Summer of Research: Sussex Doc Fest
Sussex Doc Fest is an annual celebration bringing together our doctoral community to showcase PhD research at Sussex.
Keynote: Research 'impact' - what, why and how to get it: Perspectives from a 27-year PostDoc career
Please note - This event is for PGRs, ECRs, JRAs, professional services and academic staff interested in research from the University of Sussex, BSMS and IDS only. We will need you to provide your Sussex associated email address when booking.
If you want to pursue a research (or research-adjacent) career in academia or beyond, you need to understand what Research 'Impact' is, how to work towards developing and then demonstrating it.
Dr Hayley Cordingley shares her thoughts and experiences, gathered over a 27-year postdoctoral career working in academia and industry as a researcher, project manager, careers consultant/researcher developer and latterly research intelligence adviser at Sussex.
Research impact has become a 'thing' in the UK over the last 20 years. To much grumbling in the academic community, UK Research Councils have asked researchers to complete a Pathways to Impact statement and an impact summary in all their grant applications from 2007 onwards.
Initially there was a focus on economic impact, so the Councils could more easily show a return on investment for UK taxpayers, but over time the scope has broadened. A quick search on Google shows many different definitions, from cultural, environmental and social impact to policy change, legal impact, technological development and more. It's a lot for postgraduate researchers to navigate!
This session will explore:
- what impact can mean for researchers
- why being able to demonstrate it is important for both your personal career and for the organisation you work in
- strategies, skills and tools to help you gather and evidence impact as you go
This event is part of the Summer of Research 2024, a festival celebrating fantastic research from the University of Sussex and its positive impact. Sign up for other exciting events here!