News Centre

Excellence with impact

11 December 2010

Professor Jim Murray shows Professor John Harries and Mr Richard Rossington the Arabidopsis thaliana plant rooms in the School of Biosciences

Cardiff School of Biosciences welcomed Wales’ first Chief Scientific Adviser, Professor John Harries, and guests from within and outside the University to view its delivery of economic and social impact.

Professor John Harries was welcomed to the University by the Vice-Chancellor Dr David Grant and Director of the School of Biosciences Professor Ole Petersen, and then attended a showcase event on the theme of "Excellence with Impact".

During this event, our guests met staff and students as part of "living case studies", where members of the School discussed on a one-to-one basis how they had made an impact with their research activities. Case studies covered:

Enterprise & Entrepreneurship

International Development

Interdisciplinary & Translational Research

Informing Policy

Public Engagement

School Outreach and Widening Access

Other guests included representatives from the Welsh Assembly Government, biotechnology industries and commercial enterprise, Severnside Alliance for Translational Research (SARTRE), Techniquest Science Discovery Centre and Careers Wales. The event also formed part of the visit to judge the School’s entry into the BBSRC Excellence with Impact Award.

Later, Professor Harries met with researchers on a tour of the School, one of the largest bioscience departments in the UK, employing more than 100 academic staff, 250 research staff, and teaching 2000 undergraduates and 160 postgraduates.

Professor Ole Petersen said: "We were delighted to welcome Professor Harries to learn more about the expertise here in the School and the benefits our research brings to many areas including healthcare breakthroughs, biodiversity conservation and the training of the next generations of bioscientists".

Professor Chris McGuigan, Deputy Pro Vice-Chancellor for Research said: "This shows how very far Cardiff University has come in being able to demonstrate the economic and social impact of its research and teaching".