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NTU Strategic Research Themes Conference brings together research colleagues to reimagine tomorrow together

Over 200 NTU research colleagues came together on Wednesday 29 March at NTU’s Clifton Campus for the annual Strategic Research Themes Conference. The conference provides an opportunity for researchers across NTU to discuss current research projects and foster new collaborations, in order to find solutions to global challenges.

    Image of research colleagues from NTU coming together in the Clifton Pavilion for a conference
    NTU research colleagues attend the Strategic Research Themes Conference

    The conference started with a keynote speech from Professor Richard Emes, NTU’s new Pro-Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation. Professor Emes spoke passionately about the power of collaboration, and how researchers can come together effectively as an institution to address future problems. He also praised NTU’s research community for their exceptional research, shown through the 2021 REF results, and how the institution’s research is helping to make a tangible difference to people’s lives. Sustainability of research was also a key topic, and how collaboratively the University can come together to solve grand challenges.

    Pro-Vice Chancellor of Research and Innovation Richard Emes speaks in front of audience for NTU's Strategic Research Themes Conference in 2023
    Pro-Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation Richard Emes

    On attending his first research conference at NTU since coming into post, Richard said:

    “It’s been a delight to attend the Strategic Research Themes Conference and to meet research colleagues from across the institution. Our colleagues have been able to listen to presentations about different projects and learn about the difference these projects are making globally – and this has also provided the opportunity to network and collaborate, something that I am keen to encourage throughout NTU.

    Through our expertise in enabling a co-creative approach and working across disciplines, NTU will continue to solve grand challenges, and that’s something that I really wanted to encourage today. It’s promising to see the breadth and ambition of research happening here at NTU and to see so many colleagues thinking about the impact that our research is having externally, and the potential for growth that it has.

    Thank you to the colleagues who attended and presented the conference, and to those who organised the day. The event exemplified the bright future for research at NTU which I am very proud to be part of”.

    Following Richard’s keynote speech, attendees then learned about the University’s five Strategic Research Themes and how these are embedded within NTU’s research culture.

    Throughout the day, oral presentations were given by academics working on a range of fascinating research projects, with topics ranging from mental and physiological health, social health, memory studies, crime and victimisation, farming and biodiversity to community and identity.

    Winners of the Images of Research Competition were then announced and celebrated before attendees were treated to lunch and could explore collaborations in an informal networking session. You can hear from the winners of the Images of Research Competition and explore all entries here.

    Images of Research Competition winners standing in front of their winning images
    Emily Burton, co-lead of the Sustainable Futures theme, congratulates the 2023 Images of Research Competition winner, Sally Bashford-Squires, and runner-up Bernadette Devilat.

    Emily Burton, co-lead of the Sustainable Futures theme, said: “It has been a fantastic event, and it was brilliant to see the work that is happening across all Research Themes here at NTU. Whilst we’ve been able to find out more about the progress and successes that are happening across disciplines in person, the conference has also given the chance for our academics to meet potential collaborators and to think about the future of their research. 

    I also had the pleasure of awarding the prizes at our Images of Research Competition, which took place during the conference. It has been an honour to meet the winner and runner up and to see the other amazing and thought-provoking entries that we received. These images have really helped to capture the variety of research here at NTU and to open up our academics’ research in a really accessible way.”

    The conference was a great success, and a wonderful opportunity for NTU researchers to join together and learn more about the immense depth and breadth of research projects currently taking place at NTU. We can’t wait to see what the future holds for our researchers.

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    Published on 3 April 2023
    • Category: Research