ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳

A gallery space with photographs displayed and students sitting around.

Competition winners

 Meet the winners 2013-2018

Enter the research competition by Monday 21 January 2019.

The 2019 ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ Festival research competition builds on a tradition of research festivals at ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳, featuring entries from student and staff researchers across the School. Winners were decided by expert judges at a public exhibition and a popular prize was decided by a public vote. 

Meet the winners from 2018

Photograph prize

Winner: Farhia Abukar, ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ Faith Centre

Farhia's winning photograph: 

ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ Festival research competition winner: Photograph Prize
Farhia Abukar, Faith Centre, discusses her winning photograph. ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ Film & Audio

The judges said: "This photograph is a wonderful expression of the joy and friendship which is a core element of humanity around the world. It reminds us that happiness can be found even in the most troubled circumstances. It's a picture that gives hope. Playing football on the beach with friends - who can't smile at that?" 

The judges

Julia Black is Pro Director for Research at ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳. Julia was elected a Fellow of the British Academy in 2015 and appointed to the Board of UK Research and Innovation in 2017.

Maria Moore is a professional photographer and has worked with some of London and Europe’s most celebrated agencies. 

The criteria

  • Imagination: How original and arresting is the story behind the image? Does it challenge the viewer?

  • Visual impact: Where is our eye drawn to in the photograph? Is the viewer's attention captured in an interesting way?

  • Subject matter and coherence: How well does it relate to the description provided on the entry form?

This prize was awarded at the ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ Festival on Wednesday 21 February 2018 by Julia Black.

Poster prize

Winner: Ganga Shreedhar, Department of Geography and Environment

Ganga's winning poster: 

ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ Festival research competition winner: Poster Prize
Ganga Shreedhar, Department of Geography and Environment, discusses her winning poster. ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ Film & Audio

The judges said: "This poster’s research questions and methodology were both thought-provoking and clearly described. The poster drew our attention in and it was clear how the findings might influence others." 

The judges

Mary Morgan is the Albert O Hirschman Professor of History and Philosophy of Economics at ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳; an elected Fellow, and currently Vice-President, of the British Academy, and an Overseas Fellow of the Royal Dutch Academy of Arts and Sciences. 

Liz Hutchinson is the Director of Communications at The British Academy. 

The criteria

  • Organisation: How well is structure employed to organise text and images?

  • Presentation: Do graphics and/or use of colour enhance or detract from the message?

  • Use of evidence: Is the evidence robust and does it support the claims put forward?

  • Clarity: Are the arguments contained in the poster coherent? Are they clear to a general audience?

This prize was awarded at the ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ Festival on Wednesday 21 February 2018 by Julia Black.

Research abstract prize

Winner: Aurelia Streit, Department of International Development

Aurelia's winning research abstract: 

ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ Festival research competition winner: Research Abstract and ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ LIFE Prize
Aurelia Streit, Department of International Development, discusses her winning research abstract. ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ Film & Audio

The judges said: "This research examined an important issue where research suggests unexpected (some might say) paradoxical positive outcomes from an otherwise negative situation. As is often the case, disruption produces a series of consequences where there are benefits as well as dis-benefits. The research will enlighten future researchers to the need to examine how war and other disaster situations can produce empowerment and other societal changes." 

Highly commended

Rusha Nandy, Department of Accounting for 

The judges said: "This is a clear exposition of a global issue where there are benefits to broader society of an improvement in accounting and the subsequent reduction in fraud can criminality. The development of forensic accounting in an era of computerisation and better data also made the project strong." 

Carlos Mesa Baron, Department of Economic History for 

The judges said: "This is an intriguing, modest, proposal to examine the opportunities for encouraging saving in such a way as to strengthen household finances and inter-generational security. The potential implications are profound and of broad importance."

The judges

Tony Travers is Director of the Institute of Public Affairs at ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ and a professor in the Government Department. 

Liz Peace is Chair of Trustees at Centre for London.

The criteria

  • Does the headline grab attention and capture the important insight from the research?

  • Does the abstract make the case for why the community should be engaged by the research?

  • Is the abstract well-written, concise and communicative?

This prize was awarded at the ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ Festival on Wednesday 21 February 2018 by Julia Black.

ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ LIFE prize

Winner: Aurelia Streit, Department of International Development

Aurelia's winning research abstract: 

ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ Festival research competition winner: Research Abstract and ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ LIFE Prize
Aurelia Streit, Department of International Development, discusses her winning research abstract. ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ Film & Audio

The judges said: "In addition to meeting our four criteria of ‘Making the world a better place’, ‘Communication’, ‘Creativity’ and ‘Self-Understanding’, Aurelia’s research offers hope for the 22 million refugees throughout the world in general, and for women refugees in particular, and shows how something really positive can emerge out of a very difficult environment."

Highly commended

Mujina Kaindama, Department of Law for 

The judges said: "By daring to ask difficult questions and challenging government policies on migration, this project highlights most potently the discriminatory practices currently taking place, amongst other places, in the housing sector in the UK and how these make it very difficult for migrants to successfully integrate into their new community." 

The judges

Claudine Provencher is Head of ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ LIFE and an ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ alumnus. 

Asi Sharabi founded Wonderbly (previously known as Lost My Name) as a DIY project with some friends. It's now a funded tech + storytelling start up with the ambition of making millions of kids around the world more curious, courageous and kind.

The criteria

The ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ LIFE prize was selected from shortlisted photograph, poster and research abstract submissions from undergraduate and Master’s students. The criteria for this prize was based on ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ LIFE’s guiding principles and values within the ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ community. Specifically, submissions were evaluated on:

  • Making the ‘world’ a better place: How well does the submission offer knowledge that could contribute to a change for the better for a community, big or small?

  • Communication: How well does the submission use written and/or visual forms of communication to interact with the Festival audience in a way that is clear and coherent?

  • Creativity: How well does the submission demonstrate inventive or unique ways of thinking and/or offer alternative perspectives?

  • Self-Understanding: How well does the submission demonstrate researcher self-awareness and reflexivity?

This prize was awarded at the ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ Festival on Wednesday 21 February 2018 by Julia Black.

ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ PhD Academy prize

Winner: Diego Alburez-Gutierrez, Department of Social Policy

Diego's winning photograph: 

 

ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ Festival research competition winner: PhD Academy Prize
Diego Alburez-Gutierrez, Department of Social Policy, discusses his winning photograph. ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ Film & Audio

 

The judges said: "The image was intriguing on its own and open to a number of different interpretations. The spectator is immediately drawn to the striding female figure in the foreground who stands out against the backdrop of a much larger crowd. The determination and quiet dignity of the figure made us want to know more. The text which accompanies the image soon makes clear in a succinct way that this single woman is typical of all those behind her in seeking reparations after a war.  We soon realise the connect between her and those still waiting for reparations. This is a very well taken photograph which tells a story that has considerable depth and international significance."

The judges

Linda Mulcahy is Director of the PhD Academy, a professor in the Department of Law at ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳, and editor of the International Journal of Social and Legal Studies

Benedict Richards is a graphic designer.

The criteria

The PhD Academy prize was selected from shortlisted photograph, poster and research abstract submissions from PhD students. 

It was judged on their ability to communicate a concept, research question or finding in a way that stimulates debate and is accessible to a non-specialist audience.

This prize was awarded at the ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ Festival on Wednesday 21 February 2018 by Julia Black.

Beveridge prize

Winner: Victoria Adewole, Department of Health Policy

Victoria's winning poster: 

ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ Festival research competition winner: Beveridge Prize
Victoria Adewole, Department of Health Policy, discusses her winning poster. ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ Film & Audio

The judge said, "As we make progress on communicable diseases, affordable surgery will become the next frontier for millions in poor countries. Beveridge would have liked the potential scale of impact and attention to affordability."  

Highly commended

Eimear Sparks, Department of Sociology for 

The judge said: "This proposal identifies a new issue as finance is digitised, and those who are excluded are even more marginalised. Beveridge would never have imagined this challenge but he would have seen as a new form of want."

Alina Epeykina, Department of International Relations for  

The judge said: "The photo shows a little girl trying to get an education, but too tired from working to read. Like Beveridge, this photo shows how you have to tackle many giants at the same time to make progress."

The judge

Minouche Shafik is Director of ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ and an ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ alumnus. 

The criteria

ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ Director Minouche Shafik chose the single entry from the shortlisted photograph, poster or research abstract submissions that best fits the Beveridge 2.0 theme. Beveridge’s ‘Five Giants’ of want, squalor, disease, ignorance and idleness have been broadly re-cast as:

  • Want - Challenges of poverty
  • Squalor - Housing and urbanisation
  • Idleness - Future of work
  • Ignorance - Education and skills
  • Disease - Health and social care

This prize was awarded at the ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ Festival on Friday 23 February 2018 by Minouche Shafik.

Popular prize

Winner: Nihan Albayrak, Department of Psychological and Behavioural Science

Nihan's winning research abstract: 

ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ Festival research competition winner: Popular Prize
Nihan Albayrak, Department of Psychological and Behavioural Science, discusses her winning research abstract. ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ Film & Audio

The criteria

The Popular prize was voted for by the public on our .

This prize was awarded at the ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ Festival on Friday 23 February 2018 by Minouche Shafik.

Visit the online gallery featuring all 2018 competition entrants.

 

More previous winners

2016 winners

Headlined Abstract Prize

Caroline Tan, Department of International Relations
Political Player or Passive Administrator? The Federal Reserve Board's Rise to Dominance

The judges said that this was a topical subject with relevance not only in the US but in the UK, Europe and beyond. This abstract was elegantly written and very, very good.

Photograph Prize

David Brenner, Department of International Relations
When War Becomes Reality

The judges said that the strong framing, symmetry and balance of this photograph drew the viewer's attention into an engaging and arresting image that strongly conveyed the narrative of the research.

Poster Prize

Young-ook Jang, Department of Economic History
A Road to Home: the role of ethnicity in post-Soviet migration

The judges said that this poster had great composition and use of illustration, impactful design, and that it was clear and easy to follow the story of the research.

Booth Prize

Tatiana Pazem, Sofia Lesur Kastelein, Sally Park, Robert Clark, Xinyang Li, ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ GROUPS
Headlined Abstract - Hipsters and Spikes: mapping gentrification and defensive architecture in Tower Hamlets 

The judges felt that this work touched closely on both themes and methods featured in Charles Booth's pioneering work, combining state of the art mapping techniques with qualitative research to enhance our understanding of how inequality is produced in urban contexts.

Popular Prize

Celestin Okoroji, Department of Psychological and Behavioural Science
Poster - The Nadir of British Life: social representations of the unemployed

2015 winners

Poster Prize

Orian Mahlow, Department of Economic History 
Foreign Labour in West Germany: skill premiums in the Germany auto industry – convergence big time?

The judges said this was graphically very strong, with a well-chosen photograph and an elegant and striking layout… immediately clear what the research is about.

Photograph Prize

Catarina Heeckt, ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ Cities (for Configuring Light/Staging the Social)
Playing with Light

The judges found this an arresting image - enough information about an urban landscape… well composed.

Popular Prize

Sylvia Chant, Department of Geography and Environment
Photograph - All Day Every Day

2014 winners

Poster Prize

Anji Mehta, Martin Knapp, Annette Bauer, Margaret Perkins and Tom Snell, Personal Social Services Research Unit
Community Capacity  

Photograph Prize

Rachel Deacon, Department of Social Policy
Ntonjaan: tradition and transition in the shadow of HIV  

Film Prize

Emma Dyer, University of Cambridge
Child vs Book 

2013 winners

Poster Prize

Johannes Himmelreich, Department of Philosophy, Logic and Scientific Method
Collective Agency: can the state be a group agent?

Photograph Prize

Evangelos Georgas, Department of Sociology
Communist Pre-election Campaign in Greece 

Film Prize

Christelle Rabier, Department of Economic History
Capturing the Cut: on the invention of medical illustration

The deadline for submissions is Monday 21 January 2019.

Contact us 

Email us at researchcompetition@lse.ac.uk if you have any questions.