IMPACT 2020

Postgraduate Research Conference

Thursday 30 April 2020

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This year all doctoral researchers at SHU are welcome to submit abstracts and present papers for a conference being led by the new Culture & Creativity Research Institute.  We see presenting at IMPACT at least once in a PhD lifetime as a valuable part of training.  IMPACT 2020 invites doctoral students to explore how research impact is understood, evaluated and articulated.

Priority for tickets will be given to doctoral students, then early career researchers and supervisors – so please book early via Eventbrite here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/impact-2020-postgraduate-research-conference-tickets-98399833551

You will need to enter the following password to view this page (copying and pasting may not work):  2020Impact04PGR

Below you will find three pieces of information about the conference – please read through these carefully:

  1.   About IMPACT 2020
  2.   Submission details
  3.   Available training for IMPACT.

Key Summary dates:

  • IMPACT training: Thursday 19 March 2020
  • Abstract deadline: Wednesday 1 April 2020
  • IMPACT conference: Thursday 30 April 2020

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  1. About IMPACT 2020

In the past three years the Cultural, Communications and Computing Research Institute (now part of the C&C Research Institute) have delivered an annual research student conference on the theme of METHOD in research.  The aim of METHOD was to invite research students to think critically about the design and implementation of their process, improving the articulation of method needed at confirmation (RF2) and submission stages of PhD.  While this conference was led by C3Ri, we invited PhD students from across the University to participate, offering a richer learning experience.

From 2018 we decided to alternate the theme METHOD with IMPACT, and focus on ways that we might articulate the wider value of our research.  Now we have moved to the new Research Institute and College structures we are excited by the opportunity presented to reflect on impact from our different disciplinary perspectives and to grow our new community.

In the past decade there has been an increasing demand to demonstrate how research moves beyond ‘contribution to knowledge’ and makes an impact on social, economic, technological, cultural and environmental life, beyond academia.  This movement sits within general currents in public life- to create mutually beneficial interactions between researchers and citizens, to encourage participation, to be more transparent and accountable, and to be better value for money.

The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) broadly understands impact as something that has ‘an effect on, change or benefit to the economy, society, culture, public policy or services, health, the environment or quality of life beyond academia’ (http://www.hefce.ac.uk/rsrch/REFimpact/).  Impact is something that happens when people interact with research, take it up, react and respond to it.  Research Council UK defines impact as, ‘the demonstrable contribution that excellent research makes to society and the economy’.  This is an exciting and optimistic vision resting on an expectation that all research can and should contribute to society and the economy, beyond academia.

Right from the beginning of doctoral study, researchers are asked to identify the contexts for their research- academic and cultural- and to consider what it is about a certain context they hope to influence or transform. Impact is a way of thinking about this influence and how we might recognise and articulate it. Doctoral research does not, by necessity have to generate impact- however understanding how impact might be envisaged, generated and articulated is a valuable part of researcher training.

To understand and communicate impact it is important to think through what the ingredients might be.  Firstly, we have to consider who the beneficiaries of research are-might they be certain specified elements of the ‘public’ such as service-users, audience or customers?  These descriptions all assume that the recipients might ‘receive’ the impact once the research is done.  However, for many instances of research, impact might grow or be incorporated as the research is undertaken, so blurring the line between the research process and its findings, or between research subjects and beneficiaries, in forms of co-research. Given the relationship between research and its beneficiaries, it is likely that the pursuit of impact may also have ethical consequences or dimensions.

It is also important to think about the spatial qualities of impact.  Much research happens in-situ, or has relevance or influence in industry and communities, so might generate forms of communal knowledge. Thinking about impact always involves thinking about time and space- might there be different stages of impact and scales of impact?  Some impact might be easy to see and measure, whilst some might be subtle, gradual, multi-dimensional and non-linear: a type of ‘influence’ that is much harder to quantify or specify.

While influencing society seems a wholly positive aspiration for research, the impact ‘agenda’, as cultivated by HEFCE and RCUK is complex and sometimes contentious.  By separating academic contribution to knowledge from social and economic impact it implies that academic contribution is not part of society, or that economic gain might be considered separately from societal value.  Some research might have more clearly immediate, quantifiable indicators of impact, while others might generate slower influence.  Given the varied forms impact can take, it is important to have a nuanced and critical understanding of the ways it can be identified and articulated.

The IMPACT conference gives us the opportunity to consider the relationship between academic influence and social, economic, cultural, environmental and technological impact.

We invite doctoral researchers across the University, to reflect on: different understandings of impact; how their own research may generate impact; what impact means to their study; or to reflect on how their research might challenge assumptions of impact.  Research students at any stage are welcome.

By participating in IMPACT you will:

  • Be able to recognise who will (or might, or could) benefit from your research
  • Develop an understanding of how your research will (or might) make a difference
  • Be able to identify pathways to impact in your research
  • Be able to recognise and communicate the impact of your own research
  • To understand the requirements of impact and to be able to see it with a critical lens
  • Gain experience in presenting at conferences in a supportive environment
  • Participate in inter-disciplinary discussion.
  • ‘Top and tail’ your training – METHOD explores research process; IMPACT explores the transformative potential of research.
  • Contribute to an interdisciplinary discussion so we all understand impact better.
  • Meet some of your student colleagues.
  • Think about impact earlier than you might have done

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  1. Submission details – abstract guidance for research students

If you are a doctoral researcher and would like to submit an abstract to present at IMPACT, please email it to b.shaw@shu.ac.uk by 13:00 on Wednesday 1 April 2020. If you are a research supervisor, please encourage your student to present and give guidance with their abstract.

The abstract should be a maximum of 300 words, summarising a 15-minute presentation.  It should be in English that is intelligible to others outside of your discipline.  If you need to use subject-specific terminology then you need to provide definitions in the body of the text.

The abstract must address the theme of the conference: impact.  To do this you will probably need to briefly describe the aims of your research and its context, then move on to explore how you consider the likely or actual impact of your research.

To do this you might want to discuss:

  • How you are conceiving the ‘beneficiaries’ and how might the work impact upon them?
  • What do you want to influence or change?
  • What impact might your work already have had and how can you identify this?
  • Is there a relationship between academic publishing- conferences, journals etc. and social and economic impact?
  • What affect might you want your work to have, and what strategy could you devise to make sure it achieves this impact?
  • What strategies have other researchers used to generate impact for their work and how might you draw on these?
  • How might technology and social media be used to generate or understand impact?
  • What are the different types of evidence of impact and might some be considered ‘better’ than others?
  • How might we understand the difference between user engagement and public engagement?
  • Have you considered the different forms of audiences for your findings- citizens and professionals?
  • Offering new ways to understand or challenge notions of impact

To help you write your abstract and think about your presentation we are offering a training session led by PGR staff on Thursday 19 March.  This will be informal and centred around your own research and what you might want to present (please see further details below)

We aim to accept all submitted abstracts, so if you submit please assume you will be presenting.  However, we reserve the right to refuse abstracts that are of low quality or will offer feedback and advice to improve abstracts or to ensure they fit the conference theme.  We offer a training session to help you explore what impact is and to consider pathways to impact in relation to your own research.

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  1. IMPACT 2020 Training Session

IMPACT training:  Thursday 19 March 2020, 11:00 am – 1:00 pm, Room 9005, Cantor Building, SHU City Campus.

Training on abstract writing, with an IMPACT focus

Please come ready to introduce yourself and your research – just to a small group round your table.  Describing your research simply and succinctly is a really valuable skill, especially if you want to engage and communicate with non-academic audiences.  Jot down a few notes and plan to be able to talk for about 3 minutes.  Include a description of your research topic (targeted at a non-expert audience), say why you think research in this area is interesting or of value – this might include who else might be interested or benefit from it, if relevant – and (very briefly) summarize any investigations you have done so far or plan to do.

Please also bring with you a draft of your abstract, or some ideas, so we can help you shape your individual submission.

To register for the training please visit: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/training-session-for-impact-2020-pgr-conference-tickets-93893721649

You will need to enter the following password to view the page (copying and pasting the password may not work): ImpactPGR202003

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If you have any questions about IMPACT 2020 please contact Becky Shaw at b.shaw@shu.ac.uk .  If you have any questions about registering via Eventbrite please email pgradmin@shu.ac.uk