Relevant Achievements

• Consistency and significance of high-level achievements in advancing sustainability and the SDGs, relative to career stage.
• Demonstration of sustained commitment to sustainability-focused research.

Research Excellence

• Innovative thinking and originality in addressing sustainability challenges and advancing the SDGs.
• National and international recognition of excellence (e.g., awards, invitations, peer esteem indicators).
• Evidence of collaborative engagement with external stakeholders, industry, or the community.
• Quality and quantity of published outputs (e.g., journal articles, books, conference papers).

Impact

• Encouragement and promotion of young researchers, including postgraduates, in sustainability-focused research.
• Cultural, economic, and societal impact of the research, particularly in advancing the SDGs.
• Efforts to communicate research findings to diverse audiences, including policymakers and the public.
• Interdisciplinary impact, demonstrating how the research bridges disciplines to address sustainability challenges.

Alignment with the SDGs

• Explicit connection of the research to one or more UN Sustainable Development Goals.
• Evidence of how the research contributes to achieving specific SDG targets.

Societal & Environmental Impact

• Tangible outcomes of the research in addressing sustainability challenges (e.g., policy changes, community benefits, environmental improvements).
• Engagement with societal and environmental issues, including contributions to UCC's sustainability leadership.