PGR students pick up awards at the inaugural Student Impact Awards.
Three of our postgraduate research students were honoured with awards at the inaugural Student Impact Awards, hosted by the University of Portsmouth in collaboration with the Students' Union.
We were delighted to learn that three of our postgraduate research students had won awards at the recent University of Portsmouth Student Impact Awards. These awards recognise the remarkable accomplishments of our students and their meaningful contributions to both our city and the wider region.
Earlier this week we caught up with the three winners who shared their thoughts on receiving this recognition and offered insights into their research projects.
Rebecca Henderson - winner of the Sustainability Impact Award.
This award recognises individual, team, or group efforts that have positively impacted environmental sustainability, locally or beyond.
“I was genuinely humbled to have won the Sustainability Student Impact Award last night. The University's students across all of the disciplines are doing fabulous work to promote happier, healthier, and more connected communities. The Ellen Macarthur Foundation has predicted that, unless urgent action is taken, by 2050 there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish biomass. I hope that my work will see an end to wasteful, costly practices in the forensic sector by reducing unnecessary plastic consumption and introducing sustainable packaging solutions to ensure that crime scene investigation and evidence recovery practices align with the UN and UK Government's sustainability goals.”
Rebecca (middle) pictured with her supervisor, Professor Paul Smith (left), and Zoe Cadwell (right), a fellow CSI and PhD researcher.
Ritah Namaganda - winner of the Diversity Impact Award.
This award celebrates efforts that support or raise awareness of equality and diversity in Portsmouth.
“I was deeply honoured to be nominated for two awards at the Student Impact Awards, a testament to the dedication I've poured into community service. Being a finalist for the Volunteer Impact Award, alongside remarkable contenders, highlighted the significance of my volunteer work with DVMISSION and Action Asylum, where I mentored asylum seekers in film production, fostering community integration. Winning the Diversity Impact Award was truly humbling, recognizing my efforts in promoting equality and diversity through dance workshops at Mary Rose Academy and a myriad of cultural exhibitions within the University and Portsmouth community.
To me, these awards serve as a reminder of the impact of serving others and inspire me to continue my journey of empowerment and cultural exchange. As I delve into research on nascent film industries, I aim to leverage cultural capital to nurture thriving cinema markets, bridging the gap between transnational and national cinema realms, all while staying rooted in community service and cultural celebration.”
Helen Fleming - winner of the Research Impact Award.
This award acknowledges research by students that has made or has the potential to make a positive societal contribution.
"I was honoured to have been nominated for the Research Impact Award and absolutely delighted to have won it. I feel the award belongs as much to my supervisor Dr Rebecca Stores for her excellent guidance and support with my research.
My research investigated whether a sample group of Portsmouth based hairdressers and barbers were screening their customers for signs of skin cancer.
Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the UK and most occur in the head and neck area. This area can be hard to self-screen and a late diagnosis can lead to a poor prognosis.
Hairdressers and barbers observe this area of their customers closely during routine hair appointments allowing them to notice suspicious skin changes.
My research findings showed skin cancer awareness education amongst hairdressers and barbers was poor, however almost a quarter were screening customers. Some hairdressers and barbers were advising of suspicious moles or skin lesions which led to customers receiving a medical diagnosis of skin cancer. Most hairdressers and barbers were interested in learning about skin cancer awareness and thought skin cancer awareness should be included as a standard part of training for hairdressers and barbers. Most were willing to screen their customers with training.
The results of this research suggests providing willing hairdressers and barbers with free skin cancer awareness training could enable routine head and neck skin cancer screening for their customers. By bringing their customers attention to suspicious moles or skin lesions that they may not have been aware of otherwise, customers could seek a medical opinion earlier. Earlier detection of skin cancers would reduce the amount of treatment needed for the patient, improve their prognosis and reduce treatment costs to the NHS.
My research aims to raise awareness of the huge potential of UK hairdressers and barbers as a screening resource. Providing free skin cancer awareness training to willing hairdressers and barbers would help facilitate free, regular checks of their customers head and neck areas for suspicious moles and skin lesions that might be skin cancer.”
A huge congratulations to all the nominated students and winners, and a big thank you to the organisers of this fantastic recognition event. We look forward to next year!