Community impact made by NI students celebrated at Queen's 
02 February 2015
The Science Shop - now in its 26th year - has celebrated the positive impact of university students from Queen’s and Ulster University who link their knowledge and skills to the needs of their communities.
This year’s Queen’s Science Shop Award winner is postgraduate student Alison Toogood, who is studying Childhood Adversity in the School of Psychology.
Alison worked with Newry and Mourne Young Carers to help young people caring for family members feel more in control of their situation. Her research made recommendations about the kinds of support that the group might provide to help young carers develop coping skills.
Through the Science Shop initiative, students at Queen’s and UU have the opportunity to use the knowledge they have gained during their degrees to carry out a research project on behalf of a local community group which can help improve services, boost the lives of individual people and support the wider community.
In return, students have the chance to gain experience and help make a positive change. Every year Queen’s and UU each make a prize fund of £1,000 available to share among the students who complete projects with the best community impact.
The runner-up from Queen’s was postgrad biology student, Geoff Newall, who worked with the Belfast Hills Partnership to identify the range of solitary bees in the Belfast Hills. His research recommended that Partnership focus on conserving habitat rather than individual species of bee.
Ulster University first place went to joint award winners Jennifer Clifford and Lauren Stewart, who worked with The Rainbow Project and Action Cancer respectively.
Commenting on the achievements, Professor Tony Gallagher, Queen's Pro-Vice-Chancellor of Academic Planning, Staffing and External Relations, said: “The Science Shop provides our students with opportunities to apply their knowledge and learning in real-life settings, and provides community groups with access to the expertise of the University. This important link is a demonstration of Queen’s commitment to making a positive impact on society.
“Our students gain a better understanding of the challenges facing communities within our society and the process encourages them to appreciate the social impact of academic work. The Science Shop is also a fine example of cooperation between Queen’s and Ulster University: both universities, and the community groups with whom we have worked this year, are extremely proud of our quarter century of successful public engagement.”
Professor Denise McAlister, Pro-Vice-Chancellor at UU, said: “On behalf of Ulster University I congratulate both Jennifer and Lauren on their award-winning Science Shop successes. For over 25 years Ulster and Queen’s have worked in partnership to deliver the Science Shop which inspires students and delivers real impact for community and voluntary sectors in Northern Ireland.”
Since it was established in 1989, the Science Shop has delivered over 2,500 projects and worked with nearly 700 community groups including sports clubs, youth groups and recycling centres.
Click here for more information on Queen’s Science Shop. The joint community resource is funded by the Department for Employment and Learning through their Higher Education Innovation Fund.
Media inquiries to Andrew Kennedy, at Queen’s University Communications Office, call 028 9097 5384 or email comms.officer@qub.ac.uk
Photo: (L-R) Alison Toogood, Science Shop Award winner, with Professor Tony Gallagher and Geoff Newall Pictured (L-R) Jennifer Clifford, Geoff Newall, Alison Toogood, and Lauren Stewart's mother, who accepted the award on her daughter’s behalf.
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