There are only 145 Leverhulme Early Career Fellowships available nationally each year. The highly-respected scheme provides development opportunities for talented researchers in the early stages of their academic career, who have a proven record of research impact and excellence.
The successful fellows, Dr Ronan Lee, a Doctoral Prize Fellow at Loughborough University London’s Institute for Media and Creative Industries, Dr Tamarin Norwood, a Doctoral Prize Research Fellow in the School of Design and Creative Arts and Dr Luana Olivieri, a Research Fellow in the University’s Emergent Photonics Research Centre, will now embark on ambitious research projects within their areas of expertise.
Dr Ronan Lee’s project will explore the attitudes of Myanmar’s Rohingya refugees. After decades of genocidal abuses, many Rohingya now live in the world’s largest refugee camp - meaning their community’s unique characteristics and values are at risk of being lost. By using different techniques to explore attitudes on topics such as education, marriage, justice and politics, Ronan’s work aims to contribute to the Rohingya’s post-genocide future.
Dr Tamarin Norwood’s research interests revolve around the connection between medical humanities, bereavement studies and creativity, including a focus on drawing and life-writing. Her current focus is the ‘emergency creativity’ of ad hoc rituals and beliefs that emerge in response to deaths with impoverished narrative or unsupported by cultural tradition, in particular reproductive loss.
Finally, Dr Luana Olivieri aims to develop a novel non-invasive multi-dimensional imaging methodology that’s capable of unravelling the intricated information of light while retrieving hidden objects. Understanding light propagation – the process by which an electromagnetic wave transfers energy from one point to another – through complex 3D media has the potential to bring about positive changes in areas ranging from the environment to healthcare and security.
Professor Dan Parsons, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Research and Innovation, said: “This is a fantastic outcome with three superb fellowship projects funded by the Leverhulme Trust here at Loughborough - our best ever return in this prestigious scheme.
“These awards not only advance an area of research but are also transformative for the individuals and their career development. I congratulate each of them wholeheartedly and also convey my thanks to the teams in our Research and Innovation Office and our academic mentors for supporting the fellows in developing their projects.”
Professor Steve Christie, Associate Pro Vice-Chancellor (Doctoral College) said: “It is an incredible achievement to receive a Leverhulme Trust Early Career Fellowship, one of the most prestigious awards for an early career researcher.
“It is testament to both the new Fellows’ records of research excellence, and to the supportive research environment at Loughborough that will nurture their careers as they continue to produce high-quality research with impact. We are particularly pleased that our Loughborough Doctoral Prize Fellow scheme has been used as a springboard help with these successful applications.”