Interdisciplinary Research PS Network - January 2022

The January Interdisciplinary Research PS Network meeting was attended by 50 colleagues from across the University. Sarah Barton Research Platforms Team (Digital Futures and Sustainable Futures) Strategy and Operations Manager updated on recent DF/SF activity, including the recent appointment of academic leads for the five Sustainable Futures Challenge Areas; the Sustainable Futures bi-monthly seminar series, Wellcome ISSF sandpits (Jan and April), Spotlight events from UoM’s Turing Fellows, the new Digital Trust and Security seminar series, the annual Advances in Data Science conference, and the next GM Connected Health Ecosystem workshops.

We then heard an update from Nicola Pike, Engagement & Operations Director for the Productivity Institute. Nicola provided the group with an overview of The Productivity Institute, context of the Institute’s work, people involved in the Institute at Manchester, and explained how the Institute approached marketing, communications, and engagement.

This was followed by an update from Laura Dawson, Research Beacon Communications and Engagement Manager, who presented on the Levelling Up corporate communications campaign. The campaign targets policy makers (both national and local), industries and businesses, and the general public outlining what levelling up is and how the University participates in discussions around levelling up.

Lastly, Chris Peters, Communications and Engagement Manager for Policy@Manchester, presented on the CAPE (Capabilities in Academic Policy Engagement) Project. The project will connect policy professionals with academics at CAPE university partners to discuss policy and research questions.

Ad hoc updates were provided by Vicky Taylor-Plane, Corporate Campaigns Manager, on the recent GM graduates communications campaign and Anne-Marie Nugnes, Creative Manchester Manager, on the Creative Manchester platform launch planned for spring.

The next meeting of the network will take place on 17 March 2022 and will include updates from Lynda McIntosh and Vicky Taylor-Plane on the REF Comms Plans and Research Impact Showcase, Enna Bartlett on the Biotechnology Beacon, and Phil Wallace on the Centre for Digital Trust & Society and the North West Partnership for Security & Trust.

About the network:

This network brings together over 100 colleagues from across the University in PS interdisciplinary research roles, including Institute and Centre Managers, Business Engagement and Knowledge Exchange staff, and Beacons, Faculty and Corporate Communications and Marketing colleagues. The group meets every two months to hear updates from colleagues and discuss synergies and ways of working together across interdisciplinary activity at UoM. For more information, please contact Peter Kane.