Annual Review 2021: Awards, success and appointments

Developing excellence
Annual Review 2021: Awards, success and appointments

University among the global elite for sustainable development excellence

In its first-ever appearance in the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings, the University was named as one of the top 25 institutions globally – and first for marine. The rankings – the only global performance tables that assess universities against the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – ranked Plymouth 23rd out of more than 1,100 universities, reinforcing its reputation for world-leading and award-winning sustainability research and teaching. It also achieved considerable worldwide success in a number of individual tables linked to specific SDGs:

  • 1st globally in relation to SDG 14: Life Below Water, recognising the quality of the University’s marine research and teaching as well as its efforts to reduce the impact of campus activities on the marine environment
  • 9th worldwide in relation to SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals, for its efforts to support the SDGs through collaboration with other countries, the promotion of best practices and the publication of data
  • 19th in the world in SDG 2: Zero Hunger, recognising its research on hunger, its teaching on food sustainability and its commitment to tackle food waste and address hunger among students and local communities
  • In the top 50 globally for its work linked to SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy, and SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities.

This is an outstanding achievement and a ringing endorsement of our excellence in all aspects of sustainability. It celebrates decades of building on our core strengths, investing in research teams and facilities and, in particular, it reinforces our leadership in all things marine and rightfully positions us at the global forefront of this field. It acknowledges our long-standing partnerships with industry and academia, and our long-standing commitment to use our own sustainability practices to inspire change on a local, regional and international scale.

Professor Judith Petts CBE, Vice-Chancellor

Plymouth rising in national league tables

The University improved its position in every major national higher education league table during the course of the year. The Guardian University Guide saw Plymouth climb 12 places to joint 41st – its highest ever position and the fifth straight year of improvement. In the Complete University Guide, the University improved its overall rank for a second year running, from 71st to 69th, with more than 50% of its subjects rising up their individual tables as well. And there was a one place rise in The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide to 58th.

Academic promotions 2021

Professors

Jeremy Goslin, Professor of Experimental Psychology, Faculty of Health, School of Psychology

Sally Hanks, Professor of Clinical Education, Faculty of Health, Peninsula Dental School

Zoë James, Professor of Criminology, Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Business, School of Culture and Society

Antonio Rago, Professor of Theoretical Physics, Faculty of Science and Engineering, School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics

Robert Witton, Professor of Community Dentistry, Faculty of Health, Peninsula Dental School

Associate Professors

Darren Aoki, Associate Professor of World History and Oral History, Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Business, School of Culture and Society 

Louise Belfield, Associate Professor of Biomedical and Oral Health Sciences (Education), Faculty of Health, Peninsula Dental School

Zoe Brookes, Associate Professor of Dental Education and Research, Faculty of Health, Peninsula Dental School

Rachel Carter, Associate Professor (Education), Faculty of Health, School of Nursing and Midwifery 

Wendy Clyne, Associate Professor of Applied Psychology (Research), Faculty of Health, Peninsula Medical School

Gyorgy Fejer, Associate Professor of Infection and Immunity, Faculty of Health, School of Biomedical Sciences

Louise Firth, Associate Professor of Marine Ecology, Faculty of Science and Engineering, School of Biological and Marine Sciences

Mario Gianni, Associate Professor of Robotics, Faculty of Science and Engineering, School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics

Martyn Hann, Associate Professor of Coastal and Offshore Renewable Energy Engineering, Faculty of Science and Engineering, School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics

Kerryn Husk, Associate Professor of Health Services (Research), Faculty of Health, Peninsula Medical School

Caroline Jamison, Associate Professor of Nursing (Education), Faculty of Health, School of Nursing and Midwifery

Kris Jeremy, Associate Professor of Biochemistry (Education), Faculty of Health, School of Biomedical Sciences

Peter Jones, Associate Professor, Faculty of Health, School of Psychology

Asiya Khan, Associate Professor of Multimedia Communication and Intelligent Control, Faculty of Science and Engineering, School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics

George Littlejohn, Associate Professor of Plant and Fungal Biology, Faculty of Science and Engineering, School of Biological and Marine Sciences

Irene Manzella, Associate Professor of Engineering Geology and Geohazards, Faculty of Science and Engineering, School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

Lucy Obolensky, Associate Professor of Global Health and Remote Medicine, Faculty of Health, Peninsula Medical School

Marco Palomino, Associate Professor of Big Data and Information Systems, Faculty of Science and Engineering, School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics 

Joanne Paton, Associate Professor of Podiatry, Faculty of Health, School of Health Professions

Gunnar Schmidtmann, Associate Professor of Optometry and Vision Science, Faculty of Health, School of Health Professions

Michael Thom, Associate Professor of Zoology, Faculty of Science and Engineering, School of Biological and Marine Sciences (Posthumous Award)

Yi Wang, Associate Professor of Management and Business Decision Making, Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Business, Plymouth Business School

Senior Research Fellows

Edward Ransley, Senior Research Fellow, Faculty of Science and Engineering, School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics

Dawn Swancutt, Senior Research Fellow, Faculty of Health, Peninsula Medical School

Jessie Woodbridge, Senior Research Fellow, Faculty of Science and Engineering, School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

Staff honours

This year saw many prestigious awards and honours conferred on members of the University’s academic community. They included the following:

Professor Ray Jones Professor Ray Jones
 Professor Ray Jones was awarded an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List for services to digital health and social care.

Professor Bridie Kent Professor Bridie Kent
 Professor Bridie Kent was named a Fellow of the Royal College of Nursing.

Professor Matthew Cramp Professor Matthew Cramp
 Consultant Hepatologist at University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust and Chair in Hepatology at the University, won an Excellence in Transplantation Award as part of the 2021 UK Awards for Excellence in Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplantation

Dr Camille Carroll Dr Camille Carroll
 Dr Camille Carroll, Associate Professor in Neurology, won the Tom Isaacs Award, given by Cure Parkinson’s and the Van Andel Institute

Professor Alison Raby Professor Alison Raby
 Professor Alison Raby, Head of the COAST Engineering Research Group, was named by the Women’s Engineering Society as a recipient of its Top 50 Women in Engineering: Engineering Heroes awards.

Dr Louis Halewood Dr Louis Halewood
 Dr Louis Halewood was named as the joint winner of the 2020 Sir Julian Corbett Prize in Modern Naval History, chosen by the Institute of Historical Research.

Professor Robert Witton Professor Robert Witton
 Professor Robert Witton, Director of Community-based Dentistry and Chief Executive of Peninsula Dental Social Enterprise (PDSE), was awarded an Honorary Fellowship of the Faculty for Homeless and Inclusion Health.

Professor Katharine Willis Professor Katharine Willis
 Professor Katharine Willis was appointed an Expert (Specialist) by the Design Council.

Dr Rich Boden Dr Rich Boden
 Dr Rich Boden has been elected Trustee and Council Member of the Linnean Society of London, the world’s oldest active biology society.

Professor Michael Punt Professor Michael Punt
 Professor Michael Punt has been appointed as Chair of the Austrian Science Fund (FWF) PEEK Board.