Excellence in Research
Winner: Professor Ivan Olier
Head of the Artificial Intelligence and Digital Technologies Research Institute. School of Computer Science and Mathematics.
Professor Olier’s achievements in 2025 exemplify excellence across all dimensions of research. His work is novel, methodologically rigorous, and internationally recognised. He has demonstrated outstanding academic leadership through the coordination of large-scale consortia, the creation of a new research institute, and the mentoring of colleagues and early-career researchers.
Receiving the VC Award for Excellence in Research is a profound honour. Research has long been both my passion and my joy, and this recognition reflects a journey shaped by persistence and a commitment to work that genuinely moves our field forward.
I am deeply grateful to my colleagues and collaborators whose insight, support, and shared ambition have made this work possible.
Professor Ivan Olier
Excellence in Knowledge Exchange
Winner: Dr Richie Kirwan
School of Sport and Exercise Sciences
The Simply Sport Foundation, that Dr Kirwan started has in 24/25 reached more than 6,500 coaches and athletes across India, provides LJMU with a platform to extend its research-informed education to communities where access to female-focused health and performance knowledge remains limited.
I'm delighted the work of Simply Sport Foundation in India is getting the recognition it deserves and I'm looking forward to even more exciting projects with them this year.
Dr Richie Kirwan
Excellence in Research and Knowledge Exchange Support
Winner: Cath Dishman
Library Open Research Team
The LJMU Open Journals service exists and thrives because of Cath’s encouragement and commitment to the LJMU RKE Community (Staff and PhD students) as well as different forms of publication. Cath’s commitment to open has allowed her to share research and open publishing, far beyond the confines of LJMU.
I was absolutely delighted to be nominated for this award for the work I do on the Open Journals Service. I was even more delighted (and a little bit shocked to be fair) to actually win.
The colleague who nominated me is my biggest cheerleader and I am so thankful to her for taking the time to put in this nomination for me (and getting to work with her every day).
Professionally it is incredibly rewarding running this service, engaging and supporting researchers in their open publishing endeavours, but winning the award feels like it has gained university recognition which I am very pleased about.
Cath Dishman
Excellence in Promotion of EDI in Research and Knowledge Exchange
Winner: Dr Dominique Walker
School of Law and Justice Studies
At LJMU, Dr Walker has been a visible and influential champion of inclusion, frequently sharing her expertise with wider audiences. Externally, she works closely with policymakers, local authorities, national charities, and media organisations to ensure broad dissemination of her expertise.
I am so honoured to receive the VC award for Excellence in EDI. I have worked diligently in the anti-racism space for about twenty years.
From my work on the Black in the Ivory project, our Global Majority group/conferences to my ongoing work as Chair of the Anthony Walker Foundation, to receive recognition for the work I do means so much.
Thank you to the persons who nominated me and to the VC and his team for recognising my commitment to anti-racism, equity and inclusion at LJMU and in our communities.”
Dr Dominique Walker
Excellence in the Promotion of Sustainability in Research and Knowledge Exchange
Winner: LEAF Team
Lead: Katie Farrance (HITS)
Team: Emma Fadden, Sarah Rowlands, Kelly Mohan, Peter Shum, Catherine Perfect
The work of the LEAF Team continues to shape a more sustainable future for research and technical operations at LJMU with the aim to make sustainable lab practice normal laboratory practice.
We are extremely proud that the LEAF team has been recognised with the Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Sustainability.
This award reflects the hard work and dedication of our technical community in driving more sustainable laboratory practices, and we are grateful that our progress has been acknowledged.
We look forward to continuing this important work embedding sustainability into everyday laboratory practice.
Katie Farrance
Excellence - Impact Story
Winner: Professor Amos Fatokun
School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences
Amos has delivered two complementary programmes of research and innovation. He has made global impact by developing new drug discovery technology and leading transformative, award-winning higher education for entrepreneurship in Nigeria.
The VC Award I received for Excellence in Impact really means a lot to me, as it recognises the transformative nature and reach of our work in medical research and innovation.
I would like to thank my wonderful team members and my great collaborators and partners here and overseas who have contributed immensely to the successes recorded in the projects. The award is also for them.
Part of our work has now been progressed to commercialisation, with the prospect of enhancing drug discovery science and improving healthcare accessibility and affordability. Another project on medical innovation and entrepreneurship has won global awards.
This VC Award provides further inspiration for us to strive even more to deliver solutions to 21st century challenges, be they in healthcare, education or other domains.
Professor Amos Fatokun
Excellence - Public Engagement with Research
Winner: Dr Susannah Walker
School of Psychology
Susannah’s “Bring Your Own Brain” programme created a brain-themed festival atmosphere for six weeks across Merseyside. This imaginative, inclusive, and impactful programme benefitted researchers, students, and communities alike.
I am delighted to have been awarded the VC Award for Excellence in Public Engagement (PE). I led a brilliant team who put huge amounts of time, effort, and passion into delivering an engaging, entertaining, and inclusive public programme of events in the lead up to British Neuroscience Association’s (BNA) International Festival of Neuroscience in April 2025.
We had a lot of fun doing it, and it is wonderful to be recognised with this prize. I am particularly grateful to LJMU’s PE officer Gemma Reed for her advice, support and the connections she provided.
I was also very fortunate to take part in the first LJMU Engage programme while I was planning the BNA public programme as they embedded me within a PE community that I learned a lot from.
Dr Susannah Walker
Excellence - Postgraduate Research Supervisor
Winner: Dr Freya O’Brien
School of Law and Justice Studies
In the words of the PGRs who nominated Freya:
“Through constant encouragement, providing networking and working opportunities, Freya has given me autonomy and trust, Freya fosters my development of becoming a well-established researcher and academic (in the field and community). She truly is the best supervisor I could wish for, and a great role model.”
“Freya is an extremely supportive and warm person by nature which makes her wholly approachable at all times […] There is never a feeling of pressure when being supervised by Freya, just a genuine will for you to succeed. This is invaluable!”
Winning Doctoral Supervisor of the Year is really one of my career highlights.
Supervising doctoral researchers is the best part of my job; it’s so rewarding to work with passionate future leaders, who want to make such a difference in their field.
And to know that I have helped in some way to navigate a sometimes daunting journey, is fantastic.
Dr Freya O'Brien
Excellence - Rising Star
Winner: Dr He Li
School of Engineering
Dr. Li has, as a postdoctoral researcher, produced significant research outputs and impact for the engineering community.
Methods have been applied to off-shore wind farm design and development that have impacted work in 20+ countries across Europe, Asia and Australasia.
Winning the Rising Star of LJMU 2025 award is an honourable experience. I am deeply grateful for the encouragement, mentorship, and opportunities provided by LJMU, which have played a significant role in my personal and academic development.
This recognition reflects not only my efforts but also the support of inspiring staff, my team, and the wider LJMU community. Receiving this award motivates me to continue pushing boundaries, embracing new challenges, and striving to make a positive impact.
I am proud to be part of a university that values ambition, growth, and dedication, and I look forward to what lies ahead.
Dr He Li
Excellence - Open Research
Winner: Dr Susanne Zajitschek
School of Biological and Environmental Sciences
Seeing a clear need for practical and accessible support Dr Zajitschek came up with the idea for an OR Guide for BES. She secured funding and oversaw development of the guide.
The result is a resource that covers all aspects of OR, providing specific information for BES and links to LJMU support and systems.
I am delighted to have received the Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Open Research.
To me, this recognition reflects the growing importance of transparency in research, and the tangible shift toward a more collaborative, reproducible, and accessible scientific future.
This award really reinforces my commitment to fostering a culture where open data and collaborative methodology are the standard, not the exception.
Dr Susanne Zajitschek
