Year in Review 2022

Review of the year, 2022. Victoria Gallery and Museum

Image credit: Qian Yiming

As we head towards the New Year, we look back at some highlights from across University News over the past twelve months.

The New Year began with the news that three University researchers were awarded Queen’s Honours for services to their respective fields. Professor Louise Kenny was honoured with a CBE, Professor Cheng Hock Toh an honorary CBE and Professor Simon Harding received an MBE.

Professor Simon Harding, Professor Louise Kenny and Professor Cheng Hock Toh receiving their Queen's Honours.

In February, ocean scientist Professor Alessandro Tagliabue spoke directly to world leaders, including President Macron, about the impact of climate change from a research expedition he was undertaking in the Antarctic.

Professor Alessandro Tagliabue on a video call with President Macron

Sean Ono Lennon officially opened the Yoko Ono Lennon Centre – home of the University’s new world class concert hall, The Tung Auditorium.  The state of the art facility delivered a packed programme of events in 2022 and has just announced its 2023 Spring/Summer programme.

Sean Ono Lennon and Janet Beer

In May, the University’s place as a world leading research institution was reinforced by the results of the independent Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021) which classed 91% of the University’s research as world leading or internationally excellent.

Later in the month, the University’s Digital Innovation Facility (DIF), a £12.7 million Centre of Excellence in emerging digital technologies, was officially opened by Steve Rotheram, the Liverpool City Region Mayor and technology entrepreneur and visiting Professor at the University, Sir Robin Saxby.

University of Liverpool offical opening of the Digital Innovation Facility

In June, the University twinned with Sumy State University in Ukraine. The partnership is providing vital support so students can continue their studies and researchers can carry on with their research. Initiatives have so far included welcoming Ukrainian students to summer school, both on-campus and virtually, supporting Sumy’s cloud-based IT needs and establishing research links.

The University twinned with Sumy State University in Ukraine

The University’s iconic redbrick Victoria Building celebrated its 130th birthday this year and played host to an array of wonderful new exhibitions as part of our Victoria Gallery & Museum (VG&M).

Highlights included the `Jamaica Making: The Theresa Roberts Art Collection’ exhibition and a major exhibition exploring the movement of people across borders and boundaries by Fion Gunn, the Institute of Irish Studies’ first ever Artist in Residence.

Jamaica Making exhibition at the Victoria Gallery and Museum

Professor Tom Solomon CBE was appointed as the new Director of The Pandemic Institute (TPI) which celebrated its first anniversary in September. The TPI awarded nearly £500,000 to Liverpool researchers to help tackle the growing threat of monkeypox and the University’s School of Life Sciences launched a new MSc programme in Pandemic Sciences.

Logo for Liverpool Literary Festival

The seventh Liverpool Literary Festival took place in October featuring an eclectic range of authors including Ann Cleeves, John Joseph, Malik Al Nasir and Adele Parks.

University research that captured the public’s imagination this year included the “mind-blowing” NASA experiment that intentionally crashed a spacecraft into an asteroid which involved our space engineer, Dr Stefania Soldini.

NASA experiment that intentionally crashed a spacecraft into an asteroid

Image credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL

Researchers from the Department of Archaeology, Classics and Egyptology revealed that early modern humans and Neanderthals enjoyed vegetarian meals and cooked up sophisticated, flavoursome recipes including a flatbread-like item.

As part of an innovative pilot study, University researchers tested a virtual reality dog called DAVE (Dog Assisted Virtual Environment) to find out if and/or how humans recognise and interpret signs of dog aggression.

a virtual labrador

In November, the University launched its Climate Plan which sets out our ambitions, principles and commitments to being net zero by 2035– 15 years ahead of the Government’s 2050 deadline. Earlier in the year our Materials Innovation Factory was awarded a £1.3 million grant from Research England to develop the Low Carbon Chemistry Lab of the Future.

Ten esteemed figures received honorary degrees this December including the Director and CEO of Everton Football Club, Professor Denise Barrett-Baxendale and former MP for Liverpool Riverside, Dame Louise Ellman.

Honorary graduates and Janet Beer

As we end this year, we say goodbye to our Vice-Chancellor Professor Dame Janet Beer, who is retiring after leading the University since 2015, and our Chancellor Colm Tóibín who is stepping down after five years. We will welcome Professor Tim Jones as our new Vice-Chancellor in the New Year.