THE pioneers of what is today the University of Bolton were celebrated at a special ceremony to reward groundbreaking research.

The very first winners of the Jenkinson TIRI Research Scheme have been presented with their awards.

University staff celebrated colleagues' success at the ceremony where Seth Jenkinson, son of Jack Jenkinson, presented the accolades.

Jack Jenkinson was the first principal of Bolton Institute of Technology, which opened in 1964. He remained Principal until 1970.

The Jenkinson TIRI Research Scheme supports the 'University’s Teaching Intensive Research Informed' ambitions through its research strategy, where the focus is on promoting innovative research to 'improve the quality of research activities which support teaching'.

Bill Webster, Assistant Vice Chancellor, said: "We have been driving forward a fairly vigorous agenda to make the university very special.

"The roots of our success today we know are absolutely born from the last decades and the pioneers who went before.’"

Projects supported by the scheme ranged from work on police responses to vulnerability and to an exploration of the role of photography has in combating hate crime.

Seth Jenkinson, who attended the ceremony with his sister Sal, said: "We are touched and delighted that the University had chosen to remember Jack in this way."

He explained that as an English master in the 1930s his father had conducted research into children’s reading habits.

Professor Patrick McGhee, Chairman of the Jenkinson Panel,said: "The response to the scheme has been phenomenal and surpassed all expectations. We received 64 applications and were able to fund 17 excellent projects."

Professor McGhee added: "I was impressed by the wide range of ways in which the successful research projects anticipate being able to inform our students’ learning experience, as well as boost our research reputation ahead of the next Research Excellence Framework."

Research at the University of Bolton was classed as “world leading” last December

The university was given the accolade by the Research Excellence Framework (REF), which reviews the quality of research at universities across the UK.

The group graded the work, giving the best 4* — indicating it was world leading — down to 1* which reflects it is recognised nationally.

The assessment found that the University of Bolton’s research over the last five years in psychology, engineering, English and creative writing, education and communications and media included work of a world leading standard.

Research in social work and social policy was deemed to be of internationally excellent standard with a score of 3*.

The TIRI Jenkinson Awards —winners 2016

Dr Gill Allen and Dr Julie Prescott for "Social Media as Informal support for people with mental illness: an Exploratory study – SMILE"

Professor Jerome Carson, Dr Sandie McHugh and Dr Bob Snape for "The changing nature of happines"

Dr Frankie Kerridge for "Phylogenetic position of Oryzias wolasi within the ricefishes (Family: Adrianichthyidae)".

Peter Lewis and David Gledhill for "1936 Berlin Olympic Village Project"

Dr Michelle Lowe and Dr Gill Allen for "Police Response to Vulnerability: An Exploratory study – PROVE"

Dr Emily McIntosh and Dr Duncan Cross for "Early Intervention, Engagement & Transition / Transition Pedagogy"

Dr Lynn Mackie for "Exploring online health information seeking behaviour during pregnancy / The use of ISA as an aid to the assessment and formulation of social anxiety"

Dr Ianis Matsoukas for "Direct Saliva Transcriptome Analysis: an economical and feasible teaching tool for biomedical education at University of Bolton"

Professor Peter Myler, Paul Clavell and Mamadou Ndiaye for "Enhancement of the current manufacturing and modelling facility for advanced composite sandwich structures"

Dr Julie Prescott for "Online forums to support online counselling"

Dr Kristian Shaw for "C21 Literature Network"

Dr Bob Snape for "Centre for Worktown Studies"

Dr Terry Speake for "Challenging Hate Crime – a pilot project: Using collaborative photographic storytelling as advocacy to give voice to and empower victims of Hate Incidents and Hate Crimes"

Dr Jonathan Thomas and Professor Mohsen Miraftab for "Antimicrobial potency of chitosan-based fibres"

Dr Angela Tinwell for "Self Esteem and Perception of Self in Uncanny Robots"

Dr Erping Zhou for "In-Process Assessment of Large Scale Rotary Seals Using Expert Systems"