Projects praised by Stephen Fry
Our annual Stephen Fry Awards for Excellence in Public Engagement have seen our former Rector praise academics for their efforts in communicating their research to the public and helping transform lives from Scotland to southern Africa.
The winner of the Public Engagement Project of the Year award is ‘Growing up on the Streets’, a project seeking to improve the lives of vulnerable and marginalised street children in Africa.
Professor Jennifer Woof was named Engaged Researcher of the Year in recognition of her outstanding work with schools and the public to raise awareness of science.
Stephen Fry, the comedian, actor, writer, broadcaster and activist who served two terms as Rector of the University, congratulated the winners by video link.
He said, “I want to congratulate the winners who have both done extraordinary work in fields which are, to me, the most important in academia. They are public engagement and education about the involvement of research in improving lives, especially those of the most vulnerable who are, of course, children in poverty in the urban areas of the world. I can’t think of two more worthy winners and so I want to commend them and all those who have contributed.”
The Stephen Fry Awards for Excellence in Public Engagement recognise the work of our outstanding staff and students. The awards highlight people and projects that engage a wider audience, and the benefits this brings to society.