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The Rylands Cairo Genizah Project has had impact through its conservation, presentation, and interpretation of an internationally important archive of manuscripts which illuminate all aspects of the history, and the religious, social, and commercial life of the Jews in the Levant from the 9th to the 19th centuries. This collection is of deep interest to the Jewish community in the UK and abroad, and forms part of the cultural capital of this country, where the vast bulk of it is now housed. The project has also had an impact on heritage experts, by developing methods which have been applied to recording and disseminating other cultural assets.
The lasting impact of Professor Prag's work on facial reconstruction is that it has become a vital tool for archaeologists, helping them to understand the past better. Facial reconstruction now plays a major role in many museum exhibitions around the world and the techniques developed in Manchester have increased public interest in past civilizations. An important aspect in the reconstruction process is the ability to work across disciplines to produce a complete picture. Manchester has pioneered this method of collaborative working with some ground-breaking results. The facial recognition methods established by Professor Prag continue to impact on archaeological and museum practices around the world to bring history truly to life.
Three research projects emerging from audio materials in the University of Edinburgh's Scottish Studies Archives (SSA) and from the Greig-Duncan folksong collection have forged a new understanding of the role of tradition in Scotland and internationally. These projects contribute to the reanimation of Scotland's rich traditional heritage by transferring into a contemporary context music and song preserved in these cultural artefacts. Through our websites (since 2010 ca. 9,000 hits per month from 98 different countries), public performances in Scotland, Ireland and North America, educational packages, CDs and radio broadcasts (ca. 50,000 weekly listeners 2008-13) we combine the old with the new, and have thus influenced the way the cultural and educational professions, performers and the general public engage with the traditional arts of Scotland.
Bangor University's publications on medieval Arthurian literature c. 1350-1550, in particular on French and English medieval romances, have impacted on the local, national and international cultural life and heritage, economic prosperity of local tourist attractions, the enhancement of the theatrical audience experience (the Royal Shakespeare Company) and creative practice (King Arthur's Labyrinth). Dr Radulescu's work was vital to international TV and radio programmes on the Arthurian legend, and in 2011-13 to the development and enhancement of reading materials for the educated general public and developments in creative writing.
For decades Jodrell Bank has been a world-leader in both radio astronomy research and public engagement with science. The Lovell Telescope in particular, whilst still remaining one of the world's foremost active research instruments, has become an icon for UK science and engineering. In this case study we show how Jodrell Bank research has had a significant impact on society, culture and creativity, including economic impacts of tourism, educational impacts from engagement with schools, and cultural and creative impacts in television, music and the arts. Our approach to delivering this impact is varied and wide-ranging but a key vehicle is the Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre. The Centre has a significant impact on the regional economy and has attracted 496,000 visitors (including 43,000 school pupils) to engage with our research over the REF period Jan 2008-Jul 2013.
The development of the chemistry of Selectfluor® (F-TEDA-BF4) has resulted in this Manchester-discovered reagent becoming the world's most widely used commercial electrophilic fluorinating agent to introduce fluorine into a range of pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals. Annual worldwide production is ca. 25 tonnes and sales estimated to be US$7.5m. Selectfluor is used in the synthesis of fluticasone, a fluorinated corticosteroid which is the active ingredient in GSK's Advair ($3.6bn sales in 2010) used in the treatment of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease symptoms; top 25 selling drugs Flixonase, Flixotide, Flonase, Flovent HFA and Advair Diskus which had total sales of over $17bn between 2009-2012.
Research by Oxford scholars on ancient Macedon has played a significant role in promoting public knowledge of this important kingdom [text removed for publication]. The beneficiaries of this research on Macedonia are [text removed for publication] members of the public, both in the UK and abroad, who have had their historical knowledge and understanding enriched through contact with research on Macedonia in written form and at museums [text removed for publication]. This impact has been achieved in a number of ways through a major museum exhibition, through public lectures and popular histories, and through accessible scholarly publications. This research has also had a significant economic impact.
The Compulsive Exercise Test (CET) and Loughborough Eating disorders Activity Programme (LEAP) are the world's first clinical assessment tool and intervention designed to assess and treat compulsive exercise among eating disorder patients. These advances have changed the way in which services now assess their patients and deliver treatment. They are currently in use by in excess of 52 specialist eating disorder services globally, including the vast majority of specialist services in the UK (a minimum of 520 patients treated to date). As well as delivering an assessment tool and manual, the impact also includes training of circa 600 clinicians and sports specialists.
Manchester research on differential protection, synchronised using the global positioning system (GPS), has opened up a radically new approach to protection and integrity of electrical transmission networks. The research has led to updating of international technical guides and international standards. In the UK, National Grid has implemented policies based on the research, which will save about £0.5m per annum in substation upgrade costs. The market for GPS synchronised differential protection products is £400m pa globally. This figure represents the "insurance premium" against the avoided cost of a power system failure, estimated in a report on the North-East USA blackout to be $6bn in economic cost and 11 directly attributable deaths.
This research has had a significant impact on raising the profile of the Polish born composer Mieczysław Weinberg. Prior to Professor Fanning's work little was known in the West about this composer's extensive musical output and his music was rarely performed. Professor Fanning's research has enhanced public and professional awareness of the music of Weinberg, impacting on musicians, record companies, arts venues and audiences in Britain and Europe. It has led to the first ever performance cycle of his 17 string quartets as well as world premieres of his Requiem and his comic opera Lady Magnesia, alongside other performances and numerous recordings. The research has established the University of Manchester as the main repository of information and source material concerning Weinberg in the Western world.