Fast Track Impact

Dec 18 2023 111 ep. 37 mins 232

Fast Track Impact Podcast artwork

The podcast for researchers who want to be more productive and achieve real-world impacts from their research. Every week, Mark Reed gives you practical tips and discusses how you can enhance the impact of your research, based on the latest research.

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Episode 44: What is good practice engagement and impact?

Dec 18 2023 25 mins

This week, Mark talks through a series of good practice principles for engagement and impact, published in his recent blog post- Add your own feedback and ideas hereThe blog builds on a number of sources, including:Mark’s Impact Culture book (see the bottom of this page for his impact culture toolkit)NCCPE engagement guidanceMark’s “Re-thinking impact…” paperYou can downl

Episode 43: Evidencing engagement and impact for REF2029

Nov 18 2023 41 mins

This week, Mark explores what the recent REF2029 guidance means for impact, including a discussion of what we might be expected to write about in the new engagement and impact narrative, and an evidence-based approach to writing a 4* impact case study.NCCPE engagement guidanceMy “Re-thinking impact…” paperWhat made a 4* impact case study in REF214 paperMy 4* REF2021 impact ca

Episode 42: Interview with Michael Parker from The Conversation about generating and evaluating impact from media engagement

Oct 21 2023 41 mins

This week, Mark talks to Michael Parker, Director of Operations at The Conversation, a news outlet that specialises in working with researchers, giving them editorial control on a global platform. Drawing from their work together creating the Media Impact Guide and Toolkit, Mark and Michael discuss how researchers can harness the media to get more impact from their research and pro

Episode 41: Tips for evidencing impact with evaluation expert Eric Jensen

Oct 08 2023 29 mins

Eric Jensen is an expert in impact evaluation who has written a textbook on many of the most useful methods you'll need and leading two companies that specialise in impact evaluation consultancy and training alongside his academic research on environmental issues. In this interview, he provides tips to help you design a more effective survey to evaluate your impact, and explains ho

Evaluation Episode 40: Can software take the pain out of impact monitoring and evaluation?

Sep 18 2023 45 mins

This week, Mark interviews Laura Tucker (Vertigo Ventures), Tobias Schoep (GrowImpact), and Sarah Morton (Matter of Focus) about the platforms they have developed to help researchers keep track of their impacts. Find out more about each platform:GrowImpactOutNav from Matter of FocusImpact Tracker, part of the impact ecosystem from Vertigo VenturesYou can download a written transcri

Episode 39: How arts-based methods can enrich your evaluation of impact - with Dr Rachel Blanche

Sep 03 2023 48 mins

This week, Mark interviews Rachel Blanche from Queen Margaret University Edinburgh to find out how arts-based methods can provide depth and rigour to an impact evaluation. They discuss a range of approaches including visual, performative and narrative methods, the types of evidence these methods can generate, how these approaches can empower participants in determining what’s mea

Episode 38: What does a real impact evaluation look like?

Aug 21 2023 39 mins

Mark discusses a range mixed methods evaluation designs that can help you collect data to evidence impacts arising from industry, policy, media, and public engagement. The methods are easy to use without any specialist training or experience, and can generate useful data in some of the trickiest areas of impact evaluation.Find out more about the "postcard to your future self" metho

Episode 37: Getting creative with impact evaluation

Jul 17 2023 31 mins

How do you design an impact evaluation? There is no blueprint, but in this episode, Mark gives you the tools you will need to choose an evaluation design with methods that can deliver convincing evidence while giving you win-wins for your research.Evidencing impact paper | Decision treeYou can download a written transcript of this episode here

Episode 36: How to monitor and evaluate your impact

Jul 03 2023 36 mins

In this first of a series of episodes on monitoring, evaluating and evidencing impact, Mark discusses one of the biggest mistakes that people make when the evaluate their engagement instead of their impact, and provides simple tools anyone can use to keep track of their impact with minimal time and effort. He concludes by explaining the difference between monitoring and evaluation

Episode 35: How to work with skeptics and achieve impact from your research online without risking your mental health: interview with George Hope

Jun 17 2023 44 mins

This week, Mark interviews George Hope, Communications Manager at Oxford Net Zero and Greenhouse Gas Removal Hub, based at University of Oxford, about how you can reduce the risks of engaging with social media and achieve more impact online. They discuss challenges of engaging with skeptics and conspiracy theorists, and strategic tools for achieve more impact with less risks to you