The Department of Economics would like to congratulate Dr Abi Adams, Associate Professor of Economics and Fellow of New College, on winning the 2018 ESRC Celebrating Impact Prize for Outstanding Impact in Public Policy.
The ESRC Celebrating Impact Prize is an annual opportunity to recognise and reward the successes of ESRC-funded researchers who have achieved, or are currently achieving, outstanding economic and societal impacts. The prize celebrates collaborative working, partnerships, engagement and knowledge exchange activities that have led to significant impact of ESRC-funded research. Prizes categories are as follows:
- Outstanding Impact in Public Policy
- Outstanding Impact in Society
- Outstanding International Impact
- Outstanding Early Career Impact (in partnership with SAGE Publishing)
- Outstanding Impact in Business and Enterprise
- Impact Champion
Abi has been awarded the prize for Outstanding Impact in Public Policy for research that she conducted which prompted the removal of employment tribunal fees in July 2017. Research evidence presented to the Supreme Court led to a unanimous ruling that employment tribunal fees of up to £1,200 for claimants, introduced in 2013, were unlawful. Through a novel analysis based on economic and legal expertise, Abi showed that the cost of bringing a claim outweighed the potential benefit in many cases. The research findings were published in Modern Law Review and the article was highlighted as a contribution to the Supreme Court verdict in a House of Commons research briefing. Abi has collaborated with the United Nations' International Labour Organization to look at using the model to evaluate the impact of similar reforms worldwide, starting in Brazil.
The award ceremony took place at the Wellcome Trust Lecture Hall, the Royal Society on 20 June 2018.
Further Information
https://esrc.ukri.org/news-events-and-publications/news/news-items/winners-of-the-esrc-2018-celebrating-impact-prize-announced/
Research Article
http://www.modernlawreview.co.uk/may-2017/vexatious-claims-challenging-case-employment-tribunal-fees/
