My placement at the Institute

During the last four months, I had the opportunity to work on a placement at the Institute for Policy and Engagement to help bring the university's research and Nottingham closer.

As a PhD candidate with previous training and professional experience in policy, I applied to this internship to learn how scientific research can come out of academic circles and be used to tackle local problems. And to understand more of universities' role in helping with these challenges through their resources and talent.

Bringing the Ivory Tower down?

One might ask a few questions when thinking about the role of public universities as stakeholders who impact their communities. For instance: 

how can universities and academics challenge the image of the "ivory tower" and get closer to people? And, to what extent can universities help in alleviating public issues? 

As part of the Public Engagement team, I had the chance to explore some possible answers to these questions and help with running the first part of the "Civic Impact a Champions Programme" (CICP). This pilot programme is offered by the Institute, and it is open for established and early career academics at the University of Nottingham who want to address local problems with their research projects.

The experience of helping run the CICP has allowed me to strengthen various skills and acquire valuable experience, such as:

• Organising training sessions tailored for researchers
• Networking with local experts in public engagement to deliver these sessions
• Participating in a masterclass and attending a conference in public engagement organised by NCCP
• Liaising between the Institute and our cohort of five researchers from different faculties

This last part was incredibly valuable as I learned more about what our academics are doing and how they intend to implement their research as small interventions to help different groups and communities in Nottingham. 

Our CICP cohort are carrying out a fantastic range of projects, which include:

• Building community through photography exhibitions
• Incentivising better habits to prevent heart diseases in deprived neighbourhoods
• Addressing the challenges of the local food chain and food security
• Learning about the experience of migrants and refugees as they navigate to adopt a new place as their home.

These research projects are an effort to break the barriers between academia and the general public.

Working as part of a dynamic team

During this placement at the Institute, I was fortunate to work alongside the talented Public Engagement team. Since my previous professional experience has been in public policy (particularly in higher education policy), I learned about public engagement and its importance under the umbrella of public policy impact with Maria Richards and Sally Nightingale. 

Their work on the area has positioned the Institute and the University of Nottingham as crucial actors in disseminating research and culture to the general public of Nottinghamshire and East Midlands through a variety of public events such as fairs, public talks and masterclasses delivered by experts in different subjects, amongst other activities that are offered throughout the year. 

I was also fortunate to have worked alongside the wider Institute team and some of its different areas. Working with this team was valuable not only in the professional sense but also in the social.

An essential part of this placement was to build good relationships and experience a welcoming work environment where everyone closely collaborates to achieve the organisational goals and bring new ideas to the table.

A different opportunity for PhD students

It is the norm for PhD students to seek opportunities such as research assistant, teaching posts, and other part-time positions directly linked to their dissertations. While this pathway makes sense and is vital when building an academic career and profile, my main takeaway from this placement is that there are other possible avenues to nurture different aspects and to maximise the number of transferable skills for the job market.

Therefore, I would like to invite other PhD students to take advantage of the opportunities the Researcher Academy offers.

My main takeaway from this placement is that there are other possible avenues to nurture different aspects and to maximise the number of transferable skills for the job market.

Although the placement was unrelated to my research, it connected to my previous academic training and job experience in policy. Hence, this was an opportunity to strengthen my professional and practical skills in other CV areas, such as event organisation, hiring venues, and liaising with local experts in public engagement. 

Lastly, this placement and the work done at the Institute are also part of my personal and intellectual interests, as I am passionate about research and actions intended to diagnose and propose solutions for public challenges. 

In summary, this was the right place to grasp how a university can be a key stakeholder in supporting the community and to explore alternative opportunities for my professional life.