Grant winners - 25 June 2015

Leverhulme Trust

Research project grants
Sciences

• Award winner: Michael Benton
• Institution: University of Bristol
• Value: £240,754

The exceptional early Jurassic fossils of Strawberry Bank, Somerset

• Award winner: Frank Marken
• Institution: University of Bath
• Value: £204,712

New materials for ionic diodes and ionic photodiodes

• Award winner: Kate Nation
• Institution: University of Oxford
• Value: £182,196

The Oxford children’s corpus: lessons for learning to read

Economic and Social Research Council

ESRC-DFID Raising Learning Outcomes

• Award winner: Per Kind
• Institution: Durham University
• Value: £382,074

Transforming the pedagogy of STEM subjects

Research grants

• Award winner: Benjamin Tatler
• Institution: University of Aberdeen
• Value: £286,503

Words and pictures: understanding how people gather information conveyed jointly through text and image in comics

• Award winner: Erik Swyngedouw
• Institution: University of Manchester
• Value: £316,310

Turning livelihoods to rubbish? Assessing the impacts of formalisation and technologisation of waste management on the urban poor

• Award winner: Pauline Eadie
• Institution: University of Nottingham
• Value: £312,205

Poverty alleviation in the wake of Typhoon Yolanda

Arts and Humanities Research Council

Research grants

• Award winner: Martin Smith
• Institution: Royal College of Art
• Value: £267,150

Extending the potential for the digitally printed ceramic surface

• Award winner: Wendy Anderson
• Institution: University of Glasgow
• Value: £73,313

Metaphor in the curriculum

• Award winner: Graeme Gooday
• Institution: University of Leeds
• Value: £79,307

Electrifying the country house: taking stories of innovation to new audiences

In detail

Award winner: Cathy Treadaway
Institution: Cardiff Metropolitan University
Value: £500,000

LAUGH: Ludic Artefacts Using Gesture and Haptics

This project between Cardiff Metropolitan University and researchers at the University of Technology, Sydney and Birmingham City University addresses the global challenge of ageing populations. It is being partnered by Gwalia Cyf, one of the largest providers of residential social care in Wales. Researchers aim to develop innovative devices to comfort, distract, engage and promote “in the moment” living for sufferers of late-stage dementia. Underpinning the project is research showing that happy people live longer and require less medication as they age. Researchers will also propose non-pharmacological approaches to improve dementia sufferers’ well-being and care. The team will investigate design solutions that incorporate embedded electronics and smart materials. “Our aim is to develop new devices that will bring ‘in the moment’ pleasure, fun and happiness to people with late-stage dementia,” said Cathy Treadaway, professor of creative practice at Cardiff Met. “We intend to harness the potential of new technologies and smart materials to personalise designs and so help to retain the selfhood of people with severe cognitive impairment.”