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Working with business:

Innovator of the year

The call for applications is closed

Next application deadline: 2012 TBC

This competition recognises and rewards individuals and small teams who have harnessed the potential of their excellent research.

The competition has three categories:

• Commercial
• Social
• Most promising

It is designed to recognise the full breadth of impacts that BBSRC-funded research can have.

Winners in each category will receive a £10,000 award, with a further £5,000 for the overall winner. In addition we will award £15,000 to the overall winner's department.

The awards will be presented at a high-profile event in London in March 2012 in front of an invited audience of leading figures from the worlds of investment, industry, government, charity and academia.

How to nominate or apply

We are inviting nominations and applications.

Nominate

Have you worked with a BBSRC-funded researcher who has stepped outside the lab to realise the potential of their research?

Nominate them, or a small team, using the 'Nomination form' (see downloads). Complete the form and e-mail to the contact below by 17 October 2011.

Apply

Applications are now closed. You'll find all the information and forms needed in the downloads section.

Submit your application via e-mail to the contact below by 15 November 2011.

Application timeline

Nomination deadline	17 October 2011
Application deadline	15 November 2011
Proposals shortlisted	8 February 2012
Judging interviews	27 March 2012
Award event	28 March 2012

Eligibility

The competition is open to all BBSRC-funded scientists, including:

• Postgraduate and postdoctoral scientists funded by BBSRC through a studentship, fellowship or research grant
• Principal investigators in universities who have been an applicant or co-applicant on a research grant funded by BBSRC or a BBSRC-funded fellowship
• Scientists in institutes of BBSRC who have received BBSRC funding through a core strategic grant, institute strategic programme grant, research grant or fellowship

For team entries, the majority of the team should meet the above entry requirements.

For all entries, applicants must demonstrate the connection between their BBSRC-funded research and the innovation.

Assessment

An assessment panel will select the best applications under the following 3 categories:

• Commercial innovator
• Social innovator
• Most promising innovator

Selected applications will progress to the competition final. They will be assessed by a separate, high-level, judging panel who will choose the winners of each category. One of those winners will be the overall Innovator of the Year.

Panel membership

Shortlisting panel

Dr Malcolm Skingle (Chair) - GlaxoSmithKline
Dr Belinda Clarke - ideaSpace Enterprise Accelerator
Dr Ray Elliott - Syngenta
Ms Karen Folkes - Department for Business Innovations & Skills
Professor Keith Lindsey - Durham University
Dr Catherine Lyall - The University of Edinburgh
Professor Simon Mosey - The University of Nottingham
Mrs Susan Searle - Imperial Innovations Ltd
Professor Martin Sheldon - Swansea University
Professor Jason Swedlow - University of Dundee
Dr William Watson - Integrity Life Sciences Ltd

Judging panel

Dr Alison Campbell (Chair) - Independent
Professor Eileen Ingham - University of Leeds
Dr Tom MacMillan - Soil Association
Dr Andrew Muir - Rainbow Seed Fund
Dr Sharon O'Kane - Independent
Dr Malcolm Skingle - GlaxoSmithKline
Mr Jeremy Webb - New Scientist

Previous awards

2012

• Overall winner: Professor George Lomonossoff, John Innes Centre and Dr Frank Sainsbury, Laval University, Canada
• Commercial innovator: Professor Jim Murray, Cardiff University and Dr Laurence Tisi, Lumora Ltd
• Social innovator: Professor Russell Foster, University of Oxford
• Most promising innovator: Professor George Lomonossoff, John Innes Centre and Dr Frank Sainsbury, Laval University, Canada

2011

• Overall winner: Professor Jason Swedlow, University of Dundee
• Commercial innovator: Professor Chris Lowe, University of Cambridge
• Social innovator: Professor Jason Swedlow, University of Dundee
• Most promising innovator: Professor Keith Waldron, Institute of Food Research

2010

• Overall winner: Professor Shankar Balasubramanian, University of Cambridge
• Commercial innovator: Professor Shankar Balasubramanian, University of Cambridge
• Social innovator: Professor Dave Goulson, University of Stirling
• Most promising innovator: Dr Michael McArthur, John Innes Centre

2009

• Overall winner: Professor Stephen Jackson, University of Cambridge 
• Runner-up: Dr Luke Alphey, Oxitec
• Runner-up: Professor Jeff Errington FRS, Prolysis

Contact