As the Research Adjacent podcast approaches its 3rd birthday, Sarah looks back on the past year and looks forward to 2026Sarah talks aboutWhat she does when she isn’t making the podcastTop episodes and notable moments from 2025Things she said she would do in 2025 vs what she actually didComing in 2026 – including live events and sponsorship opportunities All the links Sarah mentionsConnect with Sarah on LinkedIn or sign up for her events newsletter, Gathering with PurposeListen to Sarah’s personal playlist of new music in 2025Check out the Challenges mini-seriesTop episodes of the year – Policy Director Rosalind Gill and Influencing Others with Orla Kelly and Joanna RoyleHear Sarah’s story on the Papa PhD collaboration episodeLive event episodes – at the IRCC25 Conference, Festival of Hidden REF and the Academic Adventures podcastWorking with freelancers episode and the Research Adjacent DirectoryComplete this form to suggest a podcast guestBrowse the podcast back catalogue and take the quiz for personalised suggestions
Katherine is championing science communication for its own sake as Director of the historic Royal InstitutionKatherine is the Director of The Royal Institution in London. The Royal Institution is the birthplace of science communication, having been founded in 1799 to 'introduce new technologies and teach science to the general public through lectures and demonstrations'. It is home to the iconic Christmas Lectures which celebrate their 200th year in 2025.Sarah and Katherine talk aboutWhy The Royal Institution means different things to different peopleThe iconic Christmas LecturesHow a phone-in science hotline kick-started her career in science communicationMaking space for awe and wonder, and why that might help tackle the anti-science narrative Find out moreRead the show notes on the Research Adjacent websiteConnect with Kathrine on LinkedIn or BlueSkyFind out more about The Royal Institution and its historyCheck if you can watch the Christmas Lectures recording livestream near you About Research AdjacentWhere are you listening from? Share a pic and tag @ResearchAdjacent on LinkedIn, Instagram or BlueSkyFill out the research-adjacent careers quizSign up to the Research Adjacent newsletterEmail a comment, question or suggestionLeave Sarah a voice message
Laura is prioritising collaboration over competition to help develop impactful research projects.Laura Breen is Research Development and Impact Manager at the University of Manchester where she helps bring together diverse, multi-partner research teams to tackle big challenges.Sarah and Laura talk aboutPrioritising collaboration over competition and convening creative relational spacesHer journey from museums and ceramics to universities and impactHow the impact agenda and REF are shaping research culture and even artistic practiceThe importance of empathy and intuition in how she worksFind out moreConnect with Laura on LinkedInLaura is leading on Engaged Research at the University of Manchester - you can see what this looks like via some case studies and videos on participatory research. The University of Manchester has also just released their strategy for 2025-35 which includes research impact as one of it's 5 main themes.Find out more about the Impact Ignite Conference that Laura is speaking at in late November 2025About Research AdjacentWhere are you listening from? Share a pic and tag @ResearchAdjacent on LinkedIn, Instagram or BlueSkyFill out the research-adjacent careers quizSign up to the Research Adjacent newsletterEmail a comment, question or suggestionLeave Sarah a voice message
Sarah reports from the Festival of Hidden REF held in Birmingham on 8 October 2025. This episode features contributions from organisers, speakers and participants includingHidden REF committee members Simon Hettrick and James Baker sharing the story behind the eventPrevious Hidden REF competition winners Laura Henderson and Lorraine van Blerk highlighting hidden roles in researchSpeaker Elisa Collado and participants Emily Ennis, Jo Williams and Alix Brodie-Wray and Nick Sheppard sharing their takeaways and what still might be missing from the conversationFind out moreRead the full show notes and transcript on the podcast websiteConnect with guests Simon Hettrick, James Baker, Laura Henderson, Lorraine van Blerk, Elisa Collado, Emily Ennis, Jo Williams and Alix Brodie-Wray or Nick SheppardFind out more about Hidden REF on their website or follow them on LinkedIn. You can find the list of hidden roles that Simon mentions here.Listen to the What the REF?! podcastAbout Research AdjacentWhere are you listening from? Share a pic and tag @ResearchAdjacent on LinkedIn, Instagram or BlueSkyFill out the research-adjacent careers quizSign up to the...
Johanna is a researcher developer on a mission.Johanna Stadlbauer is Head of the Research Careers Campus at the University of Graz in Austria, offering development and support for early to mid-career researchers.Sarah and Johanna talk aboutWhy she wants to make academia kinder and more fun, and what that looks like in practiceHow being proactive helped her progress from a maternity cover contract to essentially creating her own jobThe anthropology research and activism that underpins her approachThe importance of helping people feel seen, and free pizza!Find out moreRead the full show notes and transcript on the podcast websiteConnect with Johanna on LinkedInFind out more about the Research Careers Campus and Post-Doc Office including the Communities of Curiosity Festival in April 2026About Research AdjacentWhere are you listening from? Share a pic and tag @ResearchAdjacent on LinkedIn, Instagram or BlueSkyFill out the research-adjacent careers quizSign up to the Research Adjacent newsletterEmail a comment, question or suggestionLeave Sarah a voice message
This episode is a must listen for anyone who hires freelancers to support research projects or who is a freelancer themselves. It is packed with advice for making things run more smoothly – from contracts to cold-hard cash. We are also launching the Research Adjacent Directory listing service. Sarah is joined by fellow freelancers from the Research Adjacent Community including Limor Zwi-Dantsis, Russell Arnott, Sophie Morris, Naomi Tyrrell and Vittoria Danino, to talk about… Why hiring a freelancer can be a great decision Tips for working effectively with research-adjacent freelancers How much excellent specialists actually cost Where to find quality contractors Find out more Read the show notes and transcript on the podcast website Check out the Research Adjacent Directory Find out if the Research Adjacent Community is right for you Read Top 5 reasons to hire an independent research-adjacent professional Read Working effectively with research-adjacent freelancers Read How much do research-adjacent freelancers cost? Connect with Limor Zwi-Dantsis, Russell Arnott, Sophie Morris, Naomi Tyrrell and Vittoria Danino on LinkedIn About Research Adjacent What do you think of this episode? Share a screenshot with your thoughts 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
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 aboutHow she combines a love of storytelling and the arts with a talent for managing events and operationsWhy engagement is often baked into the methods and outputs of arts and humanitiesBuilding a career in the cultural sector (despite a detour into French law)Why academia needs more diverse voices, and high-profile cultural iconsFind out moreRead the show notes and transcript on the podcast websiteFind out about everything Esther is working on via her LinktreeFind AHEAD at MMU on the web, Linktree, LinkedIn and InstagramAbout Research AdjacentWhere are you listening from? Share a pic and tag @ResearchAdjacent on LinkedIn, Instagram or BlueSkyFill out the research-adjacent careers quizSign up to the Research Adjacent newsletterEmail a comment, question or suggestionLeave 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 aboutHow her career and business evolved from research to knowledge translation to impactThe language and practice of impact around the worldOvercoming the mindset challenges that came with starting her own businessHow the current funding systems are holding back progressFind out moreRead the show notes and transcript on the podcast websiteConnect with Tamika on LinkedInSign up for the Research Impact SummitFind Research Impact Academy on the web, LinkedIn, Facebook, X, BlueSky, YouTube and InstagramAbout Research AdjacentFill out the research-adjacent careers quizSign up to the Research Adjacent newsletterFollow Research Adjacent on LinkedIn Instagram and BlueSkyEmail a comment, question or suggestionLeave 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 aboutTrusting her instincts, even when others didn't understand her career choiceEmbracing opportunities and making the next best moveWhy she is a passionate advocate for mentoring, EDI and STEM initiativesSeeing the impact of her work on patients and the people she has supportedFind out moreRead the show notes and transcript on the podcast websiteConnect with Anji on LinkedInFind out about LifeArcAbout Research AdjacentFill out the research-adjacent careers quizSign up to the Research Adjacent newsletterFollow Research Adjacent on LinkedIn Instagram and BlueSkyEmail a comment, question or suggestionLeave 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 aboutBlagging his way into a university teaching position whilst an indie filmmakerWhy impact is really all about relationshipsBeing honest – even when it's not what people want to hearThe often-invisible work of research professional staffFind out moreRead the show notes and transcript on the podcast websiteConnect with Chris on LinkedInListen to the Amplifying Research podcastFind out about Chris's business Amplifying ResearchAbout Research AdjacentFill out the research-adjacent careers quizSign up to the Research Adjacent newsletterFollow Research Adjacent on LinkedIn Instagram and BlueSkyEmail a comment, question or suggestionLeave 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 aboutHer career journey from immunology research to business leader and mentorWhy hearing about the real-world impact of health innovations still gives her goosebumpsThe Babraham Research Campus 'melting pot' which creates a unique environment for research commercialisation and collaborationFind out moreRead the show notes and transcript on the podcast websiteConnect to Louise on LinkedInFind out about the Babraham Research Campus and Babraham InstituteAbout Research AdjacentFill out the research-adjacent careers quizSign up to the Research Adjacent newsletterFollow Research Adjacent on LinkedIn Instagram and BlueSkyEmail a comment, question or suggestionLeave Sarah a voice message
Andy is a communications specialist who embraces using technology to help share research.Sarah and Andy talk aboutMaking himself so useful that a job was created especially for himUsing technology to solve problems and always trying to make things betterHow he evolved from bedroom radio host to pirate station DJ to podcasterBeing a lifelong learner and why more CPD time would benefit everyoneFind out moreRead the show notes and transcript on the podcast websiteCheck out Andy's Linktree for all his podcasts and articlesConnect to Andy on BlueSkyVisit Andy's websiteAbout Research Adjacent Fill out the research-adjacent careers quiz Sign up to the Research Adjacent newsletterFollow 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 aboutOur changing appetite for risk and what life might be like without health and safety regulationsSome of the major incidents he has investigatedWhy the constant churn of university research projects creates safety challengesThe far-reaching impact of his chosen career compared to staying in researchFind out moreRead the show notes and transcript on the podcast websiteConnect to Stephen on LinkedInAbout Research Adjacent Fill out the research-adjacent careers quiz Sign up to the Research Adjacent newsletterFollow 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 aboutWhy combining visuals and storytelling can be such a powerful communication toolHow she works with researchers to turn illustrations into impactHer journey from accidental freelancer to agency directorWhat AI might mean for the future of research communicationFind out moreRead the show notes and transcript on the podcast websiteConnect to Laura on LinkedInFind out more about Nifty Fox Creative on their website, LinkedIn or BlueSkyCheck out the More Than Medals online exhibitionAbout Research Adjacent Fill out the research-adjacent careers quiz Sign up to the Research Adjacent newsletterFollow 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 a...
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 aboutbringing people together to respond to big sector challengesthe realities of working in the sometimes-volatile political realmthe huge contribution universities make to the UK economywhy changing how people think often has more impact than any individual policyFind out moreRead the show notes and transcript on the podcast websiteConnect to Rosalind on LinkedIn or XFind out more about NCUB their website or LinkedIn or XAbout Research Adjacent Fill out the research-adjacent careers quiz Sign up to the Research Adjacent newsletterFollow Research Adjacent on LinkedIn Instagram and BlueSky Email a comment, question or suggestion Leave Sarah a voice messageIsGqsQ99nci7ahvx91Ve
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