Research Unravelled

How do you communicate the value of research that is designed to fail? When does the language you use become part of your communications strategy? And what is the cost of waiting until you have the full picture before you speak? In this episode of Research Unravelled, Peter is joined by Clara Zabludowsky — Chief Communications and Engagement Officer at ARIA, the UK's Advanced Research and Inventio...

How do you gather genuine public opinion on one of the most emotionally charged topics in recent political debate? What does it take to present contested evidence to a jury of citizens in a fair and balanced way? And how do you explain a robust but unfamiliar research method to journalists on deadline? In this episode, Jay Stone (Nuffield Council on Bioethics) and Henrietta Hopkins (Hopkins Van Mi...

Why doesn't merely explaining problems lead to action? Why is it more effective to tell a narrow story than a broad one? Is perfectionism killing your content? In this first episode of the new series of Research Unravelled Peter is joined by guest Nick Peel - the digital content and social media lead at Wellcome Trust - who talks about the work that he and his team are doing to share the organisat...

If the 'holy grail' of research communications is reaching policy makers - how can we make that happen? In this episode of Research Unravelled Peter speaks with Sarah Carter-Bell from UK Parliament's Knowledge Exchange Unit about the work that she and her team are doing to facilitate sharing of ideas between academia and parliament. The conversation is full of highly valuable insights and tips for...

The research output from universities is a unique competitive advantage - why would you not want to communicate that as effectively as possible? How can the impact of those comms activities be tracked? And how can research communicators be better supported by their institutions? In this episode of Research Unravelled Peter is joined by Alexander Buxton, Head of Strategic Communications at the Univ...

In 2022 the Science Media Centre published an insightful report on the changing role of science press officers at UK universities. In this episode of Research Unravelled Peter speaks with two people who were instrumental to the report's creation: Helen Jamison and Claire Bithell. The conversation reveals the often invisible but critical role these professionals play in building trust in science th...

Why do many risk messages fail to connect with audiences? How can communicators avoid oversimplifying complex risk information while still making it accessible to audiences? What does it mean to take a "public-led, expert-fed" approach to science communication? In this episode Tracey Brown, Director of Sense About Science, talks about the charity's Risk know-how programme that was created to empow...

What counts as a 'meaningful' engagement when involving patients and public with research? How can we elevate the voices of people with lived experience as experts? How can we support those people who agree to tell their own stories for impact? In this episode Peter is joined by Nick Hillier, Director of Communications and Engagement at the Academy of Medical Sciences, which was established in 199...

In these monthly extra episodes Peter is joined by co-host, Bianca Winter, to share listeners' thoughts on our main guest episodes, and to discuss the latest news and trends from the world of research communications. In this episode we... Reflect on the last guest episode with Lorraine Bridges - Head of Campaigns at the National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHR) Talk about Peter's recen...

What differentiates a 'campaign' from business-as-usual comms? What are the most important ingredients for running a successful communications campaign? How do you build partnerships based on trust and reciprocity? In this episode Peter is joined by Lorraine Bridges, Head of Campaigns and Deputy Director of Communications at the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). She talks abo...

A 2025 Welcome from Peter and Bianca at Research Unravelled Extra! In these monthly extra episodes Peter is joined by co-host, Bianca Winter, to share listeners' thoughts on our main guest episodes, and to discuss the latest news and trends from the world of research communications. In this episode we... Reflect on Peter's interview with Catherine Foot, Director of the longevity think thank, Phoen...

How can we transform the national conversation around what it means to live longer better lives? How do we avoid drowning in nuance when trying to understand complex systems? What does it take to relentlessly pursue a single issue in order to bring about change? And how can you build a coalition to bring others on board? Join Peter Barker in conversation with Catherine Foot, the Director of Phoeni...

Welcome back to Research Unravelled Extra! In these monthly extra episodes Peter is joined by co-host, Bianca Winter, to share listeners' reflections on the latest guest episodes, and to discuss the latest news and trends from the world of research communications. We want this to be a space where the research comms community engages and interacts with its fellow members, so please get in touch to...

How do you craft consistent communications in a field as rapidly evolving as AI and data? Can we shift the narrative from perceived future existential risk to actual present day harms? What's the best way of making your messages resonate with policy makers? Join Peter Barker in conversation with Catherine Gregory - Head of Communications and Content at Ada Lovelace Institute, an independent resear...

Welcome to Research Unravelled Extra! In these monthly extra episodes Peter will be joined by co-host, Bianca Winter, to share listeners' reflections on the latest guest episodes, and to discuss the latest news and trends from the world of research communications. We want this to be a space where the research comms community engages and interacts with its fellow members, so please get in touch to...

How do you communicate science so complex that even scientists find it hard to understand? How can communicators cope with the vast number of digital channels and platforms used today? What does 'values-based communication' mean and how can it help you develop a fantastic relationship with your audiences? Join Peter Barker in conversation with Ali Bailey - Director of Communications and Public Eng...

Welcome to Research Unravelled - a brand new podcast where we take a deep dive into the impactful world of research communications. In particular we’ll be exploring the complexity that lies at the heart of this particular field and hearing from communications experts about how they navigate and overcome or unravel that complexity. Research Unravelled is hosted by Peter Barker and brought to you by...