Sarah reports from the International Research Culture Conference #IRCC25 which was held at the University of Warwick on 17 September 2025. It features contributions from Rika Nair, Alys Kay and Dolly Coates, as well as excerpts from Sarah’s talk on professional development for research enablers. Sarah and her guests talk about Why the recognising the contributions of research-adjacent roles is a key research culture issue Challenges research-adjacent professionals can face when trying to make progress in their careers The System Shuffle game which aims to make the hidden labour in research teams more visible How the language used to describe research-adjacent roles influences how they are perceived Find out more Read the show notes and transcript on the podcast website Connect with Rika Nair, Alys Kay or Dolly Coates on LinkedIn Read Alys’s LinkedIn post about the System Shuffle game Find out more about Research Culture Knowledge Exchange, IRCC25 and the work of the National Centre for Research Culture Read the Wellcome report ‘What researcher’s think about the culture they work in’ About Research Adjacent Where are you listening from? Share a pic and tag @ResearchAdjacent on LinkedIn, Instagram or BlueSky Fill out the research-adjacent careers quiz Sign up to the Research Adjacent newsletter Email a comment, question or suggestion Leave Sarah a voice message
Esther Lisk-Carew is engagement coordinator for a programme called AHEAD (Arts and Humanities Engagement and Dialogue) at Manchester Metropolitan University. She is also a freelance consultant, trustee of Manchester’s Portico Library and founder of the Black and Global Majority Cultural Creative Network. Sarah and Esther talk about How she combines a love of storytelling and the arts with a talent for managing events and operations Why engagement is often baked into the methods and outputs of arts and humanities Building a career in the cultural sector (despite a detour into French law) Why academia needs more diverse voices, and high-profile cultural icons Find out more Read the show notes and transcript on the podcast website Find out about everything Esther is working on via her Linktree Find AHEAD at MMU on the web, Linktree, LinkedIn and Instagram About Research Adjacent Where are you listening from? Share a pic and tag @ResearchAdjacent on LinkedIn, Instagram or BlueSky Fill out the research-adjacent careers quiz Sign up to the Research Adjacent newsletter Email a comment, question or suggestion Leave Sarah a voice message
Tamika Heiden is the founder and director of impact consultancy Research Impact Academy. Her company works with researchers around the globe and also runs the Research Impact Summit. Sarah and Tamika talk about How her career and business evolved from research to knowledge translation to impact The language and practice of impact around the world Overcoming the mindset challenges that came with starting her own business How the current funding systems are holding back progress Find out more Read the show notes and transcript on the podcast website Connect with Tamika on LinkedIn Sign up for the Research Impact Summit Find Research Impact Academy on the web, LinkedIn, Facebook, X, BlueSky, YouTube and Instagram About Research Adjacent Fill out the research-adjacent careers quiz Sign up to the Research Adjacent newsletter Follow Research Adjacent on LinkedIn Instagram and BlueSky Email a comment, question or suggestion Leave Sarah a voice message
Anji Miller is Senior Partner for Academic Engagement at healthcare charity LifeArc. LifeArc help turn great research into real-world healthcare products – from bench to bedside. Sarah and Anji talk about Trusting her instincts, even when others didn’t understand her career choice Embracing opportunities and making the next best move Why she is a passionate advocate for mentoring, EDI and STEM initiatives Seeing the impact of her work on patients and the people she has supported Find out more Read the show notes and transcript on the podcast website Connect with Anji on LinkedIn Find out about LifeArc About Research Adjacent Fill out the research-adjacent careers quiz Sign up to the Research Adjacent newsletter Follow Research Adjacent on LinkedIn Instagram and BlueSky Email a comment, question or suggestion Leave Sarah a voice message
Sarah's guest is impact consultant, Chris Pahlow. Based in Melbourne, Australia, Chris runs the consultancy business Amplifying Research and hosts the podcast of the same name. Sarah and Chris talk about Blagging his way into a university teaching position whilst an indie filmmaker Why impact is really all about relationships Being honest – even when it’s not what people want to hear The often-invisible work of research professional staff Find out more Read the show notes and transcript on the podcast website Connect with Chris on LinkedIn Listen to the Amplifying Research podcast Find out about Chris’s business Amplifying Research About Research Adjacent Fill out the research-adjacent careers quiz Sign up to the Research Adjacent newsletter Follow Research Adjacent on LinkedIn Instagram and BlueSky Email a comment, question or suggestion Leave Sarah a voice message
Louise Jopling is the Chief Scientific and Innovation Officer at the Babraham Research Campus and Entrepreneur-in-Residence at the Babraham Institute. Sarah and Louise talk about Her career journey from immunology research to business leader and mentor Why hearing about the real-world impact of health innovations still gives her goosebumps The Babraham Research Campus ‘melting pot’ which creates a unique environment for research commercialisation and collaboration Find out more Read the show notes and transcript on the podcast website Connect to Louise on LinkedIn Find out about the Babraham Research Campus and Babraham Institute About Research Adjacent Fill out the research-adjacent careers quiz Sign up to the Research Adjacent newsletter Follow Research Adjacent on LinkedIn Instagram and BlueSky Email a comment, question or suggestion Leave Sarah a voice message
Sarah’s guest for this episode is Andy Tattersall. Andy is a communications specialist who embraces using technology to help share research. Sarah and Andy talk about Making himself so useful that a job was created especially for him Using technology to solve problems and always trying to make things better How he evolved from bedroom radio host to pirate station DJ to podcaster Being a lifelong learner and why more CPD time would benefit everyone Find out more Read the show notes and transcript on the podcast website Check out Andy’s Linktree for all his podcasts and articles Connect to Andy on BlueSky Visit Andy’s website About Research Adjacent Fill out the research-adjacent careers quiz Sign up to the Research Adjacent newsletter Follow Research Adjacent on LinkedIn Instagram and BlueSky Email a comment, question or suggestion Leave Sarah a voice message
Stephen Britton, Health & Safety Officer (Episode 70) Sarah’s guest for this episode is Stephen Britton. Stephen is currently a Biological Safety Officer at Durham University. Prior to that he spent over 20 years working for the UK Government’s Health & Safety Executive. Sarah and Stephen talk about Our changing appetite for risk and what life might be like without health and safety regulations Some of the major incidents he has investigated Why the constant churn of university research projects creates safety challenges The far-reaching impact of his chosen career compared to staying in research Find out more Read the show notes and transcript on the podcast website Connect to Stephen on LinkedIn About Research Adjacent Fill out the research-adjacent careers quiz Sign up to the Research Adjacent newsletter Follow Research Adjacent on LinkedIn Instagram and BlueSky Email a comment, question or suggestion Leave Sarah a voice message
Laura Evans-Hill, Visual Storyteller (Episode 69) Sarah’s guest for this episode is Laura Evans-Hill. Laura is a visual storyteller and director of research communications agency Nifty-Fox Creative. Sarah and Laura talk about Why combining visuals and storytelling can be such a powerful communication tool How she works with researchers to turn illustrations into impact Her journey from accidental freelancer to agency director What AI might mean for the future of research communication Find out more Read the show notes and transcript on the podcast website Connect to Laura on LinkedIn Find out more about Nifty Fox Creative on their website, LinkedIn or BlueSky Check out the More Than Medals online exhibition About Research Adjacent Fill out the research-adjacent careers quiz Sign up to the Research Adjacent newsletter Follow Research Adjacent on LinkedIn Instagram and BlueSky Email a comment, question or suggestion Leave Sarah a voice message
This is a special double episode. First up Sarah meets David Mendes, aka Papa PhD, medical writer/translator and host of the Beyond the Thesis podcast. Then the tables are turned and David interviews Sarah for the Beyond the Thesis podcast. Sarah and David talk about How networking led to both the career and podcast he has now The origin story of the Papa PhD podcast Why creating the podcast has helped him feel more confident The emotional and practical challenges of the post-PhD journey Then David and Sarah have a conversation about How Sarah transitioned from research to research-adjacent post-PhD Advocating for research-adjacent professionals Research-adjacent jobs and where to find them Why PhD graduates who want to become research-adjacent need to reframe both their skills and their expectations Find out more Read the transcript on the podcast website Connect to David on LinkedIn Visit the Papa PhD podcast website Follow the Papa PhD podcast on Instagram or X Connect to Sarah on LinkedIn About Research Adjacent Fill out the research-adjacent careers quiz Sign up to the Research Adjacent newsletter Follow Research Adjacent on LinkedIn Instagram and BlueSky Email a comment, question or suggestion Leave Sarah a voice message
It’s the Easter holidays in the UK so this is a behind the scenes update with just Sarah. Sarah talks about The recent Challenges miniseries Upcoming episodes and future guests, including a special collaboration with Papa PhD The Research Adjacent Community for freelancers and the Research Adjacent Directory What she does when she's not podcasting and her Gathering with Purpose research events newsletter Find out more Read the transcript on the podcast website Connect with Sarah on LinkedIn Find out more about the Research Adjacent Community Sign up for Gathering with Purpose, Sarah’s research events newsletter About Research Adjacent Fill out the research-adjacent careers quiz Sign up to the Research Adjacent newsletter Follow Research Adjacent on LinkedIn Instagram and BlueSky Email a comment, question or suggestion Leave Sarah a voice message
Rosalind Gill is Head of Policy and Engagement at the National Centre for Universities and Businesses (NCUB). Sarah and Rosalind talk about bringing people together to respond to big sector challenges the realities of working in the sometimes-volatile political realm the huge contribution universities make to the UK economy why changing how people think often has more impact than any individual policy Find out more Read the show notes and transcript on the podcast website Connect to Rosalind on LinkedIn or X Find out more about NCUB their website or LinkedIn or X About Research Adjacent Fill out the research-adjacent careers quiz Sign up to the Research Adjacent newsletter Follow Research Adjacent on LinkedIn Instagram and BlueSky Email a comment, question or suggestion Leave Sarah a voice message IsGqsQ99nci7ahvx91Ve
This episode is about influencing others at work with Joanna Royle and Orla Kelly. Joanna is a Researcher Development Manager at the University of Glasgow. Orla is Scotland's Knowledge Exchange and Innovation Collaboration Manager based at the University of the West of Scotland. Sarah, Joanna and Orla talk about What the term influence means to them How the need to influence others shows up for research-adjacent professionals Examples of how they have used their influence at work Tips for influencing others, including more senior people Find out more Read the show notes and transcript on the podcast website Connect to Orla on LinkedIn Connect to Joanna on LinkedIn or via the University of Glasgow website Visit the University of Glasgow's Research Culture and Researcher Development team blog Listen to Orla’s first appearance on Research Adjacent About Research Adjacent Fill out the research-adjacent careers quiz Sign up to the Research Adjacent newsletter Follow Research Adjacent on LinkedIn Instagram and BlueSky Email a comment, question or suggestion Leave Sarah a voice message
This episode is all about finding and building your community with networking expert Jeni Smith. Sarah and Jeni talk about Why everyone is feeling isolated and craving human connection How self-awareness can help you figure out what kind of community you want Where to look for people like you Ideas for nurturing and growing relationships Find out more Read the show notes and transcript on the podcast website Listen to Jeni’s first appearance on Research Adjacent Connect to Jeni on LinkedIn Find networking events on NetworkWhere.com Check out the Research Adjacent Community for freelancers and small business owners About Research Adjacent Fill out the research-adjacent careers quiz Sign up to the Research Adjacent newsletter Follow Research Adjacent on LinkedIn Instagram and BlueSky Email a comment, question or suggestion Leave Sarah a voice message
This episode is all about navigating change in the research and higher education world. Sarah’s guest is Andrew Millar, Head of Web Services at the University of Dundee. Sarah and Andrew talk about Seeing change as an evolution not a revolution Why open communication is essential for anyone managing change The importance of finding a sense of control amid change What changes are coming for higher education in 2025 and beyond Find out more Read the show notes and transcript on the podcast website Connect with Andrew on LinkedIn Andrew’s Predictions for 2025 LinkedIn article Download the Career Compass worksheet About Research Adjacent Fill out the research-adjacent careers quiz Sign up to the Research Adjacent newsletter Follow Research Adjacent on LinkedIn Instagram and BlueSky Email a comment, question or suggestion Leave Sarah a voice message
This episode is all about imposter syndrome and how it shows up for research-adjacent professionals. Sarah’s guest Jenny Brady is a coach and facilitator who previously featured in episode 16. Sarah and Jenny talk about Why Imposter moments are part of being human When working with researchers can trigger confidence issues Techniques for managing imposter moments including evidence-based reflection, reframing and focusing on strengths Find out more Read the show notes and transcript on the podcast website Connect with Jenny on LinkedIn Listen to Jenny’s previous appearance on the podcast Download the Career Compass worksheet About Research Adjacent Fill out the research-adjacent careers quiz Sign up to the Research Adjacent newsletter Follow Research Adjacent on LinkedIn Instagram and BlueSky Email a comment, question or suggestion Leave Sarah a voice message
Holly is a PhD Careers Specialist at the University of Birmingham and creator of Post-Gradual: The PhD Careers Blog. Sarah and Holly talk about How a nudge from a friend kick-started her career The shortage of research-specialist careers advisers Navigating life and work with a disability Why we need better language to define roles in research and higher education Find out more Read the show notes and transcript on the podcast website Connect with Holly on LinkedIn or BlueSky Visit Post-Gradual: The PhD Careers Blog About Research Adjacent Fill out the research-adjacent careers quiz Sign up to the Research Adjacent newsletter Follow Research Adjacent on LinkedIn Instagram and BlueSky Email a comment, question or suggestion Leave Sarah a voice message
Rachel is the author of Surviving and Thriving in Higher Education Professional Services, founder of The Bold Collective, and Senior Admissions Manager at Anglia Ruskin University. Sarah and Rachel talk about Being a positive disruptor in higher education Why HE professional roles are invisible by design The disparities between professional and academic contracts Her wish for HE professionals to speak up and speak out Find out more Read the show notes and transcript on the podcast website Connect with Rachel on LinkedIn or via her website Read Rachel's book Surviving and Thriving in Higher Education Professional Services Join one of Rachel's monthly workshops About Research Adjacent Fill out the research-adjacent careers quiz Sign up to the Research Adjacent newsletter Follow Research Adjacent on LinkedIn Instagram and BlueSky Email a comment, question or suggestion Leave Sarah a voice message
For the last episode of 2024, Sarah is looking ahead to 2025 and sharing a sneak peek into what lies ahead. Sarah talks about A preview of upcoming episodes and a special mini-series The new research-adjacent careers quiz and making the podcast back catalogue more accessible Her half-written book on research adjacent careers New workshops and support for research-adjacent professionals Launching the Research Adjacent Community for self-employed folks Find out more Suggest a guest via this form Try out the research-adjacent careers quiz Sign up to the Research Adjacent newsletter Follow Research Adjacent on LinkedIn Instagram and now BlueSky See the list of workshops and training Sarah offers Come and join the Research Adjacent Community for freelancers Email a comment, question or suggestion Leave Sarah a voice message Theme music by Lemon Music Studios from Pixabay
Sarah looks back on memorable podcast moments from 2024 Sarah talks about How the second year of the podcast has been different from the first How the podcast has grown and evolved in 2024 What she has learned from Spotify Wrapped (yacht rock anyone?) and other podcast stats Most listened to episodes and memorable moments Episodes and links mentioned Suggest a guest via this form Research Adjacent at 50 celebration episode Most listened to episode of 2024 - Anthony Kavanagh, Patent Attorney Other popular and memorable episodes John Elvin, Industry Programme Manager Naomi Tyrrell, Research Consultant Kath Burton, Publishing Professional Helen White & Danni Elster, Experts by Experience Susan Shanks and Alice Millard, Archivists Sam Steele, Research Centre Managing Director David Wright, Exhibition Curator Helen Riding, NHS Research Manager For my podcast artwork of the year see Networking Expert, Jeni Smith's episode The Academic Adventures podcast Diversity in Research podcast - How being research adjacent can influence diversity in research Research Culture Uncovered (Episode 94) The role of podcasting in research culture and communications Find out what a 'ta-da' list is Find out more Follow Research Adjacent on LinkedIn and Instagram Sign up to the Research Adjacent newsletter Email a comment, question or suggestion Leave Sarah a voice message Theme music by Lemon Music Studios from Pixabay