UNIVERSITY NEWS LAST UPDATED : 11 JULY 2018
Dr Ashok Patel, a researcher and Senior Lecturer in Biomedical Sciences in the School of Health Sciences, has been shortlisted for the prestigious Royal Society Pairing Scheme. This is the first time this University has engaged with this Scheme and he is one of 60 short-listed researchers from over 200 applications from all over the UK.
The Pairing Scheme gives policymakers in Parliament and university researchers an opportunity to experience each other’s worlds.Researchers are able to learn about how parliament and government work and how their research can feed into the policy making process.
Candidates who are successfully paired this year will spend a week in Parliament in November, learning about how science informs policy making in government. This is a great opportunity to network with Parliamentarians, civil servants and other researchers. Those shortlisted candidates that are not paired this year will spend a Welcome Day in Parliament, and will automatically be placed on the shortlist for next year. The successful paired candidates for this year will be announced in August.
In the application for the Pairing Scheme, Ashok provided answers to a number of questions, including information about his research, experience of Parliament or Government and involvement in science communication. His research explores predisposition genes to conditions such as diabetic kidney disease and dementia in individuals with Down’s Syndrome.
Speaking about his shortlisting, Ashok said: "I am delighted to have been shortlisted for the Royal Society Pairing Scheme. I joined the Biomedical Sciences team at this University recently, and I have been impressed by the commitment and the high quality of teaching provided by my colleagues. The investment in the new building has given momentum to an increasing research focus in the school. I am looking forward to going to Parliament in November, conveying the quality of our teaching and research, meeting other researchers and finding out more about how research can influence government policy."
Hannah Abbott, Head of the School of Health Sciences, commented, "We’re delighted that Ashok has been shortlisted for this scheme. It’s a great recognition for our new Biomedical Sciences programme and an opportunity for us to demonstrate what we are doing to those working at the heart of government."