SEPnet�s 2nd Public Engagement Awards Ceremony took place at the Royal Academy of Engineering. The awards recognised physicists across the South East region for their exceptional contribution to engaging the public with their research.

The event was attended by researchers carrying our Public Engagement activities from across the region. SEPnet Director of Outreach, Dr Dominic Galliano encouraged those present to go big and bold with their future ideas and projects, highlighting the importance of encouraging and helping those who have less experience in public engagement.

Professor Sir Bill Wakeham, chair of SEPnet, awarded the individual winners with their prize certificates. The winners then gave a short speech highlighting the importance of doing public engagement. Each winner also received a �100 cash prize.

Newcomer Award Winner: Dr Jillian Scudder, University of Sussex

Communications Award Winner: Prof Monica Grady, The Open University (Dr Sally Jordan, Head of Dept of Physical Science at the OU picked up the certificate on behalf of Monica).

Achievement Award Winner: Prof David Berman, Queen Mary, University of London

Each individual category also recognised a Highly Commended nominee who also received a certificate.

Newcomer Award Highly Commended: Michael Tarr, University of Portsmouth

Communications Award Highly Commended: Dr Karen Masters, University of Portsmouth

Achievement Award Highly Commended: Prof Andrew Norton, The Open University

The final award of the evening was the Project Innovation Award which was awarded to a team of garden designers and physicists from Southampton who collaborated and created the Reflecting Photonics garden at the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) show at Tatton Park.

Innovation Project Award Winner: Reflecting Photonics RHS Tatton Park Show Garden, University of Southampton

The awards were judged by a panel which included SEPnet Impact Lead Prof Averil MacDonald and representatives from the Public Engagement team at Institute Of Physics.

For more information on any of the winners please e-mail outreach@sepnet.ac.uk

More photos from the event are available here: