The UK Data Service is delighted to announce the winners of this year’s UK Data Service Dissertation Award, which celebrates undergraduate work based on archived data available through the service.
The judging panel comprised Professor Alex Bryson, (Quantitative Social Science, UCL), Professor Paula Surridge, (Political Sociology, University of Bristol) and Dr Jen Buckley (UK Data Service User Support and Training).
After reviewing the full dissertations of shortlisted entries, the panel selected three winners, each receiving a prize of £300.
Congratulations to the winners!
Winning dissertations
D
id we Reclaim the Night? Devising a measure of women’s perceived safety at night in Leeds
Christina Giasemidis, University of Leeds
Christina investigated women’s perceived safety at night in Leeds. Using varied data sources at the Lower Super Output Area level, Christina constructed a composite index, the Women’s Perceived Safety at Night Index (WPSNI).
She then mapped the index to areas of Leeds using Census Boundary Data to highlight areas where women were likely to feel more or less safe. Christina also tested the validity of the index through a survey of women in a subset of neighbourhoods.
The survey results broadly supported the index but point to the complex influence of individual influences on women’s safety perceptions. Overall, the dissertation underscores important points for urban planning and design interventions.
The cost of survival: An Empirical Study into the Impact of Cancer Diagnosis on Income Levels in the UK
Lex Irish, Durham University
This dissertation examined the impact of cancer diagnosis on income levels in the UK using longitudinal microdata from Understanding Society (UKHLS).
The analysis included varied modelling approaches to examine the relationship between cancer diagnosis and income, both overall and for financially vulnerable groups.
Lex’s results indicated that cancer diagnoses are associated with reductions in average income, with steeper falls among those on low incomes or with lower educational attainment. The dissertation highlights the need for targeted financial protections for vulnerable groups.
Broken Bonds: The Long Shadow of Austerity on the Wellbeing Economy in England (2010-2023)
Simrin Maryam Rahman, University of Manchester
This dissertation examined the impact of austerity measures implemented by the UK Government from 2010 onwards, focusing on how cuts in local authority funding affected social-economy organisations, social-housing contributions, and social wellbeing.
Simrin created a panel dataset of 317 English councils (2010 – 2023), drawing on multiple sources, including the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE).
Fixed‑effects and staggered difference‑in‑differences models showed a significant decline in social‑economy organisations, while the effects on social housing and well‑being were less clear. The dissertation concluded that, given the sector’s sensitivity to fiscal retrenchment, further work is needed to help buffer local communities against such shocks.