Dr Rodrigo Juarez and Eldar Hasanli win APM awards

The Leeds Centre for Projects (LCP) is delighted to have two winners in this year's prestigious Association for Project Management (APM) Education and Research Awards.

Research Paper of the Year

Dr Rodrigo Juarez, Lecturer in Project Management, won the Research Paper of the Year award. His paper entitled "Digging in the megaproject's graveyard: Why to megaprojects die, and how to check their health" challenges the traditional narrative that the commencement of a megaproject is an irreversible decision. By analysing 30 megaprojects terminated during the delivery stage, it introduces a novel theory, the Reverse Escalation of Commitment theory, which elucidates the reasons behind the abandonment of megaprojects and the circumstances leading up to such decisions. It also provides a practical checklist, allowing decision-makers to assess if the megaproject is “unhealthy” and identify potential areas of action that, if not acted upon, can kill the megaproject. Find the full paper here (contact us for a copy if you don't have access).

Rodrigo comments on his win: "Being recognised with the Project Management Research Paper of the Year Award is such an honor. This award is a recognition of the rigorous, relevant, and responsible research that is being conducted at the Leeds Centre for Projects. I feel truly humbled by what this recognition entails, and motivates me to continue with further high-quality and significant research."

Project Management Student of the Year

Eldar Hasanli, alumni of our MSc Engineering Project Management 2022/23 cohort, won the Project Management of the Year award. Eldar’s submission was about the Chirag-1 platform, situated on the shoreline of Azerbaijan in the Caspian Sea and his work on the Chirag Gas Lift Project (CGLP) team. The Chirag-1 platform in the Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli oil field was facing a decline in production due to reservoir depletion. The CGLP was implemented to overcome this issue, which involved injecting compressed natural gas into wells to boost oil flow and maximise economic value. This approach was expected to augment oil flow and extraction efficiency, prolonging the field's lifespan and increasing economic value. Accordingly, subsea structures were built between the Deep-Water Gunashli (DWG) and Chirag-1 platforms to supply the compressed natural gas needed for the project. Eldar highlighted that working on this project allowed him to push his limits and showcase his skills, proving to be a more significant challenge than any previous project. It presented diverse challenges that ranged from technology to environmental concerns, crisis management, and international relations. 

Eldar comments on his win: "Receiving the Project Management Student of the Year 2023-2024 award from the Association for Project Management is an incredible honour. It validates the hard work and dedication I have invested in my studies and subsea construction projects, particularly in the Caspian Sea. This recognition inspires me to continue striving for excellence in the field of project management and to apply innovative solutions to complex challenges in real projects. I am grateful for the support of my professors and colleagues at the University of Leeds, project team, and management at Saipem, and I look forward to contributing further to the industry."

The LCP is proud to have such outstanding individuals who contribute to the project profession in divers ways as part of its community. The external recognition through the APM is well deserved. Our Director Prof Christine Unterhitzenberger comments on this achievement: "I would like to congratulate both winners to their awards. Rodrigo, your paper is of excellent quality and advances our understanding of megaprojects. Eldar, your commitment to high quality work and continuous engagement and improvement has been evident throughout your studies. You are both very well deserved winners of these awards! Well done."