Professor Anna Davies wins Irish Research Council Impact Award
Posted on: 21 November 2023
Anna, Professor of Geography, Environment and Society at Trinity, has won the 2023 Irish Research Council Impact Award for her longstanding commitment to world-class research that focuses on facilitating action for a more sustainable society.
Anna’s work has seen her co-design, with her research group and other stakeholders, a suite of tools to support sustainability transitions, from the Climate Smart Platform and serious game iAdapt to the interactive SHARECITY100 Map and Sharing Solutions sustainability impact assessment, which support transformation of urban food systems.
Anna, 2018 winner of the overall IRC Researcher of the Year Award, said:
“My research has always been focused on supporting just transitions to a more sustainable society and planet and I’ve been fortunate to work with many different people in Ireland and overseas in this endeavour. There is much still to be done! Creating and sustaining impact is an ongoing and collective process, which I’m wholeheartedly committed to.”
Among her other many successes, Anna received an ERC research award and subsequent public engagement award for her project SHARECITY, and in 2022 won an ERC Proof of Concept grant to support testing of Sharing Solutions. She currently leads the Horizon Europe Innovation Action CULTIVATE project, which brings together more than 80 people from 19 organisations across Europe to support food sharing innovation for resilient and sustainable food systems.
Her work on a national level has seen her co-designing the online Climate Smart Transition Year module, including the award-winning iAdapt computer game, delivering this to more than 48 schools and 1,500 students across Ireland since 2022. iAdapt challenges players to take on the role of Mayor of Dublin and prepare, consult and implement plans to protect the city from flooding, all while keeping their citizens happy and staying within budget.
Globally, she led a UN science and technology working group report on sustainability at the UN High Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development in 2021 and was a lead co-author of UNESCO’s 2022 report on the role of universities in achieving sustainability. She is currently also Chair of the Board of the Rediscovery Centre.
Anna’s success was announced at a ceremony yesterday evening.
Director of the Irish Research Council, Peter Brown, congratulated all the Researcher of the Year awardees, saying: “It’s important to shine a light on the remarkable achievements of our top researchers and on the leading-edge work they are spearheading at national, community, European and international level. Their work reflects the exceptional contributions they make in their respective fields, and in finding innovative solutions and ways of improving the world and people’s lives. The Irish Research Council Researcher of the Year winners demonstrate why research matters, and of the vital need for continued support in all fields of research, from science and technology to social sciences and the humanities.”