Eleven labs in locations as far afield as Atlanta to Auckland and Cambridge to Catalonia have been named winners of the highly coveted S-Lab Awards for Laboratory Improvement and Innovation.
They are:
- New Building, Research (Joint) – Medical Research Council Laboratory for Molecular Biology.
- New Building, Research (Joint) – Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation Research Tower.
- New Building, Teaching and Mixed Use – Engineering and Computing Building, Coventry University.
- Refurbished Laboratory – University of Auckland, New Zealand, Chemistry Undergraduate Teaching Laboratories.
- Laboratory Effectiveness – University of Sheffield, Professional Technician Training Programme.
- Making a Difference – University of Nottingham, Technical Focus Group.
- Environmental Improvement – University of Leeds, Environmental Improvements in the Priestley Teaching Laboratory.
- Best New Product – University of Southampton, StarStream.
- Laboratory Based Teaching and Learning – University of York, Green Chemistry Centre of Excellence.
- Virtual Laboratory, Teaching and Learning – La Trobe University, Australia, Supporting Remote Laboratory Learning.
- Virtual Laboratory, Data & Informatics – West Middlesex University Hospital, Integrating Field and Laboratory Clinical Data.
A further seven entries were highly commended.
The entries covered a range of topics, including best practice design of new and refurbished lab facilities, the importance of technical support, application of lean production principles to lab practice, better chemical and sample management, sharing of equipment, environmental improvement actions, more effective use of freezers, and the growing impact of IT within both research and teaching.
S-Lab Director Peter James said: 'The 2014 Awards – which attracted entries from around the world – show that laboratory design, management and operation are changing in response to new knowledge and technologies, competitive, financial and other pressures, and user expectations. The result is better research and teaching, more cost-effective operation – which can create more resource for actual science – and reduced environmental impact.'
The Awards are supported by many leading professional and higher education bodies. They were presented at a prestigious ceremony preceding the Supporting World Class Science conference at King’s College, London (2-3 September). This will have presentations from many of the 58 shortlisted entries. It provides a forum for science managers, estates and facilities, technical support, specialist services, suppliers and others to hear about the lab innovations and to network with a wider range of lab and facilities managers and designers.