Two two innovative University of Glasgow-related projects have been honoured with prizes at the Scottish Knowledge Exchange Awards.
The awards, organised annually by Interface, mark the biggest celebration of businesses and academic knowledge exchange in Scotland, showcasing the achievements of collaborative partnerships and individuals alike.
The Powerful Partnership award was presented to the University of Glasgow’s Dr David Mahon and colleagues at the National Nuclear Laboratory for their pioneering research in the field of muography. By harnessing the properties of natural radiation produced in the upper atmosphere, they have been able to shed unique light on the contents of shielded nuclear waste containers.
Dr David Mahon, Lecturer in Nuclear Physics at the University of Glasgow said “We’re lucky to have an amazing team at the university that continues to push the boundaries of what’s possible in the field of muography. It’s been a pleasure working alongside NNL over the years. Their support has helped to develop this technology into a powerful inspection tool within the nuclear industry. We look forward to continuing this partnership for years to come.”
Professor Nick Smith, Head of University Engagement at NNL, said: “Congratulations to the joint University of Glasgow and the National Nuclear Laboratory team on this fantastic achievement, it’s a well-deserved recognition of the long-standing and close working relationship, based on trust and in the spirit of true collaboration, that has enabled both organisations to leverage each other’s strengths to exceed our customers’ expectations, adding value and enabling the development of a world-class technological solution to benefit society.”
The Multiparty Collaboration award went to the Industrial Centre for Artificial Intelligence Research in Digital Diagnostics, or iCAIRD. The University of Glasgow is one of more than 40 partners in the project from across industry, the NHS and the Universities of Edinburgh, St Andrews and Aberdeen. With twin tracks in radiology and pathology, iCAIRD’s programme of work is establishing the infrastructure and environment required to support development, validation & deployment of AI technologies for use in healthcare.
University of Glasgow-related projects were nominated for awards in five categories this year.
Professor Fiona Macpherson of the School of Humanities, was nominated for the Knowledge Champion award. Professor Tim Peacock, also of the School of Humanities, was up for the Innovation of the Yearprize for the Minecraft Ellisland project with Ellisland Farm. Dr Josephine Adekola of the Adam Smith Business School was nominated in the Making a Social Difference category for the Scotland African Voices project.
Professor Chris Pearce, VP for Research & Knowledge Exchange, said: “Congratulations to the collaborators in the winning projects, and to all our finalists in the Scottish Knowledge Exchange Awards. I am delighted that the University’s achievements working with partners in industry, charity, the NHS and Government have been recognised by the panel.
“Our ongoing success in these awards highlight the agile and creative ways our academics respond to global and local challenges, collaborating with a diverse range of partners to drive innovation and create real impact for society.”
Mr Ivan McKee, Minister for Business, Trade, Tourism and Enterprise, said: “Today’s awards showcase the impactful collaborations between businesses and the academic community and their role in translating Scotland’s world-class research into knowledge that makes impact.
“Bringing together Scotland’s businesses with the knowledge, expertise and networks of our research community is central to achieving the ambitions of the Scottish Government’s National Strategy for Economic Transformation and our upcoming Innovation Strategy, both in creating the inventions and innovations of the future, and in supporting translation of these into impact and opportunity.”
Professor Andrea Nolan, Chair of the Interface Strategic Board and Principal & Vice Chancellor of Edinburgh Napier University, said: “The annual flagship awards event for business-academic partnerships have gone from strength to strength since launching eight years ago. They celebrate the very best of people and partnerships involved in shaping game-changing innovations across Scotland.”
The Scottish Knowledge Exchange Awards 2023, sponsored by Salix Finance, were held on Thursday, March 23 in Dundee.