Royal Holloway, University of London has been shortlisted in two categories for the prestigious THE Awards 2021.
The first shortlisting is in the Research Project of the Year: STEM category. This award recognises innovative research in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects that has a far-reaching impact and has caught, or has the potential to catch, the imagination of the public. Royal Holloway is nominated for research that used a novel approach by Professor David Howard, Head of the Department of Electronic Engineering to recreate an authentic vowel sound from the 3,000 year-old mummified remains of the Egyptian priest Nesyamun, whose documented ambition at death was to speak again in the afterlife.
After it was published, the research paper ranked 2nd in the top 100 for Nature Scientific Reports 'most downloaded research papers' published in 2020 featuring authors from around the world. This ingenious research offers the possibility for entirely new research directions into ancient worlds, and provides a way to introduce audiences and ENT patients to healthy voice function. Furthermore, it presents the opportunity for visitors to engage with historical figures as people rather than simply as artefacts.
The second shortlisting is in the Outstanding Contribution to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion category. This award recognises and rewards a university that has built a truly inclusive environment in which all staff and students are treated fairly and with respect, and where diversity is championed. Royal Holloway is nominated for its audio described tour of the university’s Picture Gallery from 2020, led by College Curator Dr Laura MacCulloch and Hannah Thompson, Professor of French and Critical Disability Studies, with Smartify. This work made Royal Holloway the first UK Higher Education Institution to provide free, online, and inclusive access to its stunning art collections.
Times Higher Education editor John Gill, said:
“This is the 17th year that the THE Awards will recognise the best of the best in UK higher education, across 20 categories covering all aspects of university activity. But this year’s awards will reflect a period of turmoil and innovation necessitated by the pandemic, making it quite unlike any previous year.
“For the first time this year, we have also extended our awards to include higher education institutions in Ireland, and we are delighted to say that we have had a record number of entries, reflecting the brilliance of universities across the whole of the UK and Ireland. With almost 600 institutions, teams and individuals nominated, it really is a fantastic achievement to make it onto this year’s shortlist.
“We look forward to celebrating the incredible response of university staff in exceptionally tough circumstances when we gather for the Oscars of higher education in November.”
