NCRM has celebrated the impacts of researchers who have taken part in the centre’s training and research activities.
At a ceremony in Manchester, the three winners of the NCRM 20th Anniversary Impact Prize were recognised for their outstanding achievements following their involvement with NCRM.
These achievements include personal skills development, the creation of new methods, significant impacts on the skills of other researchers and support for non-academic beneficiaries.
The prize was launched in spring 2024 to recognise the impacts of researchers who have participated in NCRM activities over the past 20 years.
Presenting the awards, Anjelica Finnegan, a member of the prize’s review panel, thanked all researchers who submitted applications.
“I and the rest of the panel appreciate the amount of work it takes to apply for these awards and I do not say lightly that the quality of submissions was very high,” she said.
“It was such a privilege to read each individual impact story – the passion for research methods, research and impact really shone through.”
Developing new methods
A team of four researchers – Dr Susie Weller, Dr Emma Davidson, Professor Ros Edwards and Professor Lynn Jamieson – were selected for their long-term impact. The team pioneered a new breadth-and-depth method for analysing large volumes of qualitative data, which has had strong take-up from academic and non-academic communities.
The new method is the culmination of more than five years’ work supported by two NCRM grants. It provides researchers with a valuable new tool that enables them to work across multiple datasets, combining computational text analysis with conventional qualitative methods.
Following the technique’s development, the team have trained researchers in various sectors, published a book and journal articles, and created learning resources.
Impacting the wellbeing of older adults
The second winning team was Naureen Meghani and her supervisor Professor Joanna Hudson, who are developing an intervention to promote activity among older adults using a mixed methods approach.
Naureen attended several NCRM training events, including a course on statistical modelling, the 2023 Research Methods e-Festival and a workshop on mobile apps and sensors. Her use of mixed methods was also informed by an episode of NCRM’s Methods podcast.
In a 12-week feasibility study, Naureen found that the intervention helped participants to minimise their sedentary behaviour by using sensor alerts. Her involvement with NCRM therefore helped to improve her skills, develop the methodology for her research and impact the wellbeing of her target audience.
Lifetime achievement
The final prize went to independent researcher Dr Helen Kara, who was selected for a lifetime achievement award.
Dr Kara’s involvement with NCRM began in 2014 when she attended a course as part of work on a book on creative methods. Over the following 10 years, Dr Kara worked with NCRM on a wide range or projects, particularly on research ethics and creative methods.
Her activities have included creating online learning resources and running highly popular training courses. This involvement has helped Dr Kara to increase the impact of her work within the research community – such as through the publication of books, teaching and organisation of the International Creative Research Methods Conference.
Working with NCRM has also impacted Dr Kara’s professional and career development, helping her to boost her skills and leading to new opportunities, such as involvement with the European Commission as an ethics expert.
Awards ceremony
The award ceremony for the NCRM 20th Anniversary Impact Prize was held at MethodsCon: Futures, an in-person NCRM event that took place in Manchester on 12-13 September 2024.
More details about the winners’ work and their impact will be published in the near future.