Images of Research
The images used to highlight our Research Culture themes were submitted by UoM Postgraduate Researchers as part of the ‘Images of Research’ competition, which forms part of our annual PGR Showcase.
These images authentically demonstrate the real-world outcomes of our university’s research culture.
They are:
From Pot to Plot: Flourish where planted, predict where needed by Haya E'layan
Supporting diverse and rewarding careers: ‘From Pot to Plot: Flourish where planted, predict where needed’ by Haya E'layan
With its focus on adapting in changing environments in order to grow and flourish, Haya’s image and text of chimed with our theme of supporting diverse and rewarding careers.
Survival and flourishing of a plant when moved from an indoor pot to the backyard garden is highly dependent on its ability to successfully cope with the changes in surrounding environment, such as the amount of sunlight hours, temperature, or soil humidity.
Likewise, a computer system that provides accurate predictions in a specific healthcare setting, should be able to successfully operate in case of unexpected changes; whether these changes are a result of being transferred into a new healthcare environment, or due to fluctuations in its current environment.
Water Champions in the Third Pole by Mengyao Li
Taking an open approach to research and realising impact: Water Champions in the Third Pole by Mengyao Li
Mengyao’s image captures the mobilisation of different types of knowledge to achieve a common goal, showing the impact that an open and inclusive approach to research and research data can have.
A group of herders living in the hinterland of the Tibetan Plateau (also known as the Third Pole) were monitoring water quality, under the guidance of professional scientists. With increasing scientific understanding of the status of freshwater resources, these champions of water have not only contributed to water protection and sustainable development of remote areas but have also fostered more collaborative water governance in rapidly urbanising China.
Luminous by Stuart Angiolini
Achieving the highest levels of responsible and ethical research: Luminous, by Stuart Angiolini
Aside from being a beautiful image, Stuart’s description of a vision of ‘green chemistry’ removing the need for fossil fuels neatly captures the theme of ‘responsible’ research and the university’s sustainability goals.
This is a selection of photocatalysts in solution showing fluorescence under visible light irradiation. I use these in my research to devise new ways to create fluorine-containing compounds, which are highly prevalent in pharmaceuticals. Photocatalysis is currently a hot research area and is a potent tool for synthetic chemists interested in making drug molecules. Some of the best labs in the world use it to carry out complex and useful transformations that are not possible using any other method, and as it is catalytic, it is greener than other chemical reactions which generate large amounts of waste. In addition, it is possible to carry out some photochemical reactions using the sun’s light, giving a highly eco-friendly reaction. This was the dream of the so-called ‘Grandfather of Photochemistry’, Giacomo Ciamician, who published this idea in 1912 in an article entitled ‘The Photochemistry of the Future’. He envisioned that one day, the chemical industry could make use of sunlight to manufacture chemicals, removing the need for fossil fuels. These ideas are alive and well today, where ‘Green Chemistry’ is a top priority for many in academia and industry.
Facing Stroke-blues Together by Shahd Benafif
Building collaboration and interdisciplinary: ‘Facing Stroke-blues Together’ by Shahd Benafif
Shahd’s image of a handshake mosaic neatly captures the essence of collaboration, and the union of art and science. Her text about the SAYS project highlights the power of collaboration between researchers and practitioners.
This image was taken in the stroke unit at Stepping Hill Hospital, our #1 site for recruiting stroke survivors for the Speech after Stroke Recovery Study (SAYS). In the SAYS study, we are aiming to understand the speech recovery journey of stroke survivors by exploring the impact of dysarthria, a communication disorder affecting speech production and intelligibility, on stroke survivors’ lives, their engagement in daily life activities and their psychosocial wellbeing. A set of assessments is administered by speech-language therapists, along with qualitative interviews, which are carried out to gain insights from the perspective of stroke survivors with dysarthria. The study is longitudinal, involving long-term follow ups at 3 different time points over 18 months, which is presenting a pioneering investigation in the field of post-stroke dysarthria."
