Newcastle University

The event follows the success of last year’s ‘ACTION over Sustainability Issues’ programme in which six teams of postgraduate researchers and research staff demonstrated their ideas at a Public Showcase Event in November at the Great North Museum: Hancock.

Over 150 members of the public and invited guests interacted with the teams who presented their ideas to combat a sustainability challenge, developed over nine months, for a chance to win £10,000 towards the development of their idea, or themselves as entrepreneurial researchers.

Each team made a presentation to a panel of 10 academic and business judges who selected a winner based on clarity, viability, the solution provided, potential impact and the strength of the team.

Professor John Goddard, Emeritus Professor of Regional Development Studies, said: “Not only has this been a fantastic initiative in terms of generating new ideas to combat some of the sustainability challenges that we face today, but it also clearly demonstrates the University’s innovative approach towards engaging the people of Newcastle.”

The winning team was ZapZyme - Matthew Abbott, Chelsea Brain, Nithyalakshmy Rajarajan, Rekha Subramanian and Dr Gabriel Uguru.

ZapZyme demonstrated a potentially more sustainable enzyme-based cleaning solution to replace the current method used in the brewery and other industries.  They had engaged the international brewer Heineken, who also attended the showcase in support of the winning team.

Commenting on why they were the winning team, the judges said: “ZapZyme had a clear plan of action; had assembled the right expertise and industrial partners, were well networked and their idea fit well with the sustainability theme of this programme; all of this achieved within nine months.”

If you would like to be involved in ACTION 2012: Social Renewal as a participant, contributor or supporter of the programme, you are invited to come along to a lunchtime briefing on Tuesday 21st February 2012, from 12-2 in the HaSS PG Training Suite, 7th Floor Daysh Building. Lunch will be provided.

For more information visit the ACTION Website.