2026 shortlisted entries
We received over 140 entrants for our Making a Difference Awards 2026 and the judges had a very difficult job selecting a shortlist. Below is a full list of all the shortlisted entrants in each of the categories.
Outstanding benefit to society through research
Intergenerational movement-building for more just urban futures
Daniela Coco Beltrame and 25 co-researchers from the SDI Network
Faculty of Humanities; Global Development Institute
Music in Mind: Transforming dementia care through a moments-based lens
Professor John Keady
Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health; School of Health Sciences
Transforming psychosis care with digital innovation
John Ainsworth, Sandra Bucci and Shon Lewis
Faculty of Bilogy, Medicine and Health; School of Health Sciences
Dalton Nuclear Policy Group
Dalton Nuclear Policy Group
Faculty of Science and Engineering; Dalton Nuclear Institute
Outstanding teaching innovation in social responsibility
Student-led vaping awareness PSHE lessons in primary schools
Rebecca Marks and Dr Eleanor Balmer
Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health; School of Medical Sciences
Be aware, be empowered
Sarah Knighton and Harsha Parmar
Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health; School of Health Sciences
Transformative oncology: Transforming cancer outcomes through education
The Transformative Oncology design, development and delivery team
Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health; School of Medical Sciences
Outstanding contribution to social and environmental impact through entrepreneurship
EGSTradeHub.org: Global platform for inclusive, climate-aligned trade
Dr Nicolette Butle
Faculty of Humanities, School of Social Sciences
Accelerating impact-led graphene entrepreneurship
Graphene Innovation Engineering Centre (GEIC)
Faculty of Science and Engineering
Green Careers Mission
Greater Manchester Civic Universities Green Skills Working Group
Faculty of Humanities; Central Professional Services Division; colleagues external to the University
Outstanding public engagement initiative
Rewilding our industrial past: The Lower Medlock Valley
Cecilia Medupin, Sarah Cundy, Friends of the Medlock Valley
Faculty of Humanities, School of Arts, Languages and Cultures
Helping infants and parents to protect their oral health (HIPPOH)
Helping Infants and Parents to Protect their Oral Health (HIPPOH) team: Zahra Shah, Haleema Khan, Esther Desouza and Maria Yusufi
Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, School of Medical Sciences
Tree of Life: How exploring diversity can create unity
Tree of Life exhibit co-development team: Suz Johnson, Binish Khatoon, Nusrat Ahmed, Mister Monroe, The Eastern Blok and the Fatima Women’s Association
Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, School of Medical Sciences
Hulme Nannas: (in)visibility, community and urban change
Niamh Kavanagh and Tina Cribbin
Faculty of Humanities, School of Environment, Education and Development
UoM EHE family science: Curiosity catalyst
Amanda Banks Gatenby and Sara Jackson
Faculty of Humanities; School of Environment, Education and Development
Driving public involvement in teaching one step at a time
Lindsey Brown
Community group
Promoting student safety & healthy relationships: An ACN-SoSS project
Active Communities Network
Colleagues external to the University
Recoverist Curators Exhibition
Dominic Bilton, Victoria Hartley, Francine Hayfrn
The Whitworth
Manchester Museum Celebrates
Lowell Wallbank, Rhianna Smith, Connor Murphy, Nusrat Ahmed, Ciaron Wilkinson
Manchester Museum
Outstanding contribution to equality, diversity and inclusion
Speaking Club
SEmma Shiels, Lin Ma, Molly Lacey, Laura Earnshaw-Jones, Hannah Murphy, Suhani Kochar, Bharti Gupta, Lana Lai, Hannahruth Roberts
Faculty of Science and Engineering
Decolonial praxis
Professor Toni Haastrup and Professor Andreja Zevnik
Faculty of Humanities, School of Social Sciences
The relaxed graduation
Kate Cleto, Scott Weddall, James Fisher, Alex Bleakley, Athena Keshwani, Barbara Bilas, Tracy Gallimore, Richard Quayle, Lexie Baynes, Katie Jackson, Kai Prince
A mix of staff and students from across the University
Outstanding professional services for social responsibility
SoSS menospace: Supporting a menopause-friendly workplace
SoSS Social Responsibility team: Sarah Tiffany-Dodman, Noemie Rouault, Holly Wright, Stephanie Jones
Faculty of Humanities, School of Social Sciences
MHC breaking barrier
Alex Shaw
Faculty of Humanities and the Martin Harris Centre for Music
Outstanding contribution to environmental sustainability and a zero carbon future
The Bee Cup scheme
The Bee Cup Team
Central PS Division
RooTable
Grace Garrick, Amelie Anastasakis, Flavia Vigliotti, George Wilson
University of Manchester Students’ Union
Leading environmental change in radiotherapy
Dr Rob Chuter
Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health and The Christie NHS Foundation Trust; School of Medical Sciences
Biko Bikes
Will Renny, Owen Ineson, Court Harding, Scarlett Henderson, Isaac Law
University of Manchester Students’ Union
Outstanding contribution to widening access and student success
Supporting the UCAS personal statement reform to widen participation
Tom Fryer
Faculty of Humanities, School of Environment, Education and Development
Transforming the commuter student experience at Manchester
The Commuter Student Engagement Team
Faculty of Humanities, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Central PS Division and University of Manchester alumni
The very local maths project
The Very Local Maths Team
Faculty of Science and Engineering and Faculty of Humanities; School of Natural Sciences and Manchester Institue of Education
Outstanding alumni contribution to social responsibility
Inclusive metaverse classroom model for access & student success
Zahy Ramadan
University of Manchester alumna
DICE: Deaf inclusion & communication engagement
Ryan Brewer
University of Manchester alumna
Services to children and their families in Manchester
Hannah Broughton
University of Manchester alumna
Making a Difference Awards 2026 judges
We would like to say a huge thank you to all our panels of judges, who had the unenvious job of shortlisting over 140 entries.
The judges were:
Outstanding benefit to society through research
- Laura Breen, Research Development and Impact Manager
- Colette Fagan, Vice-President for Research
- Richard Curry, Associate Vice-President for Research
- Suzie Harvey, Chair at Evidence to Impact and UoM alumna
Outstanding teaching innovation in social responsibility
- Jen O’Brien, Academic Lead for Sustainability Education
- Raj Ariyaratnam, Clinical Professor, Division of Dentistry
- Christine McLean, Senior Lecturer, Alliance Manchester Business School
- Emma McKenna, Queens University Belfast (a national award winner for community engaged learning)
- Lisa Trencher, Fashion, Business and Technology, School of Natural Sciences
- Amrit Dhillon, FSE Education Officer 2025/6
- Emma Sanders, Teaching and Learning Officer (Teaching Excellence)
Outstanding contribution to social and environmental impact through entrepreneurship
- Dr Leigh Wharton, Lecturer, Alliance Manchester Business School and Social Entrepreneur
- Krish Patel, Founder, Tale to Inspire
- Lisa Riste, Research Fellow and Founder FLAG-Me CIC
- Don Phillips, Chairman, Bubble Enterprises CIC
- Laura Etchells
Outstanding community and public engagement initiative
- Stephanie Snow, Academic Lead for Public Engagement, Research
- Atiha Chaudry, Director, Equal Access Consultancy
- Ciaron Wilkinson, Head of Partnerships and Engagement, Manchester Museum
- Omolade Allen, FBMH Academic Lead for Civic and Community Engagement and Involvement
- Karen Jelenje, Community & Social Impact Manager, Sister
- Dee-Ann Johnson, Public Engagement Manager
Outstanding contribution to equality and diversity award
- Rachel Cowen, Academic Lead for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (Gender and Sexual Orientation)
- Paul Mark-Jones, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Partner
- Dimitris Papadimitriou, Vice Dean of Social Responsibility and Inclusion of the Faculty of Humanities
- Sharon Mary Dominicraj, Wellbeing and Liberation Officer, Students Union
- Fozia Ahmed, Consultant Cardiologist
Outstanding professional services contributions for social responsibility
- Emma Nichols, Outreach Manager, Faculty Office, Faculty of Science and Engineering
- Sheila Chisholm, Safety, Compliance And Risk Manager, Manchester Museum
- Sally Ainsworth, Governance Manager, Office of General Counsel
- Paul Nethercott, Community Partnerships Manager, Public Health Team, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust
- Abishera Rajkumar, Teaching Technical Specialist, FSE
- Peter Liddel, Furniture 4 reuse
- Dani Mannion, GM Civic University Board Engagement & Communication Lead
Outstanding contribution to environmental sustainability and a low carbon future
- Lucy Millard, Environmental Sustainability Manager, Directorate of Estates and Facilities
- Joe Blakey, Lecturer in Human Geography and Associate Dean for Environmental Sustainability (Humanities)
- Hannah Baron, Sustainable Futures, Strategy and Engagement Manager
- Haojun Shuai, Environmental Management student
- Emily Horrell, Team Jump, Engagement Manager
- Ben Parkes, Senior Lecturer in Climate Resilience
Outstanding contribution to widening participation
- Emma Britain, Student Access, Success and Development Manager, Teaching, Learning and Student Development Division
- Lexie Baynes, UA Officer University of Manchester Students’ Union
- Sophie Hoyle-Wilby, Student Marketing and Recruitment Officer, Student Recruitment
- Sophie Flieshman, Access, Student Success and Development Manager
- Sohini Biswas, Psychology student
- David Allison, Reader, Division of Pharmacy & Optometry
- Christopher Godden, Professor in Economic History
- Alison Evans, Student Recruitment and Marketing Manager, Faculty of Science and Engineering
Outstanding alumni contribution to social responsibility
- Kate Deamon, DDAR, Campaign Volunteer Officer, Development & Alumni
- Helen Hall, Alumni Manager, Volunteering Programmes
- Naa Acquah, University of Manchester alumni association
- Barney Weston, Project and Relationship Manager, Sport England