World news story: 2018 Newton Prize shortlist announced in Chile
The shortlist for the prestigious USD1.3 million 2018 Newton Prize has been published yesterday, featuring 22 proposals between researchers in the UK and Brazil, Chile, Colombia and Mexico.
Each year the Newton Prize is awarded to projects that demonstrate the best science or innovation; promoting the economic development and social welfare of Newton partner countries. The prize sheds light on the challenges faced by the developing world and how Newton Fund partnerships are helping to solve them. It also incentivises researchers to join the Newton Fund as partners with the UK to address global challenges such as poverty, climate change and public health.
This year 140 Newton funded projects, fellowships or other awards applied for the Newton Prize. Four prizes of up to USD260,000 each will be awarded to winning projects with the eligible Latin American countries. There will also be an additional prize (the Chairman’s Award) of USD260,000 for a project with the potential for broader impact with other developing countries.
Shortlisted applications take on numerous sustainable development goals: from improving health and wellbeing to reducing inequalities, building sustainable cities, and contributing to peace and justice. They also Applications for this year’s prize were received from a range of institutions, including universities and companies from the UK and abroadspan the Newton Fund’s three pillars of work:
- development of people,
- new research
- translating ideas into innovations
Sir Venki Ramakrishnan, Newton Prize Committee Chair and President of the Royal Society and Nobel Laureate, said:
As the Chair of the judging committee I am thrilled that we have such an exciting and competitive shortlist and I look forward to working with the international judging committee to decide the winners.
One of the aims of the Newton Prize is to highlight the lasting partnerships developed between UK researchers and their colleagues in Newton Fund partner countries to solve global challenges.
Latin America has a wealth of excellent researchers working in collaboration with the UK to tackle issues as diverse as post conflict studies, biodiversity, health and energy through the Newton Fund partnerships in the region. Science and innovation often depends on working in partnership across the globe: sharing knowledge and resources to enhance our understanding and make discoveries with the potential to change lives.
Sir Venki leads a distinguished and independent Newton Prize committee with expertise in the development sector, the Latin American region as well as science and innovation. The committee will review the short-listed applications, along with feedback from expert peer reviewers, and choose the winners.
During November the shortlisted projects below will be celebrated at award events taking place in Brazil, Chile, Colombia and Mexico, where the winning project for that country will be announced. These events will be followed by a UK reception in December hosted by Sam Gyimah MP, the Minister for Universities, Science, Research and Innovation to celebrate international and science innovation collaborations. In Chile, the event will be held in the city of Santiago on November 13.
The shortlisted applications in Chile are as follows:
Political violence and human rights violations accountability: circumstances, uses and effects of forced disappearance registration. Lessons from a comparative perspective in the Americas.
Project partners: Vikki Bell, Goldsmiths University of London and Oriana Bernasconi, Alberto Hurtado University.
Low cost genomic selection for improving disease resistance in Brazilian tilapia aquaculture.
Project partners: Ross Houston, The Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh and Jose Yanez, University of Chile.
Resilient planning of low-carbon power systems.
Project partners: Professor Pierluigi Mancarella, University of Manchester and Rodrigo Moreno, University of Chile.
Technology Development and Implementation for Microgrid Interconnection Systems.
Project partners: Jon Clare, University of Nottingham and Marco Rivera, University of Talca.
Find out more
Read about the 2017 Newton Prize winners: India, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam
Read our latest blogs from Newton Prize winning projects
Follow the Newton Fund on Twitter
Contacts
Mark Gardner – Senior Communications Manager
Alvaro Cabrera – Newton Fund Manager Chile