Two awards for the Institute of Population Health

(Left to RIght) Professor Eric Robinson and Edi Putra

Two researchers at the University of Liverpool’s Institute of Population Health have received awards this summer.

I Gusti Ngurah Edi Putra (Edi) has been awarded a prestigious career development award from the National Institute of Healthcare and Research (NIHR) for 2 years.

The NIHR Development and Skills Enhancement award (DSE) is a post-doctoral level funding opportunity that supports the acquisition of skills and the undertaking of experiences that will enable the next phase of an awardee’s research or clinical/ practitioner academic career.

Edi will be working in the Institute of Population Health with colleagues from Public Health Policy and Systems and Psychology. His work has focused on quantitative public health research, with interests in environmental and social epidemiology, mental health, and non-communicable diseases. The NIHR DSE award will support Edi in acquiring new skills and conducting a research project focused on simulation modelling in public health.

Edi said: “I am pleased to have been awarded the NIHR DSE Award which will enable me to build new skills for and conduct an independent research project on simulation modelling to understand the impacts of public health policies. I am excited to be mentored by experts across departments at the Institute of Population Health, the University of Liverpool, and from the University of Oxford.”

Alan N. Epstein Research Award 

Professor Eric Robinson was awarded the Alan N. Epstein Research Award from the Society for the Study of Ingestive Behavior. This award honours an individual for a specific research discovery that has advanced the understanding of ingestive behaviour. Eric received the award at the society’s international conference in Chicago, at the beginning of July. The award was for Eric’s research revealing psychological explanations for how and why the food environment promotes overeating and obesity.

Professor Robinson’s research has focused on eating behaviour, nutrition, public health and obesity. Recent projects funded by NIHR, MRC, ESRC and ERC have examined basic science questions about eating and diet, public health nutrition policy and the psychological burden of obesity.

Commenting on the award, Eric said: “It’s a great privilege to have been nominated for  the 2024 Epstein award. The list of previous winners honoured by the Society for Study of Ingestive Behavior is full of excellent and highly influential scientists, so I am very honoured to have received the award”