The award covers four categories: Business and Economy; Policy and Practice; Society and Culture; and Health and Wellbeing. An overall winner is also announced. Each winning project has an accompanying video (see below). 

Professor Bruce Drinkwater, Professor Paul Wilcox and Dr Anthony Croxford won the Business and Economy category with ‘Innovative ultrasonics for safer structures’. The research has impacted on the way imaging and sensing techniques are used in industry. These techniques have saved millions of pounds for industry and made structures safer to operate. Many safety-critical structures such as aircraft and power stations are now inspected using the techniques developed. Video: Innovative ultrasonics for safer structures  

In the Policy and Practice category, Professor David Berridge has been recognised for his work understanding and promoting the educational progress of children in care which has created three areas of impact. The Department for Education (DfE) will now report on the educational attainments of children in need alongside children in care; Ofsted will modify the inspection process by having education and social care inspectors collaborate on each other’s inspections; and local authorities have improved their policies and practice (for example, a national evidence-based recording system has incorporated the findings and measures and authorities have revised their policies for children in care). Video: Children in care

The Society and Culture category award was presented to Professor Ronald Hutton for his project ‘The Stonehenge Visitor Centre’. Professor Hutton was appointed Academic Adviser for the construction of the Stonehenge Visitor Centre, a brand-new building intended to promote visitor understanding of, and satisfaction in, the monument. As a result of his research and his role at the Centre, English Heritage installed a permanent display gallery there. Video: Stonehenge

The award in the Health and Wellbeing category went to Dr Kristen Reyher, Lisa van Dijk, Professor David Barrett, Professor David Main, Dr Matthew Avison, Professor Henry Buller, David Tisdall and Dr Tristan Cogan, for their project entitled 'Antimicrobial Resistance Force – a force for change towards responsible use of antimicrobials’. These researchers in the School of Veterinary Sciences have combined forces to inspire and enact change in antimicrobial (AM) use on farms and in veterinary prescribing practices. The project has contributed to a number of initiatives including leading the British Cattle Veterinary Association and the British Veterinary Association Medicines Committees, developing an AM stewardship policy with vets and Waitrose dairy farmers, training vets and farmers across a number of veterinary practices on responsible use, and informing industry and legislative bodies. Video: Antimicrobial Resistance Force

The 2016 overall winner was Professor Ronald Hutton for his contribution to the Stonehenge Visitor Centre. Professor Hutton received the trophy and a cheque for £1,500.

Professor Nishan Canagarajah, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Research and Enterprise, said:“I would like to congratulate the winners and all those who participated in this competition. I am delighted that we are able to celebrate the achievements of our staff and recognise the significant contributions they make in this important academic endeavour. As a research-intensive university, we pride ourselves on our commitment to critical enquiry and, importantly, to realising the impact of our research on society.”