MPLS Division announces 2025–26 Public and Community Engagement with Research Fellows
Five researchers and professional services staff in Oxford's Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences (MPLS) Division have been awarded fellowships to strengthen public and community engagement across departments ranging from Chemistry to Computer Science.
This year's cohort focuses on capacity building, evaluation support, public involvement, and community-building. The Fellows share experiences and best practice through learning and networking opportunities throughout the year.
Dr Michaela Livingstone-Banks, Head of Public and Community Engagement with Research (MPLS Division), said: 'It’s encouraging to see departments taking forward projects that will strengthen how engagement is supported and embedded. This work is central to ensuring our research remains relevant, responsible and impactful, positioning us well for future assessments [REF] and funding expectations.'
The 2025–26 Fellows and their projects are:
Victoria Green (Department of Engineering Science) is developing and delivering tailored workshops exploring how public and stakeholder engagement can improve research quality and impact. The sessions will equip researchers with practical skills to apply Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) principles, drawing on the EPSRC AREA framework, and provide guidance on embedding engagement into funding proposals.
Isobel Voysey (Department of Computer Science) is piloting the first youth advisory group for AI and data science within MPLS. The group brings young people's voices into research processes, ensuring projects with implications for young people reflect their perspectives. The pilot provides a platform for researchers and young people to collaborate in decision-making.
Saskia O'Sullivan (Department of Chemistry) is embedding PCER into the Department of Chemistry's culture and systems. Her project includes reviewing the research lifecycle to identify where engagement can be better supported and recognised, running a second iteration of a successful postdoctoral engagement programme, and building international connections through EUSEA to identify best practice from other institutions.
'The PCER Fellows scheme has been a brilliant way to carve out dedicated time and support to explore how we embed engagement more meaningfully into our department,' said Saskia O'Sullivan, Head of PER and Outreach for Chemistry. 'It’s helped us think more strategically about what good engagement looks like, how to support our researchers to do it well, and how to make sure it contributes to both impact and culture in a sustainable way.'
Oliver Thomas (Department of Materials) is building a departmental culture of engagement by offering seed funding and training for researcher-led activities, embedding these within strategic departmental events. The team is also strengthening relationships with local communities to encourage participation, and creating resources to help researchers document and communicate their engagement work.
Clara Gonsalves (Department of Physics) is developing an evaluation framework and resource pack to support researchers evidence the outcomes and impacts of outreach and engagement in the Department of Physics. Hosted on the department intranet, the pack will include templates, case studies, and physics-specific guidance to help researchers identify physics-specific barriers, including cultural narratives that influence participation and the challenges of communicating technical and abstract concepts that can make the field feel distant or inaccessible. These insights will help researchers design more purposeful engagement and help enable more effective evaluation, helping to demonstrate more meaningful impact.
Now in its second year, the programme supports each Fellow to develop their project over the coming year, creating resources and practices for wider use across their departments.