ScotPEN Wellcome Engagement Award: SWEA

Two MVLS led projects have been successful in securing funding from second call of the ScotPEN Wellcome Engagement Award. This pilot scheme is designed to help Wellcome grant holders engage the public with their research. We are currently awaiting the outcome of an application to extend this pilot and anticipate announcing the decision in July 2020.

These are: 

  • Dr Gemma Learmonth: ‘Aging with Impact’
    This two-year project supports the inclusion, involvement and engagement of older adults in scientific research into the aging brain. With opportunities for older people to become involved in the planning and development of research projects, and for researchers to undertake research that is developed ‘with’, rather than ‘about’, older people. The project aims to improve the real-world relevance and impact of scientific research outputs into cognitive aging.
  • Dr Anna Pearce: ‘Bridging the Gap Between Health Inequalities Research and Affected Communities’
    Dr Pearce’s Wellcome research uses existing, anonymised data such as birth records, hospital admissions and child health checks to examine why children growing up in less-advantaged socio-economic circumstances live shorter and less healthy lives than their more-advantaged peers. Working with Clydebank primary schools, and Children’s Neighbourhoods Scotland, they will explain how this research is currently conducted, explore what’s most important to the community themselves, and work with the children to identify, conduct and share the findings from a mini research project.

COVID-19 Guided Self-help Booklet Series

Andrew Jahoda, Professor of Learning Disabilities has produced a new series of free guided self-help booklets to support people with learning/intellectual disabilities during the coronavirus outbreak. Funding from our MVLS Engagement Fund allowed this project to be completed quickly, and together with an overwhelming response from groups and individuals, the resources were commended in a motion to the Scottish Parliament. 

Explorathon 2020

Explorathon - our much-loved annual Scotland-wide public festival celebrating European research – has successfully secured EU funding to be held this year.  #Explorathon19 was supported by over 200 University of Glasgow staff and students, engaging over 11,000 people with our research. Save the new date, Friday 27 November 2020, and for updates visit Explorathon 2020.  

First published: 28 June 2018

<< May 2020