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Ideas 4 Innovation: New Researchers Award 2009 - applications now open

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Jessica Whitehorn 03 March 2009

UK Sport is pleased to announce that applications for the Ideas 4 Innovation: New Researchers Award for 2009 are now open. 

The aim of UK Sport's Ideas 4 Innovation programme is to acknowledge and harness outstanding research and innovation concepts for elite sport, generated by the UK's research community, to support the mission to London 2012 and beyond.

As part of the Ideas 4 Innovation programme, the New Researchers Award has been established to both harness and reward outstanding student research that may have the potential to impact on performance in Olympic and Paralympic sport, and to encourage talented students to investigate their projects further by entering into postgraduate study. Students from the disciplines of engineering, science, medicine, technology or the arts are encouraged to apply.

In its pilot year, the New Researchers Award was endorsed by 19 UK universities, eight of whom submitted 21 projects in total to UK Sport, approved by each university’s New Researchers Coordinator. Eight finalists were awarded a £500 prize and invited to present their projects to an expert panel at UK Sport’s headquarters in London.

The overall winner was Chris West from Brunel University whose project on the development of a novel device for performance enhancement in spinal cord injured athletes was recognized as having a the potential to make a huge performance impact on British athletes. Chris is now engaging in a further year of study to investigate this project, with the help of a £25,000 grant provided by UK Sport.

Chris West said: “Whilst completing my MSc I was lucky enough to work with Paralympic athletes.  I soon realised that research into training methods, equipment and the performance of Paraplympic athletes was very sparse compared to the able-bodied athletic population, and so I wanted to continue my research. UK Sport’s New Researchers Award has provided me with the opportunity for me to continue my research, not only from a funding point of view but also by giving me access to world class facilities and athletes that otherwise would have been impossible.”

Alison Neall, UK Sport’s Ideas 4 Innovation coordinator said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for students to extend their research beyond their final year and apply their knowledge to help us achieve British sporting success. Successful applicants would also have access to our extensive network of contacts in world class research and innovation.”

Neall was also keen to share some hints and tips on what makes a good application: “The idea should be a novel concept, based on sound research, which could make a clear performance impact on Olympic or Paralympic sports and athletes. The idea should fill a gap in our current knowledge base and should not conflict with the rules and regulations of the sport. If the idea can be applied to more than one sport, this is beneficial but not essential.

“Most importantly, you should be able to demonstrate an application to sport on the front line. The idea could be related to any one of our four work streams - athlete equipment and accessories, coaching technologies, training science or performance medicine.”

There are currently 30 UK universities working UK Sport's Research and Innovation team to encourage their students to apply for the New Researchers Award 2009. However, if you are a member of staff or a student at a university without a New Researchers Coordinator, there is still time to get involved in 2009. For more information or to request a New Researchers Coordinator information pack for your university, please email alison.neall@uksport.gov.uk     

Applications for the 2009 New Researchers Award open today - 2 March 2009 – and will close on 5 June 2009. To download an application form and full terms and conditions please visit www.uksport.gov.uk/ideas4innovation. 

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