Professor Jenny Kitzinger shortlisted for ESRC research impact prize

Professor Jenny Kitzinger has been shortlisted by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) for its prestigious Celebrating Impact Prize 2015.

The nomination, alongside her colleague, and sister, Professor Celia Kitzinger (University of York) relates to their research on family experiences of coma, the vegetative and minimally conscious state.

The two researchers worked with colleagues at Oxford University and with the DIPEx charity to use their research to create a multi-media, on-line resource providing information and support for families and practitioners.

Launched in September 2014, the resource has already reached over 4,000 people and is also being used in training health care and legal practitioners.

The research is prompting public debate and discussions of medical ethics and has been cited in policy documents including the National Guidelines on prolonged disorders of consciousness and a Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology briefing document.

It has also been translated into a Radio 3 programme, 'Coma Songs' (co-produced by Jenny Kitzinger) which challenges common cultural misrepresentations of comas.

The ESRC shortlist highlights just nine projects from across UK universities. ESRC Chief Executive Professor Jane Elliott said:  "the 2015 Celebrating Impact Prize provides a timely opportunity to recognise and reward those whose work is making a real difference in society. … these researchers have demonstrated the immense value of social science research in the UK."

The winners will be announced at a formal event in London on 24 June 2015, organised in partnership with SAGE and hosted by BBC Radio 4 broadcaster Laurie Taylor.