Announcing 2025-26 MPLS PCER Fellowships - Supporting Responsible Engagement and Impact

The MPLS Division is pleased to introduce the five Public and Community Engagement with Research (PCER) Fellows selected for 2025-26. These researchers and professional services staff are leading meaningful initiatives to support responsible and impactful engagement and REF readiness within their departments and beyond. The projects span capacity building, evaluation support, public involvement and community-building.

This year’s cohort will come together through the fellowship network to learn from each other’s experiences through a series of learning and networking opportunities.

Meet the Fellows and their projects:

Engaging Responsibly: Supporting Impactful Engineering Research through Public and Stakeholder Involvement

Victoria Green – Engineering
This project will deliver a series of tailored workshops within the Department of Engineering Science to explore how public and stakeholder engagement can support responsible, relevant, and impactful research. The sessions will equip researchers with practical skills to apply Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) principles, drawing on the EPSRC AREA framework. Case studies will illustrate how engagement can improve research quality, foster trust, and support adoption and societal legitimacy. The workshops will also provide guidance on embedding engagement into funding proposals and impact pathways, positioning researchers to integrate responsible practices throughout the research process.

Pilot of an AI and Data Science Youth Advisory Group

Isobel Voysey – Computer Sciences
This project will pilot a youth advisory group for AI and data science within MPLS. Youth advisory groups bring young people’s voices into research processes, ensuring that projects with current or future implications for young people are relevant, responsible, and impactful. While similar groups exist in Medical Sciences and Social Sciences, this will be the first of its kind in MPLS. The pilot will provide a platform for researchers and young people to collaborate in decision-making, helping departments produce high-quality, REF-ready research that demonstrates meaningful engagement and impact.

PCER: Consolidating Change

Saskia O’Sullivan – Chemistry
This project will embed Public and Community Engagement with Research (PCER) into the Department of Chemistry’s planning, practice, and recognition systems. It will review the research lifecycle to identify opportunities for better visibility and support, run a second iteration of the successful postdoctoral programme to test its sustainability and hybrid delivery, and build international connections through EUSEA to bring back best practice. Together, these activities aim to normalise and support engagement as an integral part of departmental culture, contributing to both local and MPLS-wide culture change.

Building a community focussed culture and developing skills to communicate impact in the department of materials

Oliver Thomas – Materials
This project will foster a community-focused culture in the Department of Materials by building partnerships with local groups, running targeted events, and providing seed funding to support researcher-led engagement initiatives, further strengthening the department’s capacity to connect research with societal and strategic priorities. Alongside this, the project will create resources for reporting engagement, enabling researchers to evidence the impact of their work more effectively. Collectively, these initiatives will enhance the visibility of departmental research, embed community considerations into practice, and improve REF readiness.

Physics Evaluation Framework & Resource Pack

Clara Gonsalves – Physics
This project will develop a dedicated evaluation framework and resource pack to support the design, delivery, and assessment of outreach and engagement in the Department of Physics. Hosted on the intranet, the pack will include templates, case studies, and physics-specific guidance, designed to address the unique challenges of physics communication such as abstract concepts, technical language, and diverse audiences. It will be usable as a standalone resource, part of training, or in consultation with the outreach team. By enabling researchers to generate robust, discipline-relevant evaluation data, the resource will support continuous improvement, strengthen funding applications, and contribute to a culture of evidence-based engagement and REF readiness.