A researcher from the Oxford Martin Programme on African Governance has won the ESRC award for Outstanding Public Policy Impact.

Senior Research Fellow Kate Orkin, also Associate Professor in Economics and Public Policy at the Blavatnik School of Government, received the award for her instrumental role in advising the South African government on social protection in South Africa during COVID-19 and beyond. Her impactful contribution helped influence £4.87 billion in spending, benefiting 28.5 million people and preventing 5.5 million from falling into extreme poverty.

The award, given by the government's Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), celebrates researchers who have demonstrated ‘outstanding economic or societal impact’ through their work. Professor Orkin will be awarded £10,000 to spend on further knowledge exchange, public engagement or other communications activities.

Ricardo Soares de Oliveira, Director of the Oxford Martin Programme on African Governance and Professor of the International Politics of Africa at the University of Oxford, was also shortlisted as a finalist for the award. He was part of a group project addressing the critical issue of tackling the UK’s kleptocracy problem.

The Oxford Martin School congratulates both researchers.