Staff news

Academic wins prize for research impact

A research project that examined stop and search practices in Scotland and directly led to new laws, has won a major prize.

Dr Kath Murray has been announced as the winner for Outstanding Early Career Impact at the 2016 Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) Celebrating Impact Prize in partnership with SAGE Publishing.

Her doctoral research project on how stop and search is used in Scotland – a practice which allowed police to search without suspicion or legal authority – has led to new legislation and major changes in policy.

I'm delighted and honoured to receive the ESRC Early Career impact prize. The pace of legal reform around stop and search in Scotland has been remarkable, and I'd like to thank all those who got behind the issues raised by the research. My particular thanks go to Professor Susan McVie, the Scottish Centre for Crime and Justice Research, and to my family, for their brilliant and invaluable support.

Dr Kath Murray

Related links

Read the full story