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LSHTM researchers have developed four computer models to help decision-makers make evidence-based choices about new vaccines and vaccine schedules. These models analyse the public health impact and cost-effectiveness of different options under different assumptions and scenarios on a country-by-country basis. They are used by national immunisation managers and key decision-makers, international committees and partner organisations (e.g. the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation). LSHTM's researchers have built on this research for WHO, informing global recommendations on vaccine timing and schedules.
By using the progress of his own research over the course of a year as a major narrative theme, in Finding Moonshine Marcus du Sautoy provides the public with unique insight into the content and nature of his mathematical research programme. The success of the book, published in 2008, in conveying the essence of cutting edge research, in elementary terms, attracted the attention of broadcasters and policymakers and provided a platform from which du Sautoy has been able to expand his public engagement activities to reach millions of people through TV, radio, public lectures, social media and interactive projects. His three part documentary The Code stimulated over a million viewers to play Flash games based directly on mathematical concepts. The phenomenal success of his unique brand of engagement in awakening an interest in mathematics, in both young and old, has had a great impact on society.
Dr Sian Sullivan's research, which challenges neoliberal approaches to biodiversity conservation policies, has been used by environmental policy-makers and advocacy groups internationally to show that contemporary trends in environmental policy development may intensify socio-economic inequality and increase the loss of biological diversity arising from economic development and commercial enterprises. A conference paper presented in 2010 became a major focus of the debate about the tendency towards `financialising nature'. Since then Sullivan's research has been seen as a source of grounded critique of neoliberal conservation policies. Several environmental advocacy organisations have used her work to support their campaigns, and she has been invited to contribute to high-level international policy forums concerned with biodiversity conservation.
Eyal Weizman's decade-long programme of research into the relation between architecture and conflict has been formative to the establishment of the new field of "Forensic Architecture". His research-based books have been the basis for his production of influential human rights reports, several of which have been presented as evidence in international trials and/or have informed policies relating to the Israel/Palestinian conflict. Appointed as the director of the Centre for Research Architecture at Goldsmiths in 2005, in 2011 he was awarded ERC funding of €1.2M for a project [Forensic Architecture] on the place of architecture in international humanitarian law: this has generated spatial evidence crucial to legal issues concerning the conflicts in areas of the world including Palestine, Guatemala, Pakistan and the Yemen. His extensive collaboration with international human rights organisations and the UN have meant that his work has achieved very wide reach. His work reached multiple audiences through numerous public lectures and media presentations as well as extensive exhibitions in leading cultural and architectural institutions worldwide.
Climate change, and the need to feed 9-10 billion people by 2050, are two of the greatest challenges facing humanity this century. Agriculture needs to provide more food from less input, and with agriculture contributing around a quarter of human greenhouse gas emissions, it needs to do so while reducing its impact on the climate. Research in UoA6, led by Pete Smith underpins (a) international climate policy choices to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture and (b) development of a greenhouse gas accounting software tool, The Cool Farm Tool. This is being used in 18 countries around the world (including some of the largest emitting countries) by a consortium of the world's leading agri-food companies including e.g. Unilever, PepsiCo, Tesco, Heineken, Heinz, McCain, Sysco, Ben & Jerry's, Costco, Yara and Marks & Spencer, to reduce the climate impact of farming. These major companies control large parts of the global food supply chain and have ambitious emission reduction targets. Through both policy and industry channels, this work is having a global impact on greenhouse gas emission reductions in agriculture, by raising consciousness of emissions from agriculture, and engaging farmers and producers in practices to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, thereby promoting climate friendly farming.
The specific impacts on the environment are: (a) increased awareness of greenhouse gas emissions by producers, reduced climate impact of farming for growers and suppliers, (b) influence of policy debate on climate change and farming; impacts on production are that costs of production have been reduced, and impacts on commerce are: (a) the adoption of new technology and (b) improvement in the environmental performance of leading agri-food companies.
Research work into the development and transference of methods for climate readiness and resilience by Allen et al has created impacts at every stage of the planning process. In major cities of the Global South, such as Dhaka and Maputo, this research has made visible the material practices adopted by ordinary citizens to cope with climate variability, and has provided a systematic evaluation for policymakers and funders of strategies for proofing cities at scale. In turn it has facilitated new approaches to risk and vulnerability assessment — for instance, by integrating new perspectives into Maputo city planning, supporting methodological approaches to projects by Oxfam, and helping to shape policy tools and funding with organisations such as the Department for International Development (DFID).
Our award-winning work (Aviva/Earthwatch International Award 2006) on measuring growth of corals in relation to climate and environmental changes linked to capacity building has informed managers and policy-makers in developing countries of the measures required for an integrated system of conservation and management. In Jamaica, our research on modelling coral growth linked to discussions with local stakeholders and the National Environmental Protection Agency (NEPA) showed that implementation of co-operative management plans can allow reef ecosystems to withstand major physical effects; these plans have been implemented. In Belize, we worked with local Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and the Fisheries Department to enable them to both measure and model coral reef growth, and so develop methods for sustaining their reefs. Our work has enabled reef managers in Jamaica and Belize to monitor their reefs and they have put in place new Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) so that their reefs can be protected in times of climate and environmental change. This has resulted in increased fishing yields in both countries.
The research:
1.1 was used in EU negotiations on EU Directives on procedural rights for suspects and defendants as the `leading study in the field' to address deficiencies in existing mechanisms;
1.2 informed the training of more than 250 judges, prosecutors and lawyers from at least 23 EU member states regarding respect for and implementation of procedural rights;
1.3 provided a template used by NGOs in other regions in their investigations of procedural rights in practice; these include a consortium of NGOs in six Latin America countries who are using it in order to produce positive changes in regulation and practice.
Novel methods in applied physical volcanology, such as expert elicitation, and hazard and risk assessment, developed mostly during the ongoing volcanic crisis at Soufrière Hills Volcano (Montserrat), continues to inform decision making, worker and public safety, and management of administrative hazard zones that control access. These methodologies have been adopted worldwide using Montserrat Volcano Observatory (MVO) as an exemplar by the World Organisation of Volcano Observatories (WOVO). Bristol researchers have advised on institutional programmes and informed international agencies, such as the United Nations and the World Bank, to reduce risk presented by volcanic hazards, and save lives. Such is the impact of Bristol's work at MVO it has been studied by up to nearly one million school children in the UK since 2008.
Innovative interdisciplinary research undertaken in the areas of intersectionality, diversity, and widening participation at the University of Hull contributed first to the development of a project funded by the European Union, the EU-ALFA III funded project `Development of Policies to Promote Widening Participation and Equal Opportunities in Higher Education Institutions in Latin America' (MISEAL). This project involves a consortium of 16 international institutions (4 EU universities and 12 universities in Latin America). Second, within MISEAL, research undertaken at Hull has led to the development and use of intersectional statistical tools for the measurement of inequality in the 12 Latin American partner HE institutions, of protocols for the analysis of their regulations regarding widening participation and equal opportunities and of guidelines for the organization of workshops (for staff and students) to raise awareness about inequality. MISEAL has also organised a number of reach-out activities, promoted collaboration with governmental organisation and created a network of experts in this area. The relevant impact has been primarily on public services and policy making (especially in the areas of widening participation and equal opportunities) and on education (at an international level and especially in the area of curriculum development and knowledge transfer). The primary beneficiaries have been policy makers including legal professionals and managers who are involved with the development of legal frameworks for widening participation and equal opportunities in Latin American HE institutions as well as academics and students internationally and groups concerned with curriculum development in HE institutions in Latin America.