Environment submissions database

The first phases of the COVID pandemic had a significant impact on research activities. All onsite research spaces closed in late March 2020. In June 2020 the process of remobilising laboratory and field research commenced with all research facilities reopened by the end of August 2020. Research activities, including fieldwork, were risk assessed, COVID secure restrictions applied and working rotas were established for high demand facilities. All staff and research students were supported to work from home where possible, and research staff offices and PGR spaces were opened from June 2020. Additional spaces to undertake research or hold COVID-safe meetings have been created on campus and in remote facilities. All research facilities have remained open since summer 2020. These provisions meant that during the national restrictions in late 2020 and early 2021 there was limited interruption to campus-based research activities. Research involving human participants was paused and only restarted where COVID-secure environments could be established. International travel and fieldwork involving third party facilities (e.g. archives) are still restricted and will resume as soon as government restrictions allow and these activities are safe. The University Library increased communications and awareness about the availability of its extensive collection of eResources, and made additional resources available through purchases and inter-library loan schemes enabling research to continue. Click and collect started in mid-July and seat booking in August which allowed research staff and students access to material and a safe place to work. To support our PGRs, thesis submission changed to online only, and vivas moved online. Where PGR research has been disrupted (e.g. caring responsibilities, cancelled fieldwork, labs or access to other resources such as archives and performance spaces), researcher students have worked with their supervisors to mitigate disruption impacts and change their research projects. Where required, PGRs have also been granted extensions, or suspensions to pause tuition fee payments to allow them to complete their research. Our researchers have been proactive in applying for COVID related grants and active in addressing the challenges of COVID, securing funding for eight projects by the end of July 2020 with a value to the university of £102k. Additionally, our clinical and allied health researchers prioritised front-line activity over research duties. A number of grant announcements were delayed by COVID and we estimate that around £3million of additional award would have been announced in the REF 2021 period. Whilst unlikely to impact the overall research income, they will be missing as recent successes in UOA level environment templates. Research income has been impacted due to lack of travel, use of consumables, closure of external facilities. Based on previous years’ income and forward projections, we estimate that the income for 2019/20 was reduced by circa 8%. The university, staff and students have made considerable adjustments to enable research to continue but inevitably there have been impacts with limited travel, the availability of external facilities, COVID-safety restrictions and the challenges faced by everyone in coping with devastation caused by the pandemic.