Amplifying Research

Chris Pahlow

You’re listening to Amplifying Research with Chris Pahlow. After 15 years working as a professional storyteller, I’m now on a mission to help make sure that incredible research all around the world generates real impact with the help of effective engagement and communication. Find out more at https://www.amplifyingresearch.com/pod

  1. 3D AGO

    44. Impact Literacy: A/Prof Julie Bayley on why just expecting impact isn't the same as enabling it

    Read along here as Julie and I step through the Impact Literacy Workbook.   View the full show notes, including a summary of practical tips on the Amplifying Research website: https://www.amplifyingresearch.com/podcast/44-julie-bayley  A/Prof Julie Bayley is one of the world's leading voices on research impact, and she's on a mission to make sure that the pathway from academic inquiry to meaningful societal change isn't just left to chance. She joins us to unpack impact literacy — a practical framework and step-by-step workbook that helps researchers find their place in the impact puzzle, and helps institutions build the culture to make it all possible. Julie is currently the Director of Research Impact and Culture at Northeastern University London. Previously, she was Director of Research Impact Development and Director of the Lincoln Impact Literacy Institute, both at the University of Lincoln, UK. She's the author of Creating Meaningful Impact: The Essential Guide to Developing an Impact Literate Mindset, one of Emerald Publishing's bestselling books of 2023. Julie's passion for impact is deeply personal. A blood clot in 2008 left her unable to walk without pain for ten years — until research-developed vascular stents gave her mobility back. That experience cemented her commitment to ensuring research reaches the people who need it. Together with David Phipps (Director of Research Impact Canada and Assistant Vice President, Research Strategy and Impact at York University), Julie has developed a suite of freely available tools including the Impact Literacy Workbook and the “Are you Impact Healthy?” Institutional Health Check Workbook — practical resources designed to help researchers and institutions plan for, deliver, and evaluate impact. "The more we put impact as an extra, a burdensome extra, the less we're going to grow it, the less change we're going to make, and the more ill-equipped our researchers will be to do it… In academia, we have the most incredible opportunity to make a difference… Impact literacy is not about being an impact expert. It’s is being able to judge where you fit into that picture." — Julie Bailey This episode is essential listening for anyone responsible for driving or supporting research impact — whether you're an individual researcher trying to understand where you fit, a team leader building impact capability, or an institutional leader looking to create a culture where impact is genuinely enabled, not just expected.   Our conversation covers: The impact literacy model: why, how, who, and what Walking through the Impact Literacy Workbook step by step: from framing your problem to assembling your impact plan Why researchers should start thinking about impact much earlier than they typically do Identifying stakeholders and beneficiaries — and why it's about assembling the right team, not listing everyone Why jumping straight to methods ("we'll build an app") is the wrong approach to knowledge mobilisation Co-producing impact: bringing stakeholders in as early as possible The skills researchers need — and why you don't need all of them yourself What a healthy impact culture looks like at the institutional level The five C's framework: commitment, connectivity, co-production, competencies, and clarity Using the institutional health check to diagnose priorities and track progress Why the approach to impact in an institution is often a mirror of leadership's view of it   ind Julie online: LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-bayley-impact Website — https://juliebayley.blog     Resources mentioned: Impact Literacy Workbook “Are you Impact Healthy?” Institutional Health Check Workbook Creating Meaningful Impact: The Essential Guide to Developing an Impact Literate Mindset Research Impact Glossary (CERCA) Relationships for Impact framework

    1h 5m

  2. JAN 12

    43. Career Transitions: Sofia Oliveira on what 140 job applications taught her about life after academia

    View the full show notes, including a summary of practical tips on the Amplifying Research website: https://www.amplifyingresearch.com/podcast/43-sofia-oliveira    What if leaving academia isn't failure – but the path to work that actually fulfils you? Sofia Oliveira finished her PhD, spent six months applying for 140 jobs, and discovered a career in science communication that she finds more rewarding than anything she experienced in the lab. She joins us to share the real numbers behind her transition, the mindset shifts that made it possible, and how LinkedIn became her secret weapon for finding opportunities. Sofia is a science communication and marketing specialist focusing on life sciences, biotech startups, and nonprofits. After completing her PhD in 2021 and working as a project manager at university, she made the leap to industry in 2023 – tracking every application, interview, and offer along the way. Today she's a freelancer with over 10,000 LinkedIn followers, where she regularly shares remote job opportunities to help other researchers explore their options. "To be honest, I am much happier now than when I was back at academia, and I think that's all about it. You know, you want your career to be fulfilling and that looks different for different people. But for me, what I'm doing now, it's fulfilling." – Sofia Oliveira Whether you're a PhD student wondering what comes next, an early-career researcher eyeing the grim odds of landing a professorship, or simply curious about what else is out there, this episode offers honest data, practical strategies, and a refreshing perspective on career exploration. ... If you enjoy this episode and want to go deeper, check out Sofia’s Career Hub on Patreon – featuring the actual CVs she used to land interviews, live Q&A sessions, and group mentoring. ... Our conversation covers: The stigma around leaving academia – and how to move past it Sofia's job hunting data: 140 applications, 11% interview rate, 8 offers How academic success rates (grants, professorships) compare to industry job hunting Types of roles researchers can transition into: science communication, technical writing, project management, consulting, and more How to identify and articulate your transferable skills The case for applying while you're still employed Freelance vs part-time vs full-time: finding the model that suits you Building a LinkedIn presence that attracts opportunities (in just 2-3 hours per week) Why treating your career like an experiment might be the most scientific approach ... Find Sofia online: LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/oliveira-ss Sofia’s Career Hub on Patreon — https://patreon.com/Oliveira_ss

    54 min

  3. 12/01/2025

    42. Gathering with Purpose: Dr Sarah McLusky on making events actually worth showing up for

    View the full show notes, including a summary of practical tips on the Amplifying Research website: https://www.amplifyingresearch.com/podcast/42-sarah-mclusky    Be honest: how many meetings, workshops, or conferences have you attended that felt like a waste of your time? Dr Sarah McLusky argues that most academic gatherings fail not because of bad content, but because no one stopped to ask why they were bringing people together in the first place. Sarah is a research communicator, facilitator, and host of the Research Adjacent podcast — and she's spent years helping teams design gatherings that build trust, spark collaboration, and leave people feeling their time was genuinely well spent. In this episode, we unpack how to move beyond inherited templates and create in-person experiences that actually achieve what you need them to. "What makes people turn up in the room on the day is the agenda, the talks, the subjects they're interested in — that's what gets people through the door. But actually what people remember afterwards, what they take away from it, is the people that they met." — Dr Sarah McLusky Sarah brings extensive experience helping research teams, charities, and other organisations design meaningful in-person experiences — from stakeholder engagement workshops to patient involvement sessions to team away days. She's particularly passionate about creating spaces where different voices can genuinely be heard, and where power dynamics don't shut down the very contributions you're trying to invite. This episode is a must-listen for anyone who organises meetings, runs workshops, or plans events — and suspects there might be a better way. Whether you're rethinking your team's regular catch-ups or planning a major stakeholder engagement session, Sarah offers practical wisdom on making gatherings that genuinely matter.   Find Sarah online: LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahmclusky/ Newsletter: Gathering with Purpose — https://sarahmclusky.com/gathering-with-purpose Research Adjacent podcast — https://researchadjacent.com/podcast/

    1h 7m

  4. 10/21/2025

    41. Context Before Detail: Dr Michael Wheeler on the hourglass method for structuring talks, papers, and career-building communication

    View the full show notes, including a summary of practical tips on the Amplifying Research website: https://www.amplifyingresearch.com/podcast/41-michael-wheeler  Wish more people knew about your team’s amazing research, but worried you don’t have natural charisma or the “gift of the gab”? Never fear! Sci comms expert Dr Michael Wheeler argues that powerful communication comes down to two fundamentals: the quality of your ideas and the order in which you present them. In this episode, Michael introduces the hourglass method — a simple framework for structuring any research communication, from conference talks to grant applications to casual conversations at the pub. Michael is a research fellow at the Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition at Deakin University, part of the University of Melbourne Science Communication Teaching Program, and co-host of the podcast Let's Talk SciComm with A/Prof Jen Martin. In this episode, Michael walks through the hourglass method in practice, sharing examples from rocket scientists bursting through doors to heart disease statistics that make entire lecture theatres sit up and pay attention. "Context before detail. If you jump straight into the detail, you're gonna lose people immediately. The way I like to think about a piece of communication is like an hourglass. You start off big picture, you provide some context, then you narrow down into the detail, and then you return to something big picture at the end as a way of having a strong finish." — Dr Michael Wheeler Whether you're preparing for your next conference talk, writing a grant application, or simply want to explain your research more clearly to colleagues outside your field, this episode offers a practical framework and actionable advice you can start using immediately. For research leaders, Michael's insights on building diverse communication skills can help you think about professional development for your team. And for early-career researchers uncertain about your career path, Michael’s "academic Christmas tree" philosophy offers a refreshing perspective on keeping your options open. Find Michael online: LinkedIn Let’s Talk Sci Comm podcast Deakin University profile University of Melbourne profile

    57 min

  5. 09/23/2025

    40. Visual research communication: Dr Leanne Rees and Steph Hughes on community-centred approaches to knowledge mobilisation

    View the full show notes, including the poster Leanne and Steph collaborated on here: https://www.amplifyingresearch.com/podcast/40-leanne-rees   "I never wanted to do a PhD only for it to sit as a thesis and no one to ever read it." If you’re a listener to this show, then I’m willing to bet you’ve probably had similar thoughts about your own work. Dr. Leanne Rees’ solution? To team up with creative professional Steph Hughes to craft a compelling comic-book-style visual based on the very words of the community members she partnered with for her research. The result: a vibrant piece of knowledge mobilisation that's now spreading across international networks, hanging on hospital walls, and empowering newly injured patients to see beyond limiting stereotypes — and a collaborative model I’d love to see more researchers and creative professionals embrace. Dr. Leanne Rees has been a clinician for more than 20 years and is a research officer at MCRI with Prof Megan Munsie in the Stem Cell Ethics and Policy team. Her PhD explored the media portrayal of spinal cord injury, drawing on her extensive experience as a physiotherapist working with people with spinal cord injuries in rehabilitation, community, and acute care settings. Steph Hughes is a multidisciplinary creative who's worked as a professional artist and visual communicator for more than 10 years. She also works at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation as a radio producer and specialises in communicating complex topics to broad audiences. Her background spans commercial illustration, community group projects, and museum collaborations. Together, they've created an illustration that transforms Leanne's research findings into an accessible visual story - one that's been endorsed by international spinal cord injury organisations and adapted into an animation featuring the voices of people with lived experience. "It's the relationships that you build over time not to ever let go of maybe a little dream that you've had at the back of your head and it's those relationship-building opportunities that can lead you to a path of okay, now's your chance!" — Dr. Leanne Rees Whether you're sitting on research that deserves a wider audience, struggling to translate complex findings into accessible formats, or wondering how to build authentic partnerships with creative professionals, this episode offers a practical roadmap for community-centred collaboration that amplifies impact while empowering the voices at the heart of your work.

    58 min

  6. 08/25/2025

    39. Implementation Science: Dr Robyn Mildon on bridging the 17-year gap between research discovery and impact

    View the full show notes, including a summary of practical tips on the Amplifying Research website: https://www.amplifyingresearch.com/podcast/39-robyn-mildon   Imagine discovering a breakthrough that could transform lives, only to watch it sit unused for nearly two decades. Sadly, this is the stark reality that faces researchers in many fields today — for example, $200+ billion is spent annually on healthcare research, but 85% of it never results in changes to practice, and the interventions that do make it to practice often take between 15 and 17 years to do so! Dr Robyn Mildon, CEO of the Centre for Evidence and Implementation, has dedicated her career to collapsing this devastating timeline through the systematic study of what gets in the way — and what helps — when moving research from lab to field. Robyn is a global leader in implementation science who has seen firsthand both the devastating failures and remarkable successes that can occur when working to translate research into practice. A pivotal moment came early in her career when, despite training 800 practitioners in evidence-based programs for parents with intellectual disabilities, only 9% actually implemented them as intended. This experience deepened her commitment to implementation science and understanding not just what works, but how to make it work in real-world settings. "There are things that are well evidenced that aren't getting implemented. Then there's things that are well evidenced, getting implemented poorly, and then there's things that are well evidenced being ignored.” Implementation science transforms the traditional "spray and pray" method of research dissemination into a strategic, evidence-based process that ensures breakthrough research actually reaches the people who need it most. The Centre for Evidence and Implementation, which Robyn leads, operates across 18 countries and focuses on closing what implementation scientists call the "know-do gap." They're also gearing up for their 2025 Evidence and Implementation Summit in Melbourne this October, bringing together researchers, policy makers, and practitioners with the shared goal of bridging the research-practice divide.   Our conversation covers: Why the traditional "spray and pray" approach to research dissemination fails The systematic barriers that prevent evidence from reaching practice How to use stakeholder engagement and implementation planning to dramatically improve success rates Real-world case studies from healthcare, education, and social services Practical steps researchers can take today to increase their impact   Find Robyn online: Centre for Evidence and Implementation 2025 Evidence and Implementation Summit Robyn on LinkedIn

    59 min

  7. 07/28/2025

    38. Amplification Partners: Prof Megan Munsie on leveraging established networks and voices to multiply your impact

    View the full show notes, including a summary of practical tips on the Amplifying Research website: https://www.amplifyingresearch.com/podcast/38-megan-munsie  Instead of spending years building your own audience from scratch, what if you could partner with organisations and voices that already have your target community's trust and attention? Professor Megan Munsie has spent two decades mastering this approach — what she calls "amplification strategy" — to reach patients, policymakers, and the public with critical stem cell research insights. Rather than standing at lecterns delivering one-way presentations, she's learned to embed herself within the very networks her research aims to serve, from patient advocacy groups to media organizations to policy circles. Her approach transforms researchers from isolated communicators into collaborative partners within established community networks—multiplying impact while making the most of limited time and resources. Megan is a professor at the Murdoch Children's Research Institute and a renowned expert in stem cell research who has dedicated her career to exploring the ethical, legal, and social implications of the field. Her amplification approach emerged from a practical realisation: "It doesn't really make a lot of sense if I'm just going to answer individual patient inquiries. So it's much more impactful if I work with those in the community who are already talking to the people I want to reach." "It comes back to this idea of where is the best way to spend your time. What's the most impactful way to reach the audience and who can you partner with? Why would you want to start up your own YouTube channel when you could perhaps appear on something that already has a following?" — Professor Megan Munsie Over two decades, Megan has built strategic partnerships across diverse sectors—from working with spinal cord injury peer leaders to collaborating with policy officers at the Australian Academy of Science, from appearing on ABC's 7.30 to writing for The Conversation. Her methodology centers on long-term relationship building, authentic collaboration, and the crucial insight that effective communication requires being invited into communities rather than imposing yourself upon them. Whether you're overwhelmed by the thought of building your own social media following from scratch, struggling to connect with the communities your research aims to serve, or looking to multiply your impact without multiplying your workload, this episode offers a practical roadmap for finding and partnering with the voices that can amplify your message to the right people.   Our conversation covers: Understanding amplification strategies and how they differ from traditional outreach Building authentic partnerships with patient advocacy groups and community organisations Working effectively with mainstream media, policy organisations, and social media platforms The importance of humility, curiosity, and adaptation in all stakeholder relationships Practical steps for identifying and approaching potential amplification partners Why starting small and learning from colleagues is more effective than trying to "conquer the world"   Find Megan online: LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/megan-munsie-27013136 University of Melbourne — https://findanexpert.unimelb.edu.au/profile/379400-megan-munsie Murdoch Children’s Research Institute — https://www.mcri.edu.au/researcher-details/megan-munsie

    53 min

  8. 06/30/2025

    37. Crafting Your Signature Talks: Prof Phillip Dawson on developing repeatable academic presentations that build your reputation

    View the full show notes, including a summary of practical tips on the Amplifying Research website: https://www.amplifyingresearch.com/podcast/37-phillip-dawson Imagine having an exceptional talk in your back pocket that you can confidently deliver anywhere, anytime... A talk that consistently wows audiences and builds your reputation as a go-to expert in your field... A talk that might even turn into a book one day. Prof Phillip Dawson shares how developing repeatable talks can transform speaking from a last-minute scramble into a sustainable career-building practice. Phillip is the co-director of the Centre for Research in Assessment and Digital Learning at Deakin University, and he's given talks at nearly every Australian university, as well as countless institutions worldwide. What makes his approach unique is that he's developed a sustainable speaking strategy built around just 1-2 exceptional presentations that he continuously refines and reuses—a stark contrast to the academic norm of creating unique talks for every opportunity. "If you book me to give a talk, you're going to get something good. And I just don't know if I have it in me to keep on creating brand new good things," Phillip explains. "The badge of honour is quality." This approach evolved organically from Phillip's research practice. While working on a big project, his team developed a slide deck that kept getting requested at different venues. "Eventually it became part of my strategy on big projects to say to the team, Hey let's collaborate on making one really good slide deck for this thing," Phillip explains. He now maintains two signature talks — one on assessment security and AI, another on feedback literacy — each refined through dozens of presentations and evolved into career-defining assets. Whether you're struggling with speaking preparation burnout or looking to transform your occasional talks into career-defining presentations, this episode offers a practical roadmap for developing sustainable speaking practices that build your reputation while saving your sanity.   Our conversation covers: The strategic process of developing your signature talk topics How to iterate and refine presentations through low-stakes testing Balancing customisation with consistency across different audiences Structuring talks for maximum impact and audience engagement Handling difficult Q&A sessions and challenging audiences Negotiating speaking opportunities and setting boundaries The unexpected career benefits of repeatable excellence   Find Phill online: https://philldawson.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/philldawson https://experts.deakin.edu.au/14967-phillip-dawson

    1h 37m
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About

You’re listening to Amplifying Research with Chris Pahlow. After 15 years working as a professional storyteller, I’m now on a mission to help make sure that incredible research all around the world generates real impact with the help of effective engagement and communication. Find out more at https://www.amplifyingresearch.com/pod

Information

  • Creator
    Chris Pahlow
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    45
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2024 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Amplifying Research