Research Culture Uncovered

In this episode Nick speaks with Dr Eike Rinke , Lecturer in Politics and Media, Co-Director of the Social Research Methods Centre , and Local Network Lead for the UK Reproducibility Network (UKRN) . Eike discusses his academic journey, and reflects on how his experiences as a social scientist led him to become involved in the open research movement. The conversation explores why transparency, rig...

🎙️ Technicians at the heart of research culture: insights from Tech Exchange at Leeds In this special episode of Research Culture Uncovered , Dr Emily Ennis hands over the mic to Lily Caprioli , a student ambassador at the University of Leeds, who interviews colleagues across the annual Tech Exchange Fair — a showcase of the people and skills powering research behind the scenes. What you’ll hear:...

🎙️ The #ResearchCultureUncovered podcast team is excited to share our latest episode featuring Dr. Rob ter Horst — postdoctoral researcher and the creator behind the popular YouTube channel The Quantified Scientist! Join host Ged Hall as he chats with Rob about his fascinating dual life as a researcher and YouTuber, exploring what it means to treat yourself as an experimental subject, running a Yo...

In this thought‑provoking episode, host Dr Emily Goodall speaks with Dr Jack Wilkinson , Senior Lecturer in Clinical Trial Statistics at the University of Manchester. Together, they explore the growing challenge of problematic and fraudulent research polluting the published literature, what it means for trust in evidence, and how the research community can respond. From “paper mills” to AI‑generat...

The #ResearchCultureUncovered podcast team is excited to share our latest episode featuring a fascinating conversation with Professor Adel Ahmed. Adel worked in the UK higher education for over 20 years before moving to the United Arab Emirates in 2015. Join host, Ged Hall, as he reconnects with his former colleague to explore research culture in the UAE and the wider Middle East and North Africa...

What does it mean to do research on research — and what role do professional staff play in it? In this episode, Alix Brodie-Wray is joined by Dr. Chris Daley (LSE) and Dr. Amy Milligan (Saïd Business School, University of Oxford) to explore the world of meta-research and why research managers, administrators, and enablers have a vital part to play. We cover: 🔬 What meta-research actually is (and...

In this episode Nick talks to Dr Louise Saul, Network+ coordinator for CaSDaR (Careers and Skills for Data Driven Research) , a UKRI-funded initiative aiming to professionalise and build community around data stewardship in the UK. They discuss shared work through the Open Research Competencies Coalition (ORCC) and Louise’s previous UKRN role as an ORCA (Open Research Coordinator and Administrator...

Episode title: How to Turn Your PhD Into a Book Podcast: Research Culture Uncovered Host: Heledd Jarosz-Griffiths (Researcher Development Advisor, University of Leeds) Episode overview Turning a PhD into a book is rarely a straightforward process. It’s not simply about rewriting or revising a thesis — it involves rethinking purpose, audience, and identity as a researcher. In this episode, Heledd s...

If you asked an academic to describe the culture in which they work, 'gentle' is not a word that most would use. But what if academia could be gentler? What would this look like, and how can we get there? In today's episode, host Taryn Bell is joined by Christine Grove, co-editor of the recent volume 'The Gentle Academic'. They discuss what gentle academia is, what it's not, and how both individua...

In this week’s episode, host Emily Goodall speaks with Karen Glerum‑Brooks and Lucy Cheseldine about the Valuing Voices project — a Wellcome-funded initiative co‑created by the University of York and Mahidol University in Thailand that’s helping researchers rethink what equitable, collaborative and responsible research can look like in practice. Episode highlights: A practical toolkit for culture...

🎙️ In our latest episode of Research Culture Uncovered, host Heledd Jarosz-Griffiths explores a deceptively simple question: what actually shapes a researcher? Drawing on reflections from a Worldwide Universities Network (WUN) series, this episode brings together voices from across global research development sessions — exploring research vision, impact, careers, culture, and identity. 🔹 Why rese...

“What if all we have is the now? […] the now is generative and worthwhile.” — Dr Élaina Gauthier‑Mamaril Host  Dr Emily Ennis  sits down with  Dr Élaina Gauthier‑Mamaril  – a disabled philosopher of disability and Research&nb...

In today's final episode of Research Culture Uncovered, hosts Taryn Bell and Emily Ennis discuss how they solved research culture. With no more issues left to fix, and everything running smoothly, they take one last opportunity to sit back, rest, and reflect on how everything went so right... Just kidding. Happy April Fools! In this episode, Taryn and Emily look back at what’s been achieved over t...

In this episode of #ResearchCultureUncovered , host Dr Emily Ennis talks with Dr Amy Mayfield (Lancaster University) and Dr Nicola Simcock (Newcastle University) about how maturity frameworks are helping departments move from good intentions to practical change. What you’ll hear: Why a “maturity framework” (name still up for debate!) helps complex organisations reflect honestly on where they are n...

🎙️ The #ResearchCultureUncovered podcast team is excited to share our latest episode featuring reflections from the groundbreaking Impact Ignite Conference! Join host Ged Hall, discuss the conference with fellow University of Leeds #impactprofessionals Andy Cameron, Anu Ekanayake, Ali Quaile, Alexa Ruppertsberg, and Ruth Lawford-Rolfe as they discuss their experiences from this first-of-its-kind g...

🎙️In our latest episode, host Dr Ged Hall interviewed another of his #ResearchImpactHeroes Dr Tamika Heiden, founder of the Research Impact Academy and creator of the Research Impact Summit! Discover how one person's passion is beginning the process of creating a global community for research impact. 🔹 Hear Tamika's inspiring journey from PhD student to research impact entrepreneur, driven by a s...

🎧The latest new episode of the #ResearchCultureUncovered podcast Ged Hall introduces our New Host, Alix Brodie-Wray. Alix is Faculty Impact Development Manager for the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Cultures at the University of Leeds. Alix discusses her role, which includes supporting impact case study development and working on impact literacy across nine schools. Find out more about Alix and...

In this episode, our host Emily Goodall speaks with James Parry , an independent consultant specialising in research integrity and research culture , and former Chief Executive of the UK Research Integrity Office. With years of experience supporting organisations and the research community, James shares insights on how research misconduct extends far beyond instances of fabrication or plagiarism —...

🎧 Show notes Episode title: Who Gets to Belong? LGBT+ History Month Podcast: Research Culture Uncovered Host: Heledd Jarosz-Griffiths (Researcher Development Advisor, University of Leeds) Episode overview LGBT+ History Month takes place every February, and the 2026 theme is Science & Innovation . In this episode, Heledd is joined by Morgan Buswell and Dr Robin Hayward to explore what LGBT+ Hi...

In today's episode, Taryn Bell talks to Dr Mat Tata, Research Programme Manager (EDI in Research) at Cancer Research UK. Mat leads CRUK's work on equality, diversity and inclusion in research, and offers us an insight into research culture from the funder's perspective. Key highlights: 1️⃣ Understanding the grant review process - Mat discusses how decisions are made across CRUK's funding calls, an...

This episode focuses on changing career from postdoctoral research to project management. Ruth Winden talks to Leeds alumni Dr Shirley-Anne Paul, Project Manager at Drax plc. With a background in Psychology, Shirley made the switch to project management after nine years as a postdoc at the University of Edinburgh, the University of Leeds and the University of York. She has had an illustrious proje...

In our Research Culture Uncovered conversations we are asking what is Research Culture and why does it matter? In this episode we welcome new host, Dr Emily Ennis, to the team. We get to hear more about Emily before she hosts episodes on her specialist topics. Emily shares her background in research culture and her role as the Research Culture Manager at the University of Leeds, which includes lea...

Episode overview Saying no is rarely just about confidence or time management. In research and higher education, it’s shaped by career stage, job security, power dynamics, working patterns, caring responsibilities, and the cultures we work within. In this episode, Heledd slows the conversation down and listens to reflections from a postgraduate researcher, academic colleagues at different career s...

In our first episode of 2026 Nick talks to Josh Sendall about his career in academic libraries, culminating in his recent appointment as Acting Librarian and Keeper of the Brotherton Collection at the University of Leeds. In a wide ranging conversation Josh discusses the importance of research libraries and how 'openness' is deeply aligned with both his own and university values, the impact of Art...

This special holiday episode is all about celebration, laughter, and a little friendly competition! The Research Culture Uncovered podcast team wraps up the year with a cheerful mix of knowledge and festive fun, proving that research culture can sparkle with joy. Join your quizmaster Dr Emma Spary as she attempts to keep control of proceedings. Before the quiz begins we have an early gift for our...