Posted: 21st June 2024

Research Associate Ulrik Lyngs has won an MPLS Early-Career Social Impact Award for his ‘Reduce Digital Distraction’ (ReDD) Workshop.

Researchers across the Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences Division (MPLS) have been recognised for making significant contributions to the economy or wider society at large, through their research.  

Ulrik Lyngs received the award for the ‘Reduce Digital Distraction’ (ReDD) Workshop. People can constantly be distracted by notifications, endless content feeds, or compulsive urges to check their smart phones and computers. This can severely harm well-being and productivity, due to disrupted sleep, weakened social connections, and lost focus. The ReDD Workshop addresses this problem by providing practical and effective intervention strategies for managing digital interruptions.  

I am delighted and honoured to receive this award in recognition of our work on the Reduce Digital Distraction Workshop. Being able to control our time and attention in digital life is essential for all of us today. Many people struggle with this, especially those with ADHD. Our workshop is a simple and effective intervention that empowers people to restructure their devices to make it easier to stay in control. It is the culmination of almost a decade of work, with over 40 researchers, mental health experts and student service staff contributing to the workshop development since its creation in 2019. Research Associate Ulrik Lyngs

The Workshop format allows participants to identify concerns about their device use and apply digital focus tools from a curated selection relevant to their context. Since its creation, the workshop has helped over 1200 students and staff at eight universities, and recent peer-reviewed research has demonstrated a large, positive effect on participants’ ability to regain control over their digital device use as well as improve overall wellbeing.

Following the news of the Social Impact Award, Ulrik welcomed partner universities to an event held in the Natural History Museum, which provided an opportunity for stakeholders to reflect on and celebrate the project journey and its results and impact to date. Partner universities shared their own experiences of running the workshops and their excitement around its future potential.

Ulrik Lyngs has developed and conducted workshops with potential impact on the important problem of helping individuals to control device distraction. His early study on 280 participants gives evidence that the workshops are effective. Professor Leslie Ann Goldberg, Head of the Department of Computer Science

Find out more about the ‘Reduce Digital Distraction’ (ReDD) research project - including strategies which can help you change your use of digital devices - 

on the ReDD website https://redd-project.org/  

This year's winners were selected from nominations representing MPLS researchers at all career stages. The winners will each receive a £1,000 prize in recognition of their achievements. You can read all about the winners and commendations on the MPLS website https://www.mpls.ox.ac.uk/latest/news/winners-and-commendations-announced-for-mpls-impact-awards-2024