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This case study describes the creation and use of advanced simulation technology by international mining corporations to optimise high value metal recovery. The technology involved the development of advanced novel computational methods and software tools to model industrial scale heap leach processes for large scale industrial application at major mining operations. This focus on the development of optimised operational strategies has produced considerable economic benefits measured in the $multi-millions to industrial sponsors, including $58 million dollars in additional revenue for one multi-national corporation over one year following the adoption of engineered heaps based upon the advanced simulation tools from Swansea.
Palaeoenvironmental research in the Ica Valley of Peru's southern coast is revealing how agriculture acted with climate change to trigger major social upheaval in the past. This history is informing and educating people and policy-makers in the present, thereby sustaining sympathetic land use for the future. Specific impacts include a Defra-funded project on Peruvian biodiversity by the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew (RBG), the implementation of Peruvian decrees regarding education and forest conservation, and the establishment of forest-management agreements with major landowners.
Professor Lucy Orta's work, is developed in creative partnership with Jorge Orta, as Lucy + Jorge Orta, and tackles global issues that affect all our lives. Their collaboration sets out to utilize art as an agent for awareness and change, with public dissemination aimed at triggering new thinking and action on issues related to sustainability. Their work has led to an enhanced public understanding of these issues and its impact is evidenced by high level commissions; partnerships with prestigious institutions; media coverage; audience figures; and public engagement activities.
Rosengarten's work during the past fourteen years has provided the HIV field with new ways of rethinking otherwise seemingly intractable problems of more effective prevention. Despite over 30 years of biomedical and social research, and policy and programme implementation, the HIV epidemic continues to grow. The efficacies of repurposing potentially toxic and partially effective antiretroviral drugs for prevention in those perceived at risk of infection has thus come under scrutiny. It is in this context that Rosengarten's work has intervened and introduced an alternative approach to prevention that directly scrutinises the social contexts in which people live and work with HIV. Through this approach and her active engagement with clinicians, policy makers, scientists and advocacy groups she has contributed critical insights that have been incorporated into approaches to HIV prevention in practice.
Research led by the School of Geography at the University of Leeds has enabled, for the first time, the use of on-the-ground observations to evaluate directly the role of tropical forests in the global carbon cycle and to assess their sensitivity to change. Findings from the research have had a significant impact on international debates on the future trajectory of climate change and appropriate policy responses, and are influencing national-scale efforts across the tropics to manage forests in the face of climate change and to reduce carbon emissions resulting from deforestation [D, E, G, H, J]. The success of this Leeds-led initiative has been achieved through the extensive network of scientists involved in this global forest observatory: more than 250 scientists from over 50 institutions across more than 30 countries are now involved.
We conducted research on the impact of land-use change that has resulted in international action to improve forest management. Our research demonstrated that clearing forests to grow crops for biofuels leads to large carbon emissions. In light of these findings, the UK Government amended its biofuel policy to include mandatory sustainability criteria. Leeds researchers co-established with a number of businesses the charity United Bank of Carbon, resulting in the investment of £1.5 million and the protection of 200,000 hectares of forest. Our research underpinned a forest-based climate mitigation scheme resulting in the investment of an additional £440k in forest protection.
Our research on the economics of low carbon cities has impacted on energy and low carbon strategies and on investment decision-making in major UK cities including Leeds, Sheffield and Birmingham. It has also influenced guidance issued to local authorities by the Committee on Climate Change and the Department for Communities and Local Government, and has helped to embed strategies and targets for green growth in the next five-year plan for China. The research was voted one of the most transformative ideas to be presented at the UN climate negotiations in Durban in December 2011, and the approach is now being replicated in cities in India, Peru, Malaysia and Indonesia.
Wells' research on corporate liability led to direct changes to UK law in the Bribery Act 2010 and has begun to have significant impact internationally. UK law now complies with the 1997 OECD Anti-Bribery Convention. Significant changes were made after Parliamentary scrutiny of the draft Bill, as a result of Wells' intervention, which have a major effect on all corporations, including multinationals, demonstrating the international reach and significance of this law. Her work has had further international reach and significance on the development of the OECD's Anti-Corruption Initiative and on the International Bar Association's Task Force (IBAHRI) on Tax Havens, Poverty and Human Rights.
Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) is a frequently fatal disease of haematological malignancy patients, caused by fungi from the genus Aspergillus. Dr Christopher Thornton has developed and commercialised a novel point-of-care test for the diagnosis of IPA with an Aspergillus-specific monoclonal antibody (mAb) JF5 generated using hybridoma technology. Using this mAb, he has developed a lateral-flow device (LFD) for the rapid detection of Aspergillus antigen in human serum and bronchoalveolar lavage fluids (BALf) that signifies active infection. Commercial exploitation of the patented technology has been met through the establishment of a University of Exeter spin-out company, Isca Diagnostics Limited.
King's College London (KCL) researchers developed cognitive behaviour therapy for psychosis (CBTp), which is now a National Institute for Health and Care Excellence-recommended psychological intervention. CBTp is now part of routine NHS treatment and an estimated 25,000 patients in England and Wales receive it annually. Implementation of CBTp has been steered by KCL researchers' involvement with the Government's Increasing Access to Psychological Therapies — Severe Mental Illness initiative. The KCL model for CBTp has been used to develop clinics in Australia and the US and information on this therapy is disseminated via a KCL-led website.