Postgraduate student Ruth Auger won the inaugural Graduate School Public Engagement competition on 1st June, after being voted for by members of the public.
Ruth’s project is focused on trying to improve the lives of homeless people in Canterbury by creating a communal gardening project at the Catching Lives day centre.
Her talk explained that the funding would have a direct benefit by making it possible to purchase materials that can be used to improve and maintain the day centre’s garden, offering residents the chance to get involved in a socially-inclusive activity.
Other pitches at the event ranged from building brain-controlled wheelchairs to help give more independence to paralysed individuals through to creating a theatre performance for autistic children to help promote their own creativity and individuality.
The event was held at La Trappiste in Canterbury on 1 June with members of the public, who were invited to attend the event free of charge, and with tea, coffee and cake on offer.
Of those who attended, 96% said the event had helped provide an improved understanding of the potential practical applications of university research.
The £400 prize was donated by the Graduate School at the University of Kent and the event was organised by postgraduate student Laura Thomas-Walters (pictured left), who studies at DICE. Also pictured is Dean of the Graduate School, Professor Paul Allain.