The Annual Chief Executives’ Club at Queen's dinner took place on Friday 18 November in the Whitla Hall.  Local BBC broadcaster Wendy Austin took on the role of compѐre for the evening and musical entertainment was provided by soul singer Mirenda Rosenberg and band.

After dinner Wendy announced the winners of the Vice-Chancellor’s Research Prizes.  These awards celebrate researchers at Queen's who have demonstrated exceptional innovation or impact in their work.

The winning researchers were as follows:

Pictured below presenting the Award to each category winner are Queen's President and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Patrick Johnston and Mr Conor Murphy MLA, Chair of the Economy Committee, NI Assembly

Dr Lorraine Martin – Research Impact (School of Pharmacy) ‌‌‌‌

Dr Martin’s research focuses on active proteases and their role in health and disease. She led the development of ProAxsis Ltd., founded in 2013. The company, which has customers in the US and European research groups, has arisen out of Dr Martin’s innovative research developing patented technology to improve treatment of chronic respiratory diseases such as cystic fibrosis. Her work highlights how university research can lead to commercial success, as well as meeting clinical need and improving patient care.

 Professor Christopher Marsh – Research Innovation (School of History, Anthropology, Philosophy and Politics)‌‌

Professor Marsh is renowned for creating one of the most innovative projects in the humanities to date, compiling a ‘top  of the  pops’ in early modern English society, and framing them as multi-media artistic productions. In his work, he has brought together  historians, rock musicians, folk singers and others. His work has featured on BBC4 and Radio 4 programmes presented by Diarmaid MacCulloch, William Dalrymple, Lucy Worsley and Len Goodman.

Dr Anna Bryson – Postdoctoral Research (School of Law)       

Dr Bryson has worked with colleagues from Queen’s University, Ulster University, the Committee on the Administration of Justice, and a former senior Foreign and Commonwealth Officer lawyer, to develop a Model Bill for the ‘Dealing with the Past’ elements of the Stormont House Agreement. The Model Bill was formally launched at an event at the House of Lords in October 2015.

 Dr Trung Q Duong – Early Career Research (School of Electronics, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science)‌‌

Dr Duong is recognised as an international leader in signal processing and wireless communications. Through his mathematical modelling research, he is working to create capacity in wireless communication networks that will allow for the next generation of cellular networks.