Research Adjacent

As we near 100 episodes, Sarah announces that it's time to step aside and let others take the lead in the research-adjacent careers space. Sarah talks about Why episode 100 will be the last episode of Research Adjacent How the research-adjacent world has evolved over the time the podcast has been running What the future for research professionals might be like, even if things feel tricky right now...

Research Professional Futures is a major UK-wide programme focused on improving recognition, opportunities and support for the research professional workforce. For this episode Sarah is joined by the project co-leads – Lorna Wilson (Durham University), Steph Bales (Teesside University), Isabella von Holstein (Kings College London) and Rika Nair (University of Warwick). Sarah and the team talk abou...

Andrew Cripps is Technical Head of the Small Animal Research Unit at the University of Reading. Andrew has spent his career helping to advance medical science through animal research. Sarah and Andrew talk about All the work technicians do which often goes unnoticed What TV gets wrong about animal research facilities and what it’s really like Building a career in research despite never going to un...

Jakob Feldtfos Christensen is a research manager at the Defaktum research centre in Denmark, an independent consultant, host of the Diversity in Research podcast and author of the book Diversity Leadership for Research Managers: A Practical Guide. Sarah and Jakob talk about That diversity isn’t just about staff – it needs to be woven through every part of a research project How research profession...

This episode explores creative collaborations between artists and researchers with guests Sarah Campbell, Sian Docksey and Daksha Patel. Sarah is Associate Director for Arts and Culture at the University of Exeter. Daksha Patel is a visual artist and Sian Docksey is a writer, comedian and pole-dancer. Sian and Daksha have both collaborated with Exeter researchers through the University’s Creative...

Matt Woodcock is Research and Impact Support Officer in the School of English at the University of Leeds. Before this Matt was an academic for nearly 20 years, reaching the status of Professor of Medieval and Early Modern Literature. Sarah and Matt talk about Why he sees his career journey as an ongoing process of specializing in the work he really enjoys What it is like to have a 360-degree view...

Helen Underhill is the manager of the Research for Transformation Lab at the University of Manchester’s Global Development Institute. She is also an independent researcher working on a variety of social justice and international projects from fire safety in refugee camps to young people and museums. Sarah and Helen talk about What it means to do research for transformation and why it’s a slow proc...

This special bonus episode is part of Podcasthon 2026 which asks hosts to dedicate an episode to a charity of their choice. This episode is dedicated to Scottish rewilding charity Trees for Life who I have been supporting through this podcast since 2024. Listen in to hear why, back in 2024 I decided to donate 1% of my business income to charity and how that led to me deciding to plant a tree for e...

Inbal Itzhak is a Senior Knowledge Mobilisation Specialist at the Canadian Consortium on Neurodegeneration and Aging. She translates research into accessible insights which improve brain health and care Sarah and Inbal talk about Why the essence and ethics of participatory research are the same, no matter what you call it The magic that can spark when you find the right collaborators How Inbal dec...

Tamara Poles is the founder and CEO of Universal SciCom based in North Carolina, USA, and working remotely across the world. Sarah and Tamara talk about Why representation and inclusion in science communication matters Sharing science and building community through unconventional formats including the Scirens drag and burlesque show and adults-only ‘Uncensored Science’ Helping researchers connect...

Sarah Morton is an impact consultant, currently of Capture Impact but previously of Matter of Focus, and the self-confessed ‘granny of impact’ Leading the way in impact and knowledge exchange (before they were even a thing) Falling through the cracks between research and administrative roles Escaping university bureaucracy to become an accidental tech entrepreneur Why knowledge exchange and impact...

Russell Arnott is an ocean science educator, facilitator and event organiser. Sarah McLusky is a research event consultant, trainer and facilitator. Sarah and Russell are reinventing research conferences to prioritise connection and collaboration through their joint venture Re:Conference. Sarah and Russell talk about Why traditional academic conferences are failing everyone - attendees, presenters...

Kirsty High is Research Impact Manager at the independent research institution, the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology. Sean McCaul is a faculty impact officer at Ulster University. Both are responsible for overseeing and supporting impact, but with different drivers and priorities. This episode was recorded live at the Impact Ignite 2025 conference, an event dedicated to sharing best practices and...

As the Research Adjacent podcast approaches its 3rd birthday, Sarah looks back on the past year and looks forward to 2026 Sarah talks about What she does when she isn’t making the podcast Top episodes and notable moments from 2025 Things she said she would do in 2025 vs what she actually did Coming in 2026 – including live events and sponsorship opportunities All the links Sarah mentions Connect w...

Katherine is championing science communication for its own sake as Director of the historic Royal Institution Katherine 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...

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 about Prioritising collaboration over competition and convening creative relational spaces Her jour...

Sarah reports from the Festival of Hidden REF held in Birmingham on 8 October 2025. This episode features contributions from organisers, speakers and participants including Hidden REF committee members Simon Hettrick and James Baker sharing the story behind the event Previous Hidden REF competition winners Laura Henderson and Lorraine van Blerk highlighting hidden roles in research Speaker Elisa C...

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 about Why she wants to make academia kinder and more fun, and what that looks like in practice How being proactive helped her progress from a maternity cover contr...

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, R...

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 k...

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...

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 st...

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 ini...

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-inv...

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...