Research Impact

Government and funding organisations generally expect researchers to be aware of the potential difference their research could make to society, to be able to articulate how impacts could be generated, to consider ways of accelerating such change, and to take account of benefits resulting from their research. The Research Impact Team supports researchers by providing advice on impact idea generation, planning,  execution, evidencing and reporting.

The Research Impact team manages UKRI-funded Impact Acceleration Accounts, the University’s Internal Impact & Innovation funds and other impact ‘block’ funding. These impact funding streams support activities that strengthen relationships with strategic external partners and maximise the potential for research impact in any sector with ‘non-academic’ research users.

The Research Impact Team also supports the Directors of Impact & Innovation, coordinates the University’s Impact REF preparations, provides Research Impact training (both internal and external), and bolsters the University’s impact work via our Impact and Research blogs and the team’s Twitter account (@UStAResearch).

Recent impact news

  • Using research to reduce misinformation and support survivors: Domestic Violence Scotland
    Trigger warning: This article contains mentions of domestic abuse. From 2021-22, Police Scotland recorded 64,807 cases of domestic abuse. According to the Scottish Crime and Justice Survey, most incidents of domestic abuse go unreported and 16% of those that are reported, only mention the most recent incident. Most participants of the survey claim to have … Read more
  • ‘Palimpself’: exploring the work of Annie Ernaux through art
    Coming to the Byre Theatre in October 2024 is an art exhibition entitled ‘Palimpself’, exploring the relationship between language, memory, and materiality in the work of Nobel prize-winning French author Annie Ernaux. The exhibition will feature artwork by sculptor and academic Susan Diab, and will coincide with the first English-speaking conference on Ernaux’s works – … Read more
  • Visualising War and Peace: six different ways
    The stories we tell shape the world around us. How narratives throughout time have shaped war and conflict are central ideas of Visualising War and Peace research projects by Dr Alice König of the School of Classics. Founded in 2018, based on König’s research on ancient military treatises and intertextuality, its early work focused on … Read more

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Meet the Research Impact team:

Martin Brooks, Head of Research Impact
Rees Hughes, Research Impact Officer (Harmonised IAA Manager)
Euan Donohue, Research Impact Coordinator
Ishani Khemka, Research Impact Press Officer (Interim)
Victoria Lee, Research Impact Press Officer (Interim)

Please contact the Research Impact team if you have any research impact related query.
Email: [email protected]  

Meet the Engagement with Research team:

Sandra Appleby-Arnold, Head of Engagement with Research

Please contact the Engagement with Research team if you have any engagement with research related query.
Email: [email protected]