Research impact at Plymouth

Demonstrating our mission to advance knowledge and transform lives through research
Researchers investigating surf zone ecosystems and fish on a sandy beach with clear seawater and an island
Research impact is an effect on, change or benefit to the economy, society, culture, health, the environment, quality of life, public policy or services.
The University of Plymouth takes a solutions-oriented, systems-thinking approach to solving complex global challenges, addressing critical issues through the lenses of environment, society, economy and place to create strong, sustainable research impact beyond academia.
Aligning globally to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, our work aims to drive sustainability both on land and in the marine environment, improve human health and care, and support communities. Our research also drives innovation on our doorstep,and we contribute to the economic growth and development of the South West region.

Plymouth's research and innovation consistently translates into real-world applications, reinforcing our broad leadership in marine and sustainability, and significant contributions to health and creative industry research.

Through partnerships and collaborations – spanning academia, industry, and local communities – we co-create impactful, scalable, and relevant solutions to critical challenges, influencing policy on both national and international stages to drive meaningful change for the benefit of society and the environment.

Kevin JonesProfessor Kevin Jones
Deputy Vice-Chancellor - Research and Innovation

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Impact highlights

Science

Plastic litter washed up on beach with tree
Stemming the tide of microplastics
From providing evidence to support legislation that prohibited the use of microbeads in wash-off cosmetics, to publishing research in high-impact journals on washing machines, car tyres and plastic shopping bags, the work of the International Marine Litter Research Unit, led by Professor Richard Thompson OBE FRS, has become the epitome of impact-led, socially engaged research.
Avon rivermouth, Bantham, South Devon, UK.
Improving beach safety to save lives
Led by Professor Gerd Masselink, the Coastal Marine Applied Research team has been investigating the natural processes that drive the sudden manifestation of rip currents to determine the times and conditions that produce the greatest risk to bathers. This has been taken forward through the development of a rip current forecast, which is received by lifeguard managers around the UK and New Zealand.
High efficiency reversible solid oxide cells for the integration of offshore renewable energy using hydrogen
Offshore and marine renewable energy
The development of new green energy sources, such as offshore renewable energy, is seen as fundamental to the UK strategy to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. More than 40 industry partners have worked on 70 projects with the COAST Lab – and this collaborative track record is one of the reasons Professor Deborah Greaves OBE FREng has been leading the £9 million Supergen ORE Hub to provide research leadership to the sector.

Health

Neurons stock image
Improving the lives of people with MS
Developing better treatments and improving care for those with multiple sclerosis is of paramount importance – and a major focus for health services and drug companies. Led by Professor Jeremy Hobart, the University has developed patient-reported outcome measures that are being used in clinical trials around the world to better record the impact of drugs. And through the MS Brain Health Initiative, it has developed a positioning statement, international guidelines for MS care and an audit tool that is being piloted in 14 different countries.
Hepatology
The global threat posed by hepatitis C virus
Hepatitis C is a global health crisis affecting the lives of an estimated 180 million people. A major contributor to liver disease, in the UK alone, around 180,000 people are infected by hepatitis C at any one time. To counter this, Professor Matthew Cramp has established the Hepatology Research Group and built from scratch the South West Liver Unit at Derriford Hospital, from where he both treats patients and conducts clinical trials.
Health care practitioner working with an elderly patient with dementia
Person-centred care for long-term conditions
Faced with the challenge of an ageing population, person-centred approaches to care have also been shown to reduce costs, such as through reduced bed days and reduced readmission rates, and improve outcomes for patients, including increasing wellbeing, self-efficacy, and reductions in pain and fatigue. Dr Helen Lloyd’s work has been instrumental in developing models for integrating person-centred and coordinated care for people with multiple long-term conditions.

Arts, humanities and business

Mount Edgcumbe
Contemporary approaches to history engagement
Professor James Daybell has tapped into modern modes of delivery to bring to life 'new' histories that have captured the imagination of countless people around the world. Working with historian Dr Sam Willis (himself a Visiting Research Fellow at the University) and backed by Dan Snow's History Hit Network, Professor Daybell created Histories of the Unexpected, a phenomenally successful podcast that has been downloaded in more than 150 countries.
Image credit: Mayflower 400 UK.
Decolonising cultural heritage and transforming narratives of remembering
Focusing on the relationship between colonial settler communities and indigenous populations in North America, Dr Kathryn Gray’s research bridged two distinct fields: New England Studies and Red Atlantic Studies. These methodological approaches tend to operate in separate spheres and Gray is one of a very small number of scholars working to connect them.
Brain cap - research by Eduardo Miranda. Centre for Computer Music Research (ICCMR)
Making music with brain signals to improve the quality of life of severely motor-impaired individuals
Professor Eduardo Miranda’s Brain-Computer Music Interfacing system has challenged some of the myths and assumptions surrounding severe motor disability and has had a profoundly positive effect upon the mental health and wellbeing of patients, who were able to transcend their physical limitations to create art.
 

Discover more about our environmental, economic and societal impact

At a glance...
  • University of Plymouth submitted 49 impact case studies to REF2021
  • our case studies demonstrated impact on the environment, politics, health, culture, technology, society and the economy
  • reaching far and wide, Plymouth's global impact locations included Europe, Africa, Asia, Oceania, North and South America.
Earth Day concept [shutterstock_187234682]
 

Interdisciplinary Strategic Institutes

Our diverse research spans three Strategic Institutes. Collaborative endeavour in rich, natural environments drives solutions to global challenges.

Close-up wave

Marine Institute
Marine, maritime, education and innovation expertise integrate to train scientists, engineers, policymakers, artists, technicians and business.

PIHR abstract medical pharmacy healthcare innovative concept background

Plymouth Institute of Health and Care Research
Transformation in life course, ageing, methodologies, e-health, technology and interventions in health, social care, lifestyle, health and wellbeing.

Aerial view from high altitude of little planet earth with small village houses and distant green cultivated agricultural fields with growing crops on bright summer evening

Sustainable Earth Institute
Science, engineering, arts, humanities, health and business, with community, businesses and individuals, innovate to build resilience for our planet.