NERC celebrates impacts of UK scientists in awards shortlist NERC Press Release | 5 November 2018 Paving the way for a satellite to monitor climate change by weighing the Earth's forests. Shedding light on the scale of microplastics in our oceans. Finding solutions to the threats to biodiversity in forests across the globe. Inventing an algorithm to predict - and help avoid - turbulence on flights. And uncovering a new type of energy reserve for the UK. These are just some of the positive real-world impacts generated by UK environmental scientists on NERC's 2018 Impact Awards shortlist, announced today. Shortlisted and judged by independent panels of esteemed academic, industry and government figures, these awards celebrate NERC-funded scientists, as individuals or teams, whose work has had a big impact on the economy or society in the UK or internationally. This year's judges include former UK Environment Secretary Lord Deben, Chairman of the Committee on Climate Change, and BBC presenter and Professor of Public Engagement in Science Professor Alice Roberts. (A full list of the panels is available at the foot of this page.) Judges will choose a winner from two finalists in three categories: Early-career impact, economic impact and societal impact. To further the impacts of their research, the winner of each category will receive £10,000 and the runner-up £5,000. The category winner judged to have had the biggest impact will be the Impact Awards overall winner, and will receive an additional £30,000 funding. Winners will be announced at a ceremony at the Natural History Museum on Monday 3 December 2018. Dr Peter Costigan, environmental consultant and chair of the 2018 judging and shortlisting panels, said: "Headlines celebrating scientific breakthroughs may grab our attention, but the reality is it can take a long time for golden nuggets of research to have an impact in our everyday life. Delivering impact is about keeping sight of the bigger picture - understanding how the detailed work in the lab or analysing complex datasets can translate into real world benefits. "This is my second time acting as chair of the Impact Awards judging panel, and I still find reading impact case studies fascinating. This year's shortlist reminds me that NERC-funded research is dynamic, exciting and incredibly varied. And the impact can be just as exciting and varied, and sometimes comes in ways that were not obvious or expected at the outset." Please find the full list of shortlisted research by category below, and watch out on NERC's digital channels for articles, videos and more showcasing the impacts of the finalists' important research as part of NERC's Impact Month throughout November. The shortlisted entries for the Societal Impact Award, recognising research that has achieved demonstrable social, cultural, public policy or service, health, environmental or quality of life benefits, are: Making flights smoother and safer Professor Paul Williams of the University of Reading has worked with US scientists to develop an algorithm to predict in-flight turbulence. Following breakthroughs in 2008 and 2012, their algorithm has been used by the US National Weather Service to create turbulence forecasts since 2015, improving the safety of air travel for up to 2.5 billion passenger journeys so far, and also helping to make flying greener by reducing CO2 emissions. Turbulence is increasing, as global temperatures rise due to climate change, and Professor Williams has been working with aircraft engineers to make sure that the next generation of planes is fit for a warmer, bumpier airspace. Read more about Professor Paul Williams's research in our Planet Earth article Smoother and safer flying. --- Further information Mary Goodchild External Communications Manager 01793 411939 07710 147485 mary.goodchild@nerc.ukri.org Notes 1. NERC is the UK's main funder of environmental science. Our work covers the full range of atmospheric, Earth, biological, terrestrial and aquatic science, from the deep oceans to the upper atmosphere and from the poles to the equator. We coordinate some of the world's most exciting research projects tackling major environmental issues. NERC is part of UK Research & Innovation, a non-departmental public body funded by a grant-in-aid from the UK government. 2. This is the second time NERC has run the Impact Awards. You can find out more about the 2015 Impact Award winners. 3. Impact Awards 2018 entry guidelines and assessment criteria are covered in the Impact Awards application guidelines. 4. NERC Impact Awards Judging Panel Dr Peter Costigan (Environmental Consultant) - Chair Judith Batchelar (Director of Sainsbury's Brand, Sainsbury's) Juliet Davenport OBE (Chief Executive, Good Energy Group) The Rt Hon the Lord Deben (Chairman of the Committee on Climate Change, which is a Statutory Committee advising government and Parliament) Professor Michael Depledge CBE (Professor of Environment & Human Health, University of Exeter Medical School) Dr Julia Fentem (R&D Vice President, Safety & Environmental, Unilever) Dr Phil Heads (Associate Director, Futures, Strategy & Evidence, NERC) Gordon McGregor (Managing Director, Spot Sensor Technologies Ltd and NERC Council member) Professor Alice Roberts (Professor of Public Engagement in Science, University of Birmingham) 5. NERC Impact Awards Shortlisting Panel Dr Peter Costigan (Environmental Consultant) - Chair Dr Alexandra Burch (Head of Visitor Experience, Learning & Outreach, Natural History Museum) Scott Cain (former Exec Director & Chief Business Officer, Future Cities Catapult) Andy Griffiths (Sustainability Manager, Nestlé) Paul Hayden OBE (Director, Resolve-Network and NERC Non-Executive Director) Dr Phil Heads (Associate Director, Futures, Strategy & Evidence, NERC) Professor David Hogg (Professor of Artificial Intelligence, University of Leeds) Professor Iain Stewart (Director of the Sustainable Earth Institute, University of Plymouth) Dr Lesley Thompson MBE (Director of Academic & Government Strategic Alliances, UK, Elsevier) Dr David Viner (Global Practice Leader - Climate Resilience, Mott McDonald) Dr Johnny Wentworth (Environment Adviser, Parliamentary Office of Science & Technology) Professor Lesley Yellowlees (Professor of Organic Electrochemistry, University of Edinburgh)