Mike Brewer, Professor of Economics at the University of Essex, Deputy Director of ISER and Director of the ESRC Research Centre on Micro-Social Change based at ISER, has been shortlisted for the ESRC Celebrating Impact Prize 2017 for his work on measuring child poverty and living standards, and on benefits, Universal Credit and incentives to work.
Congratulating Professor Brewer, Professor Anthony Forster, Vice Chancellor at the University of Essex, said:
“Professor Brewer’s work engages with issues and challenges which are at the heart of concerns of the government and the users of public services. Mike has made a significant contribution to the way policy makers understand child poverty and changes to our benefits system. This is a superb example of how social science can make significant contributions to the development of policy.”
The annual ESRC Celebrating Impact Prize, now in its fifth year, is an opportunity to recognise and reward researchers whose work has made a real difference to society or the economy.
The prize is awarded to ESRC-funded social science researchers or ESRC associates who have achieved impact through outstanding research, collaborative partnerships, engagement or knowledge exchange activities.
There are many different ways that social science can change our society for the better, for example by enhancing the economic competitiveness of the UK; improving public services; raising standards of living and health; contributing to the development of UK policy; driving innovation or improving management practices of businesses; helping a particular group in society; or helping societies in other countries. To reflect this diversity there are five different categories, as well as a prize for the Impact Champion – an individual who has a significant personal track record in supporting and enabling others to achieve impact.
A prize of £10,000 is awarded to the winner of each category, whilst a further prize of £10,000 is awarded to the Impact Champion.
The awards ceremony will take place at Central Hall, Westminster on the evening of 21 June 2017, where the winners will be announced.
The researchers shortlisted for the 2017 Celebrating Impact Prize are:
Outstanding Early Career Impact (in partnership with SAGE publishing)
- Dr Harriet Thomson, University of Manchester
- Ms Hannah Bows, Durham University
Outstanding Impact in Business and Enterprise
- Professor Nigel Driffield, Warwick University
- Professor Monder Ram (and Professor Kiran Trehan), University of Birmingham
Outstanding Impact in Society
- Ms Madeleine Sumption (and Carlos Vargas Silva), University of Oxford
- Professor Jane Green (team application), University of Manchester
Outstanding International Impact
- Professor Michael Levi, Cardiff University
- Professor Lucie Cluver, University of Oxford
Outstanding Impact in Public Policy
- Professor Amina Memon, Royal Holloway University
- Professor Mike Brewer, University of Essex
- Dr John Gathergood, University of Nottingham
- Professor Nicola McEwen (team application), Centre on Constitutional Change, University of Edinburgh.