Engaging the public with research
Encouraging dialogue helps create impact for your research
- What is engaging the public with research?
- Why is engaging the public with research important?
- How can you improve the skill of engaging the public with research?
How can you best engage the public with your research?
Making an impact with your research is possible through communicating it to the public.
Seek to involve those outside of the research community to understand and promote your research impact better.
What is engaging the public with research?
- Actively seeking to involve the public with your research via two-way dialogue, listening and interaction.
- To be effective at this, you will need to be clear on the value and impact of your research on society.
- Be open to receiving fresh perspectives from the public about your work, and in turn inspire people to be curious about research.
Why is engaging the public with research important?
- Engaging the public can improve the quality and impact of research
- It can challenge assumptions and sharpen thinking
- It can enable you to develop necessary skills for future employment
- It raises the profile of research and inspires others to consider research careers
- Build trust with the public by engaging with them
- Strengthen the relationships between your university/institution and the public
- It can be a good indicator to show how public money is being spent
- Public engagement can draw additional funding
- It can raise the relevance of research to society and demonstrate its impact
How can you improve the skill of engaging the public with research?
Think about the reasons why you want to engage the public with your research – ask yourself questions to begin reflecting
Talk to other researchers to discover what sort of public engagement opportunities they are undertaking with their research
Research other public engagement case studies and learn from these, such the Vitae Three Minute Thesis Competition
You could consider getting involved in public engagement events such as a science or arts festival, where you could have the opportunity to present your research
How else could you communicate the impact of your research? Via a blog or social media? Check permissions first before disseminating information. Are there public engagement networks you can join?
Get involved in public engagement and outreach at your institution; support your institution’s policy concerning these and press for recognition of researchers who are working in this area.
You could utilise co-enquiry or engaging the public as researchers in your project. By collaborating with the public directly, you encourage participation and active dialogue.
Final takeaways
- Actively seeking to involve the public with your research via two-way dialogue, listening and interaction.
- Public engagement can enable you to develop necessary skills for future employment
- Think about the reasons why you want to engage the public with your research – ask yourself questions to begin reflecting