ABSTRACT

Research Impact and the Early Career Researcher documents experiences and perspectives on the emerging concept of research impact from a range of disciplines and places them within an analytical and critical discursive framework. Combining personal reflections with research essays, it provides the reader with a multi-dimensional perspective on research impact and how it connects to the research lives and practice of early career researchers.

Research impact is playing an ever-increasing role in international research policy and government strategy. This book:

  • Explores the arrival of impact into the national research consciousness
  • Discusses how to build capacity and skills within research impact and how this might impact academic career progression in an international job market
  • Offers advice on balancing national expectations with institutional expectations on research in terms of funding and career progression
  • Offers suggested ways forward whilst actively challenging what constitutes research impact

Research Impact and the Early Career Researcher provides a much-needed research base for studies of research impact and the extent to which it has altered, changed, and influenced the research practice of early career academics. It is an essential guide for any new and early career researchers wishing to navigate the complex landscape in order to meaningfully contribute to the impact agenda.

part I|2 pages

Research impact and me

chapter 1|16 pages

Uncertainty and confusion

The starting point of all expertise

chapter |5 pages

Reflection

Start small, think big: The hard path to success for the early career researcher

chapter 2|11 pages

Developing an academic identity

What’s the time Mrs Wolf?

chapter |6 pages

Reflection

Reflexivity, doubt and social tensions in collaborative research as positive research impact

chapter 3|12 pages

Beyond the ivory tower

Impact and the arts practitioner

chapter |6 pages

Reflection

Thinking laterally: A public health practitioner’s view of impact

part II|2 pages

Research impact and collaboration

chapter 4|14 pages

Knowledge exchange as impact

chapter |6 pages

Reflection

Communicating research to policymakers: The challenge of engagement and the knowledge broker role

chapter 5|20 pages

Experimenting with interdisciplinarity

Researcher development and the production of impact potentials

chapter |5 pages

Reflection

Research impacts of engineering for society, with society

chapter |8 pages

Reflection

Collaborative work of early career researchers: How the impact agenda transcends across contexts

part III|2 pages

Research impact systems and structures

chapter 7|18 pages

Propelled for take-off?

The case of early career social science researchers in South Africa

chapter |3 pages

Reflection

International impact: What is the problem? Can I solve it and will anyone benefit?

chapter 8|16 pages

Doctoral education and the impact gap

What we can learn from ‘Prof Docs’ and why it matters for early career researchers

chapter |5 pages

Reflection

Knowledge transfer and the humanities early career researcher

chapter |9 pages

Reflection

Putting social responsibility at the heart of the institution: The research experience and career development of early career researchers