hydrogen economy. The technological impact of this case study is the adoption of research outcomes, from work undertaken by the Hydrogen Safety Engineering and Research centre (HySAFER), Built Environment Research Institute into international regulations, codes, and standards (namely Commission Regulation (EU) No.406/2010, and the international ISO/TR15916), and development of novel safety strategies, guidance, protocols, and engineering solutions supported by significant external research funding.
This case study demonstrates that the Transitional Justice Institute (TJI) peace process research has substantially impacted on key stakeholders in multiple conflicted and post-conflict states. Impacts include developing sustained relationships with public officials to inform policymaking, making recommendations for legal changes, capacity building with local non-governmental organisations (NGOs) on peace process issues and addressing conflict-related abuses, informing public debate, and raising awareness of international and comparative legal standards among local judiciaries subsequently applied in their work. Impacts have benefited a range of users and contributed to growing sensitivity to victims' needs in conflict resolution.
(1) Enhancing the awareness of (i) women of childbearing age suffering from epilepsy and prescribed new and/or older generation AEDs, and (ii) their healthcare professionals. Empowering both to make informed decisions through evidence-based practice that will reduce/prevent the risk of harm to unborn children potentially exposed to AEDs in early pregnancy.
(2) A change in the process by which GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) practices post-marketing epidemiological surveillance of the new generation AED `lamotrigine' in pregnancy.
(3) Benefit to the methodological practice of other researchers in Europe involved with AEDs and epidemiological surveillance
(4) Contribution to building European system for reproductive safety evaluation
This case study concerns the long term (energy) sustainability of emerging winemaking regions. Underpinning research in energy efficiency and renewable technologies informs the case study in determining energy usage and benchmarks, development of energy guidelines/policy, implementation by national professional bodies and adoption of energy best practice by the local industry. Impact is through the adoption and application of benchmarks by winemaking associations, directly influencing (through policy, regulations and standards) the energy expended in making wine. The study is underpinned by international publishing accolades (Solar Energy `Best Full Length Paper in Photovoltaics', Mondol et al, 2005) and a highly prestigious personal Royal Academy of Engineering Global Research Award to Smyth.
Research undertaken at the University of Ulster has had a global impact on public health advice about fish consumption during pregnancy. Ulster's international collaborative research has been used by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations and the World Health Organization (WHO), and also by industry, to promote greater fish consumption during pregnancy. The work has also been evaluated by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) in its assessment of the public health risk of methyl-mercury in food.
We addressed a serious mismatch between increasing rates of autism diagnosis across Europe and the shortage of professionals skilled in effective treatment provided by Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA; www.bacb.com). A parent-lead charity (PEAT) was established in N. Ireland (www.peatni.org); teams from 7 European countries adapted our multimedia training resources (www.stamppp.com); Masters and Certificate level courses were established. Government documents informing policy in Scotland and New Zealand were corrected. Schools and charities in the Republic of Ireland, Poland, and Portugal, and other Masters level courses subsequently appeared in Ireland (http://tinyurl.com/cxpo66m). Simple Steps NI Ltd. was established involving PEAT and Manleys (http://www.manleys.co.uk).
During the conflict, community relations work had low strategic importance. Morrow et al (1997) demonstrated that the absence of an overarching conceptual framework stifled government policy and so subsequently developed a ground breaking model of community relations engagement to be mainstreamed into government policy (around equity, diversity and interdependence). Following two major government reviews of community relations in 2002 and 2003-5, these research findings were adopted as central to public policy and resource allocation, and reconfigured as `A Shared Future'.
Since 2008, the core concepts of Morrow et al's work have been explicitly integrated into the vision and values of many policies and practices around reconciliation, community relations and a shared future demonstrating a continuing, cascading impact at local, regional, national, European and international levels.
Research has linked employee wellbeing to employee motivation and engagement, which can in turn drive increases in productivity and improved levels of product/service delivery. This case study illustrates how academic research and enterprise-based activity, through a university spinout company, has helped to create a significant positive impact on promoting and improving employee wellbeing. This has been achieved across a variety of national and international organisations, including several high profile private and public organisations, involving over 50,000 employees across Europe. This has resulted in a number of positive outcomes such as national and international awards in the area of HR as well as increased employee engagement and reduced employee absenteeism.
The retail industry and its supply chain represents the largest private sector employer in Northern Ireland and is a major employer across Europe. With the vast majority of enterprises in the retail supply chain being small in size, they traditionally lack sufficient resources, formal procedures and expertise to effectively develop new market opportunities. Our research focuses on how SMEs in the retail supply chain can develop a strong market orientation. This industry-focused research has had a direct impact on a range of beneficiaries, through the development of new products, services and networks for SMEs, and a significant contribution to policy development and implementation.