"There is much to be learned from each other when it comes to our respective impact evaluation activities, and the societal impact of science conference is a perfect opportunity to share and learn from each other."
"Inspiring, insightful and impactful."
"An inclusive and inviting community of practice. A great platform to make authentic connections."
"A conference that shed light on how societal impact gives meaning to scientific development."
The need for science to tackle challenges our world faces is not a new phenomenon, but has increasingly grown on a global scale, with the world facing challenges such as economic disparity and inequality, environmental changes, societal struggles and geo-political unrest, just to name a few. Policymakers, businesses and other societal actors are often aware of the value of scientific data and knowledge to support them in overcoming challenges, but in many cases the interaction between these worlds is not structured, supported or stable enough. For the 12th time in a row, AESIS will be organising their annual conference on Societal Impact of Science, to bring together stakeholders in- and outside of the science eco-system to engage with each other on the most effective approaches for implementing effective policies, strategies, methods and tools to optimise societal impact of science and evaluate success.
In 2024, AESIS will organise their annual, international conference in Dublin, Ireland. The conference expects around 250 participants from more than 30 countries, bringing together experts such as impact officers, other research enablers, R&D evaluators, university managers, research councils, policy makers, funders, (early career) researchers and other stakeholders of impact. We aim to focus on some key topics encompassing the Irish science eco-system (relevant globally too) such as: defining and integrating impact (of science, research and innovation, talent, and more), measuring and analysing impact, translating impact into policies, creating (long-term) alliances between regional, national and international stakeholders, and focusing on several good-practices of public engagement, recognition and investment.
Ireland is going through some remarkable shifts and developments to ensure greater partnership between science and society, as well as greater strength and capacity of their research and innovation, which makes it an excellent host to bring together agents of change, catalyse these shifts to a global audience and help create an impact.
University College Dublin
UCD Village, Belfield, Dublin, D04 C1P1, Ireland
University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
Herbert Park Hotel and Park Residence
Address: Ballsbridge Terrace, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4, D04 R2T2, Ireland
Average cost per night(single, breakfast included): €245
Distance to UCD: taxi – 8 min public transport – 20 min
Book a room by contacting them at +353 (1) 667 2200 or Reservations@herbertparkhotel.ie
*Use AESIS code AESI260624 when you book to avail of the rate above for June 26- 28th (only available by phone or email bookings)
Sandymount Hotel
Address: Herbert Road, Dublin, D04 VN88, Ireland
Average cost per night (single, breakfast included): €220
Distance to UCD: taxi – 15 min public transport – 40 min
Book a room through their website or by contacting them at +353 1 6142000 or info@sandymounthotel.ie
‘Set in a peaceful park location in the city, the independent 4-star hotel in Dublin City Centre’s calm & spacious environments provide the backdrop for high quality hospitality with a welcoming, personal touch.’
*Get 10% off the room cost when you book direct.
Talbot Hotel Stillorgan
Address: Stillorgan Rd, Stillorgan, Dublin, Ireland
Average cost per night (single, breakfast included): €190 – 260
Distance to UCD: taxi – 8 min public transport – 20 min
Book a room through their website or by contacting them at +353 1 200 1800 or reservations@talbotstillorgan.com
*They currently have a spring sale with up to 15% off!
Holiday Inn Express Dublin City Centre
Address: 28-32, O'Connell Street Upper, Rotunda, Dublin 1, D01 T2X2, Ireland
Average cost per night (single, breakfast included): €255 - 270
Distance to UCD: taxi – 20 min public transport – 40 min
Book a room through their website or by contacting them at +353 0800 022 2822 or info@hiexdublincc.com
Marlin Hotel Dublin
Address: 11 Bow Ln E, St Stephen's Green, Dublin, D02 AY81, Ireland
Average cost per night (single, breakfast included): €230 - 370
Distance to UCD: taxi – 20 min public transport – 25 min
Book a room through their website or by contacting them at +353 1 5222000 or info@sandymounthotel.ie
*Signing up for their free membership on the website can guarentee the lowest rates. An early booking discount will also be applied when done at least 14 days in advance.
Radisson Blu St. Helen's Hotel
Address: Stillorgan Rd, Booterstown, Dublin, A94 V6W3, Ireland
Average cost per night (single, breakfast included): €235
Distance to UCD: taxi – 5 min public transport – 15 min
Book a room through their website or by contacting them at +353 (1) 218 6000 or info.dublin@radissonblu.com
(They have extremely limited availability from June 27th – 29th)
UCD Dormitories
We have reserved a number of rooms at the UCD dormitories (average cost €100) with limited availability. Once your registration has been completed, you can contact us for more information.
26 - 28 June 2024
The conference will be held at University College Dublin in Dublin, Ireland
This conference is organised by the AESIS Network.
Register before March 15th 2024 for a discount of € 50 on the registration price, and receive free admission to join our social programme activities during the conference. Don't miss out, register now as an early bird to receive the greatest discount and free social programme.
| Description | Price (€) |
|---|---|
| Early Bird fee (AESIS members & partner networks) | 635 |
| Early Bird fee (non-members) | 685 |
| Participation fee (AESIS members) | 695 |
| Participation fee (non-members) | 735 |
| Participation fee for participants from Lower and Middle Income Countries | 225 |
| Participation fee for Students (including PhDs) | 425 |
| One day fee | 320 |
Conference dinner on Wednesday, 26 June 2024 (€ 65)
Conference dinner on Thursday, 27 June 2024 (€ 65)
Social programme activities (TBD) on Wednesday, 26 June 2024 (Free for Early Bird participants)
Social programme activities (TBD) on Thursday, 27 June 2024 (Free for Early Bird participants)
Payment of the participation fee should happen before the conference starts. You will receive an invoice together with the confirmation. Payments have to be made in Euros and are free of all bank and other charges. Personal or company cheques are not accepted. All amounts are excluding VAT, if applicable.
If you are unable to attend the conference it is permitted to allow someone else to participate in your stead, if the name of the replacement is communicated before the start of the conference to the organisers.
Cancellation without cost is possible until 16th May 2024. If you cancel between 17th May 2024 and 7th June 2024, we will invoice €95 administration costs. Anytime on or after 8th June 2024, you owe us the full amount.
The event is subject to changes due to regulations imposed to tackle global challenges such as the coronavirus at the time of the conference, so the participants must adhere to specific regulations set if participating in-person, as well as any measures required by the event organisers.
Photographs and/or videos may be taken at the conference. By attending this event, you acknowledge and agree that your likeness maybe included in photos and videos of the event and used by AESIS/partners or press in connection with communications about the conference or other AESIS communications and promotion. If you do not agree to this usage, please send us a written notification at least 3 days before the event.
Subeh Chowdhury - Lead Project Manager
s.chowdhury@aesisnet.com
AESIS Network
Raamweg 7
2596 HL Den Haag
+31 (0)70 217 2018
info@aesisnet.com
www.aesisnet.com
Áine is the Research Impact Officer at University of Galway and leads the development and implementation of the University’s strategy to begin to embed a culture of research impact across the academic schools and research units. This includes providing guidance, training, and support on all aspects of research impact to academic and research staff. Áine also manages the impact element of the Institutional Review of Research Performance (IRRP), coordinating and supporting the development of research impact case studies. She is a member of the National Research Impact Working Group, bringing together representatives from across Ireland’s research community to share ideas, perspectives, and existing good practice around research impact. Áine is also a member of ENLIGHT RISE WP 8 – Impact Assessment & Frontiers of the Common R&I Agenda, in which the University is co-leading. ENLIGHT is a European University formed by ten comprehensive, research-intensive universities.
Áine has a B.A. Honours Bachelor’s degree from University of Galway and a Master’s in International Relations from Dublin City University. She has over 8 years of experience in higher education research support. Prior to this, she worked as Project Manager for a leading international development consultancy, Galway Development Services International, delivering sustainable solutions for economic, social, and institutional problems in developing and emerging economies.
Dr Avril Kennan serves as the CEO of Health Research Charities Ireland (HRCI), an organisation dedicated to supporting a thriving a community of more than 45 charities to engage in all aspects of health research, while also acting as their national advocate.
Under her leadership, HRCI runs the Irish Health Research Forum, bringing together all stakeholders to improve health research in Ireland. She also oversees HRCI’s management of the Joint Funding Scheme, in a partnership with the Health Research Board, which to date has funded 154 research projects aligned with the missions of HRCI’s member charities. Avril plays a leading role nationally in patient and public involvement (PPI), research impact, health data, research funding, genetics and genomics and rare diseases.
Avril’s academic background includes a PhD in genetics and subsequent years working as a molecular biologist. In previous roles in DEBRA Ireland and DEBRA International, she drove a range of patient-centric global initiatives. She’s a passionate advocate for the transformative power of research to improve lives.
Britta Wyatt joined the Oxentia consulting team in 2013. Based out of Oxford, UK, Oxentia provides consultancy services, research, and training for HEIs and other organisations that support innovation, commercialisation and knowledge exchange.
Britta heads Oxentia’s Innovation Research and Strategy service line, where she has supported institutions in the UK and around the world to design, run, and evaluate innovation programmes. Some of her recent projects include logic modelling, impact evaluation, stakeholder engagement, and entrepreneurship training. She also supports institutions to develop their SHAPE commercialisation offerings, via the Aspect Network and through Oxentia’s own SHAPE services.
Before joining Oxentia, Britta worked in the IT sector in the US, and at Ireland’s National Digital Research Centre (NDRC), an award-winning early-stage accelerator.
In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brittawyatt/
X: https://twitter.com/oxentia @Oxentia
Dr. Cameron Stockdale, an executive leader with an academic background in the fields of leadership, innovation, technology, law, and organizational behavior, brings his extensive experience to bear in guiding positive change within organizations. Drawing from a substantial background in emergency services, including over 25 years of hands-on experience, Dr. Stockdale’s research is rooted in its practical applications his work focuses on increasing efficiencies and bolstering team performance. As the CEO of the Work Wellness Institute, a non-profit research organization dedicated to conducting research and knowledge mobilization that fosters a positive workplace environment. Dr. Stockdale's goal is to make research more accessible for workplaces and employers, with a focus on workplace health, wellness and performance issues. Besides his undergrad education in Recreation Management and Paramedicine, Dr. Stockdale holds a Doctor of Education degree in Interdisciplinary Leadership from Creighton University, a Master of Laws degree in Innovation, Technology & Law from the University of Edinburgh, a Postgraduate Certificate in Organizational Behavior from Harvard University Extension School, and a Master of Arts degree in Leadership from the University of Guelph.
Dr Ciara Beausang is a Research Officer in Anaerobic Digestion with Teagasc - the Agriculture and Food Development Authority. She has a BSc in Environmental Plant Biotechnology from University College Cork and an MSc in Food Security from the University of Edinburgh. Ciara completed her PhD at University College Dublin where she examined the environmental consequences of using agricultural feedstocks for anaerobic digestion in Ireland via life cycle assessment. Ciara joined the Teagasc Animal & Grassland Research Centre at Grange Co. Meath in November 2020 as a postdoctoral researcher. The focus of her research is the sustainability of biogas production from agricultural feedstocks. She is currently developing a research programme in the area of agricultural anaerobic digestion.
Claire Donovan is Professor of Higher Education, and Associate Head (Research and Knowledge Exchange) in the School of Education, University of Greenwich, London. Prior to joining Greenwich, Claire was a Reader at Brunel University London (2010-20) and she held research and teaching positions in the Research School of Social Sciences, The Australian National University (2003-2010); Nuffield College, Oxford University (2001-03); and The Open University (1999-2001).
Professor Donovan has pioneered cross-disciplinary research on research evaluation and policy, including assessing the wider impacts of research on society, and the governance of the humanities, arts, and social sciences within science systems. In 2006, Australia's Chief Scientist appointed her Chair of the Australian Government's Technical Working Group on Research Impact, tasked with recommending the optimum methodology for assessing the wider economic, social, environmental and cultural impact of university research. She championed the use of case studies and narratives alongside robust impact indicators. The work of this group influenced the design of the 'impact' component of the UK's 2014 Research Excellence Framework.
Claire has given policy advice to government research funding agencies in Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, Ireland, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, and the USA. Claire has been an invited Visiting Fellow at several universities including: Research School of Social Sciences, The Australian National University; Centre for Research in the Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities (CRASSH), Cambridge University; Oxford University Department of Education; Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University; Department of Government, London School of Economics; Science, Technology and Society Cluster, National University of Singapore; and the Science Policy Research Unit (SPRU), University of Sussex. She was an Elected Associate Member of Nuffield College, Oxford University (2003-05), and was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society for the Arts in 2013.
David Bennett is the Policy Engagement Project Manager at University College Dublin. He is establishing a new Policy Interface to help build and strengthen connections between policymakers and the university's researchers. Through collaborative events, training sessions, exchange programmes, seminars, and other initiatives, the new function will support productive, long-term relationships between these communities. It aims to further empower researchers to actively contribute to the policymaking process, while giving policymakers greater access to high-quality evidence.
Previously, David spent five years as UCD's Research Impact Officer, developing strategies to help academics foster positive societal change through their research, and to communicate this impact to different audiences. Before that, he worked for two organisations at the intersection of research and policy in the UK – the Academy of Medical Sciences and Government Office for Science – where he drew upon scientific expertise to inform Government decision-making.
Dr. Phipps is the administrative lead for all research programs and their impacts on local and global communities at York University (Toronto, Canada). He has received honours and awards from the Canadian Association of Research Administrators, Institute for Knowledge Mobilization, International Network of Research Management Societies and the EU based Knowledge Economy Network. He received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for his work in knowledge mobilization and was named the most influential knowledge mobilizer in Canada. He sits on knowledge mobilization committees around the world and is Network Director for Research Impact Canada.
David Sweeney is Professor of Research Policy at the University of Birmingham, Deputy Chair of the Commission for Tertiary Education and Research in Wales and Chair of the Steering Group of the Pandemic Institute in Liverpool. From 2017 to 2022 he was the founding Executive Chair of Research England, the largest research funder in the UK and the agency responsible for creating and sustaining the conditions for a healthy and dynamic research and knowledge exchange system in English universities. He has been a member of the Steering Group of Coalition S since its creation as a collaboration to support open access to research publications.
After gaining First Class Honours in Statistics at the University of Aberdeen, David worked at two BBSRC research institute as a consultant statistician, and then developing mathematical models of plant growth. His work on the computational aspects of this led into broader applications of IT in education and research and he was Director of Information Services at Royal Holloway, University of London before moving into university leadership as Vice-Principal (Communications, Enterprise and Research) in 2004. In this role he was responsible for research strategy and for developing Royal Holloway’s research-led commercial and consultancy activities.
He joined the Higher Education Funding Council for England in 2008 as Director (Research, Innovation and Skills) and led the development and implementation of the first Research Excellence Framework including the new impact agenda element. At HEFCE was responsible for research policy and funding, knowledge exchange and university/business relations. David has been invited to over 20 countries to advise on open science and on research assessment and funding, particularly with respect to research impact. He is a member of the member of the AESIS Advisory Board and has contributed to many AESIS conferences.
David was awarded honorary doctorates from the University of Aberdeen in 2012 and Keele University in 2023, was Vice-Chancellor’s Fellow at the University of Newcastle, NSW in 2015 and is a Fellow of the Royal Statistical Society and the Royal Society of the Arts. He is also an Honorary Professor at the University of Manchester.
Dipti Pandya is the Chair of the European Association for Research Managers and Administrators, EARMA. Dipti has been an active EARMA member since 2016 and was previously the Chair of the EARMA Policy and Representation Committee and elected Board member since 2022. Dipti is the EARMA representative for the Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment (CoARA) and EARMA member of ERA Action 17: Empowering the Research Management Profession.
Dipti is the Head of Pre-Award Research Funding at University College Dublin, Ireland leads the pre-award and contract teams. Dipti has been involved in all aspects of the research funding lifecycle as an Erasmus alumni, EC stagiaire, funded researcher, expert evaluator, National Delegate for SSH, EU Research Infrastructures Advisory Group member, Senior Research Manager and funder as Director of the Irish Research Council. Dipti is the Co-Chair of the UCD EDI Anti-Racism and Cultural Awareness sub-group, and Board member of Léargas.
With two decades of experience dedicated to optimizing research impact, Eddy Nason is an established authority in the development, analysis, and evaluation of research systems. He has worked at Canadian provincial, national, and international levels, and across private, public, and not-for-profit sectors. He has authored numerous influential reports, tools, and frameworks to assess impact and train others in research impact assessment. These include the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences ROI on Health Research framework, the International School on Research Impact Assessment, and the impact survey precursor to the ResearchFish software. Eddy was part of a three-person expert advisory panel on evaluation, impact analysis, and data capabilities for the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Canada’s major federal health researcher which invests around $1B annually. In Ireland, Eddy evaluated the Health Research Board‘s research portfolio impacts, and assessed the impact of Health & Social Care R&D funding in Northern Ireland. Eddy has worked for research funders, research ecosystem organizations, universities, and think tanks, most recently developing Genome Canada’s approach to impact-based mission-driven research portfolios. He has consistently endeavored to refine impactful research strategies and systems to build smart learning research funding systems. He has an MPhil from Cambridge University in molecular genomics and a BSc from Edinburgh University in developmental biology.
Dr Elizabeth (Lizzie) Gadd chairs the INORMS Research Evaluation Group and is a Vice Chair of the Coalition on Advancing Research Assessment (CoARA). In 2022, she co-authored 'Harnessing the Metric Tide: Indicators, Infrastructures & Priorities for UK Research Assessment'. Lizzie is the Head of Research Culture & Assessment at Loughborough University, UK and champions the ARMA Research Evaluation SIG. She previously founded the LIS-Bibliometrics Forum and The Bibliomagician Blog and was the recipient of the 2020 INORMS Award for Excellence in Research Management and Leadership.
Professor Ellen Hazelkorn is a Joint Managing Partner, BH Associates education consultants, Professor Emeritus, Technological University Dublin, Ireland and Joint Editor, Policy Reviews in Higher Education.
Ellen has been appointed to the EU Higher Education for Smart Specialisation (HESS) Advisory Group (2022-2023), and the Committee for Strategic Advice, EURASHE – the European Association of Institutions in Higher Education (2022). She was a member of the Commission for the College of the Future (UK, 2019-2022); the Quality Board for Icelandic Higher Education (2017-2023), and the UN University Initiative on University Rankings (2023). Ellen was policy advisor to, and board member of, the Higher Education Authority (Ireland) (2011-2017), and to the Programme for Institutional Management of Higher Education, OECD (2001-2010).
She is a Member of the Advisory Board and Affiliate Faculty, Centre for International Higher Education (CIHE), Boston College, USA (2017-), and the Research Management Committee and Advisory Board of Centre for Global Higher Education (CGHE), Oxford (2015-2024).
She has worked with international organisations, universities and governments for over 20 years, including the European Commission and the EU Joint Research Council, OECD, World Bank, UNESCO, the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, U.S. Government Accountability Office.
She was Vice President, Dublin Institute of Technology (now TU Dublin) (1995-2015) – including as Vice-president, Research and Enterprise and Founding Dean of the Graduate Research School. Ellen was President of EAIR (European Society for Higher Education), 2013-2016.
Ellen was awarded a BA and PhD from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and the University of Kent, UK, respectively.
Of relevance here, Ellen has, inter alia, led and/or provided expert advice: Review of Academic Integrity Policies and Practices (Croatia, World Bank, 2024 forthcoming); Expert Panel on Further Education and Training (FET/TVET) Practitioners (Department of Further & Higher Education, Research, Innovation & Science, Ireland, 2024); Mid-Term Review of the Further Education and Training Strategy, Ireland (2023-2024); Progressing a Unified Tertiary System for Learning, Skills and Knowledge (Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (DFHERIS) (Ireland, 2021-24); UNESCO Lead, Develop 5-year Higher Education Policy and Action Plan for Lebanon (Ministry of Education & Higher Education/UNESCO, 2021); UNESCO Lead, Review and Enhancement of the Accreditation System of St Kitts-Nevis (Ministry of Education and UNESCO, 2021-2023); UNESCO Lead/Coordinator, phase 1, UNESCO project to develop higher technical education in six African countries (2021-2025); Academic Lead, Develop New Model for Higher Education Financing (World Bank, Georgia, 2021); Design Research Evaluation and Performance Framework for the Dublin Institute of Advanced Studies (DIAS) (Ireland, 2018-2019); Strategic Review of Options for a Future National Approach to Journal Subscriptions and Open Access (Higher Education Authority, Ireland, 2018-2019); Expert Consultant, Review Post-Compulsory Education in Wales (Department for Education and Skills, Welsh Government, 2015-2016); Chairperson, International Panel, Review of Finnish Higher Education System (Ministry of Education and Culture, Finland, 2015); Evaluation of UAE Rankings System (UAE Ministry of Education, 2015); Review of Dutch Higher Education (Ministry of Education, 2010); OECD Reviews of Victoria, Australia (2009), Catalonia, Spain (2010) and Wroclaw, Poland (2012).
As a consultant to the OECD, Ellen initiated and led two projects: 1) Processes and Strategies for Growing Research at New and Emerging HEIs leading to the publication of Developing Research in New Institutions (OECD, 2005). 2) League Tables and Ranking Systems: Assessing Their Influence on Institutional Decision-Making and Government Policymaking.
Regarding university rankings, Ellen has published: Research Handbook on University Rankings: History, Methodology, Influence and Impact (Edward Elgar Publishing 2021); Research Handbook on Quality, Performance and Accountability in Higher Education (Edward Elgar 2018); Global Rankings and the Geopolitics of Higher Education (Routledge 2016); Rankings and the Reshaping of Higher Education: The Battle for World-Class Excellence, 2nd ed. (Palgrave, 2015; trans into Japanese 2018).
Ellen was Chairperson/Lead Author, Science for Responsible Citizenship, EU Expert Group on Science Education (2014) and Rapporteur/Lead Author, Assessing Europe’s University-based Research, EU Expert Group on Assessing University-Based Research (2009).
Ellen has published almost 200 peer-reviewed articles, book chapters, short articles and blogs, commentaries, and policy papers. Further information is available at: www.bhassociates.eu
Dr Emma Dorris is the Engaged Research Manager at UCD Research. She has a PhD in molecular medicine and a Master of Public Policy. She also acts as programme manager for the PPI Ignite Network @ UCD. She has a background in biomedical research and is an internationally recognised specialist in the involvement of public stakeholders in research that is not public-facing. She is a member of the European Commission’s Community of Practice on Citizen Engagement for Knowledge Valorisation and acts as an external advisor on a number of international funding and research improvement initiatives. Emma has authored a number of articles in the area of public involvement and has a passion for improving research culture across all disciplines. She has a particular interest in policy and practices related to public/citizen involvement in research and in developing ways to build capacity at systems level towards more relevant and impactful research. She is a long-term advocate of open science practices and improved research culture.
Erika Lilja is a professional in research management and research, committed to advancing knowledge and fostering societal impact. Presently, Lilja serves as a Senior Science Advisor at the Research Council of Finland. In this role, she oversees the execution of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (EU's Recovery and Resilience Facility, RRF) facilitating collaboration among diverse stakeholders both domestically and internationally. The Sustainable Growth Programme for Finland (RRP) will support growth that is ecologically, socially and economically sustainable in line with the aims of the Government Programme. Previously, she held a managerial position at the INVEST Research Flagship, where she played a pivotal role in enhancing and developing research impact support and evaluation mechanisms. Lilja also managed and led a work package focusing on stakeholder interactions and research impact for the FLUX Consortium. Additionally, she has engaged in evaluating strategic research funding instrument and assessing the impact of strategic research in Finland and conducts academic research focusing on the implementation of open science policies.
Esther De Smet is Senior Policy Advisor at the Research Department of Ghent University (Belgium). Her work focusses around three closely linked areas: societal impact of research (developing and implementing institutional strategy), knowledge management (functional analysis for the research management system GISMO), and research communication (advice and workshops on communication strategy, curator of @ResearchUGent). She is deeply committed to creating a stimulating and nurturing research culture at her university and making sure its research has a real world impact.
Euan Adie is the CEO of overton.io and previously of Altmetric, the alternative metrics company. Originally an academic researcher, his interest and experience is in bibliometrics and altmetrics, especially in relation to research impact and to science communication. His focus at overton.io is on measuring and evidencing the impact of research and researchers on government policy, and on exploring what this evidence tells us about our models of academic policy engagement.
Dr Fergus McAuliffe is an award-winning science communicator and holds a PhD in Environmental Science. He is the Communications and Public Engagement Manager at iCRAG – the Science Foundation Ireland Research Centre in Applied Geosciences based at University College Dublin, Ireland where his science communication activities include working with artists, teachers, and the media.
Fergus is currently a TV presenter on "10 Things to Know About" on RTE1 TV where he presents science stories focussing on the unexpected and uncanny aspects of science, the natural world and the environment. Fergus was the 2013 winner of FameLab International, the world's largest science communication competition and has been previously selected by Pirelli Inc. as one of the Top 10 Global Young Talents and has also been shortlisted for The Guardian science writing prize. Fergus is a contributor to the science radio show Futureproof on Newstalk FM, on the board of SCI:COM and has delivered keynote presentations on storytelling in science across Europe, the US and at the TEDx Dublin conference.
Frank Zwetsloot is the founder and CEO of ScienceWorks, an intermediary which creates connections between science and market parties. In the past twenty years he founded more than ten organisations to structure the exchange of scientific knowledge, including the European leading organisation on knowledge transfer, ASTP and the network of regional innovation systems, Technopolicy. In 2015 he founded the Network for Advancing and Evaluating Societal Impact of Science (AESIS) and in 2021, the STEPPS society on evidence-based policy. He also created co-innovation Programs between regions such as Shanghai Pudong and the Province of South Holland. At ScienceWorks he created a measurement system for ranking the Dutch universities on societal impact (together with Elsevier Magazine). Furthermore, Frank has published a historical novel about the origins of christianity. He has a degree in both history and law from Leiden University. Since a few years, Frank fully works as a consultant on connecting science and society.
Franziska Guenther is a Consultant at Oxentia and works with companies around the world to support technology commercialisation. She has particular interest in medical, life sciences and pharmaceutical sectors, along with their associated regulatory frameworks.
She is the Lead of the Research sector of Oxentia Foundation, where she is conducting comprehensive research aimed at understanding of how foundations effectively fulfil their mission. Her research focuses on impact measurement, operational best practices, and fostering strong relationships to optimise program delivery and outcomes.
Her academic background includes a PhD in Neurophysiology and subsequent years working as a Neuroscientist at the University of Oxford, where she joined a highly collaborative drug discovery project alongside pharmaceutical industry partners.
She participated in course modules in the ‘Strategy and Innovation’ elective at Said Business School to access key innovation and business concepts. It focuses on the interface of nascent markets, organisational capabilities for innovation, and strategic management of emerging technologies.
Dr. Giovanna Lima delivers strategic approaches to fostering societal impact in research, education, and engagement at multiple institutional levels at Erasmus University Rotterdam (Netherlands). Prior to this, she served as Trinity College Dublin’s first Research Impact Officer with the Trinity Long Room Hub Arts and Humanities Research Institute, developing the Researcher Impact Framework, which has been translated into French, Portuguese and Spanish.
Hannah Schoch is the Secretary of the European Council of Doctoral Candidates and Junior Researchers (Eurodoc) and has contributed to the Council's policy and advocacy work on a wide array of topics including academic freedom. Furthermore, she is co-president of Actionuni, the national midlevel academic staff association in Switzerland, and in that capacity has co-authored a number of political responses and policy inputs. She is completing her PhD in American Studies in Switzerland and Germany, with her research focusing on the intersection between aesthetics, culture, and democracy. She works for the non-profit organisation Reatch! Research. Think. Change. in Switzerland as project manager for the Franxini Project and in that capacity facilitates interactions and knowledge exchange between science, politics, and society. Specifically, the Franxini Project for one provides researchers with practical knowledge on the Swiss political system and offers coaching so that scientists can effectively work together with politicians. For another, the Franxini-Project offers innovative formats and collaborative methods to strengthen the important dialogue between research and politics always with the aim to improve the basis for decision-making and develop solutions.
Igor Campillo is the executive director of Euskampus Fundazioa, and, for the last three years, have led the Impact Task Force of the European University Network to promote equitable quality of life, sustainability and global engagement through Higher education ransformation, ENLIGHT. He is currently leading the activation of ENLIGHT Thematic Networks to empower academics fostering joint research with societal impact.
Igor Campillo has a PhD in Physics from the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), and a Master in Journalism and Science Communication from the Spanish Open University. He worked as assistant professor in the Faculty of Science and Technology of the UPV / EHU, as international projects manager in Gamesa Energy, as researcher and project manager at LABEIN-Tecnalia, as projects and outreach manager in the Nanoscience Cooperative Research Center - nanoGUNE, as manager of the nanoBasque Strategy in the Basque Business Development Agency - SPRI, and as director of the Technological Institute of the University of Deusto - DeustoTech.
Igor Campillo is co-author of more than 70 international scientific publications indexed in the Web of Knowledge and co-author of 3 patents extended to several countries (Europe, USA and China). He has been recently acknowledged as one of the Spanning Boundaries Champions for university-industry-society cooperation by the UIIN.
Dr Jack Spaapen is an independent expert on research and innovation policy, in particular regarding questions about the impact of research on society’s urgent questions. Since 2021 he partners with ScienceWorks on impact questions. Previously, he was senior policy advisor at the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences. His main focus is on the impact of arts, humanities and social sciences, but also on the interaction of these fields with other disciplines. He co-designed the national evaluation protocol in the Netherlands (SEP), and the assessment framework for the humanities research in the Netherlands (QRiH). He was and is (co)leading many European projects. He (co)chaired the FP7 SIAMPI project, coining the concept of “productive interactions” between science and society (2009-2011), the EC expert group on Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI, 2014/15), the OECD expert group on Scientific Advice for Policy Making (2015), the ENRESSH project focusing on evaluation of social sciences and humanities (2017-..), and SHAPE ID on inter- and transdisciplinarity (2019-2022).
Jaime Gómez-Ramírez is a Policy Adviser at the European Research Council and previously he worked as a Scientific Project Officer at the European Commission's Joint Research Centre.
He holds a Ph.D. from the Technical University of Madrid and completed his postdoctoral training in Japan at the Biomedical Engineering Laboratory, Okayama University, the USA at the Centre for Sleep and Consciousness, University of Wisconsin-Madison and Canada at The SickKids Hospital, Department of Neuroscience, University of Toronto.
He has been professor at Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Universidad Pontificia de Comillas and Visiting Professor at the University of Turin. His research is focused on multi-scale mathematical modelling of complex systems, specifically brain network dynamics.
Jaime has extensive experience as a researcher, academic, consultant in the private sector, and in his current position as Policy Adviser at ERCEA of the European Commission, thus completing a particularly rich experience that combines project management, research, teaching, and supporting the European Commission’s evidence-based policy-making activities.
Jessica Meijer is Head of the Innovation and Business Development team of the Knowledge Transfer Office of Leiden University, The Netherlands. She has a strong scientific background and broad experience in different areas of STEM and SSHA in both the corporate and academic sectors. For more than a decade she has managed diverse projects in public-private partnerships and has extensive experience in collaborations with university, industry, governmental and non-governmental organizations. In her present role she translates research into impact and connects researchers with society. She also acts as advisor, evaluator and speaker for national and international knowledge transfer activities.
Jessica has a Master’s in Community Health and Epidemiology and a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree. She has performed lab research, field research with wolves and seals, and sociology research.
Dr Julie Bayley is Director of Research Impact Development at the University of Lincoln, leading the development and delivery of impact within the institution. She is also Director of the Lincoln Impact Literacy Institute (LILI), collaborating nationally and internationally on initiatives to develop healthy and inclusive impact practices across the research environment. Julie undertakes extensive consultancy and commissioned research across the sector, and in 2022 Julie won the Advancing Research Impact in Society (ARIS) ‘Impact Innovations’ award for her work to drive impact literacy. Julie’s book ‘Creating Meaningful Impact: The Essential Guide to Developing an Impact-Literate Mindset’ was published in April 2023.
Alongside her impact role, Julie is a Chartered HCPC Registered Health Psychologist with a PhD in Health Psychology and Impact, and undertakes a range of research in health, impact, implementation science and patient-centred outcomes. She is an Honorary Clinical Associate Professor in the Institute of Care Excellence, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, and previously Director of Qualifications for the Association of Research Managers and Administrators (ARMA).
Outside of her professional life, Julie is a patient advocate for vascular health and was a dementia carer for many years.
You can find Julie on Twitter (@JulieEBayley) or visit her blog (juliebayleyblog.wordpress.com)
Kamran R. Kardan, founder and CEO of Knowledge E, holds a BSc in Engineering, an MSc in Marketing, and an MBA from the University of Manchester. With 20+ years of experience in the publishing industry, he has worked with top consortia, libraries, ministries, hospitals, research centres, and education institutions. Kamran has also launched Zendy.io, an AI-powered digital library that serves the global research community by removing barriers to scholarly content and research. Kamran's lifelong interest in community development materialised further with the launch of the Knowledge E Foundation which supports education and research, especially in developing nations.
Kate leads the university research and innovation for societal impact agenda on behalf of Irish University Association members. Kate’s role is dedicated to advocating for systemic change to better connect research, innovation process and funding to address critical societal challenges, deliver impact, with and for society.
Kate has over 20 years’ experience working with students, academic staff, policy officials, industry, and civic society organisations - informing higher education policy, funding measures, practice and building capacity.
Kate also works in multiple advisory roles, including the European Research Council supporting their Public Engagement agenda; Global Talloires Network of Engaged Universities Steering Group; Italian Network for Public Engagement of Research Scientific Advisory Council, and the Public Patient Involvement (PPI) Steering Committee for the Health Research Board, Irish Research Council.
Professor Kate Robson Brown was appointed as Vice-President for Research, Innovation and Impact at UCD Dublin on 1st March 2024.
Before her tenure at UCD, Professor Robson Brown began her career at the University of Cambridge, where she received her PhD in Human Phylogenetics at Newnham College, and then held a Research Fellowship at Downing College. Her research explores the microstructure of living tissues and their response to changing and extreme environments; human factors; forensics; biomimetics in engineering design, and multi-scale modelling of complex material structures and systems. Moving to the University of Bristol, Kate held a fractional appointment across two Faculties (Science and Engineering / Arts Social Sciences and Law) as a Professor of Engineering Mathematics and Biological Anthropology. She was the Director of the Jean Golding Institute for Data Science and AI from 2017-2014. In 2017, she was also awarded a Fellowship from the Alan Turing Institute (the UK National Institute for Data Science and AI) and later was formally seconded to the Turing Institute as the Chair of their Research and Innovation Advisory Committee. She was honoured with an Honorary Fellowship in 2024 for her extensive contributions.
Professor Robson Brown was the University of Bristol lead in the West of England Space Cluster ‘SpaceWest’ and a Lay Chair for NHS Postgraduate Medical Education South West (Severn Deanery). She retains her status as a Visiting Professor in Data Science at Strathmore University in Nairobi and as an advisor to the ESA Human and Robotic Exploration Directorate. Kate is co-chair of the Space Academic Network, a Board member of the UK Life and Biomedical Sciences Association, and a member of the Space Partnership Board.
Kathryn is the Executive Director of the Impact Action Lab at Alberta Innovates, the province’s largest Research and Innovation agency. She has over 25 years of experience in implementing strategic impact, performance management and continuous quality improvement systems across multiple organizations and sectors. Kathryn is a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences (CAHS), and she advises organizations on how to optimize their performance by designing and incorporating impact processes both strategically and operationally. Kathryn’s passion for teaching and training the next generation of impact professionals is demonstrated by co-founding of the International School on Research Impact Assessment and teaching on incorporating societal impact into organizations. She also holds adjunct professorship appointments at the University of Calgary and University of Alberta. Kathryn is an organizational psychologist and received her Ph.D. in Applied Psychology with a specialization in Human Factors from the University of Cranfield (UK). Recently, in 2022, Kathryn received the Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee Medal (Alberta) in recognition of her contributions to advancing the science and practice of research and innovation impact for the province. In 2023, she was a co-recipient of an International Startup Ecosystem Star Award for recognizing best practice organizations that build local innovation ecosystems. She is a bridge builder and brings international experience and innovative practices to bear when amplifying and activating positive impact for people’s lives.
Liam Cleere joined University College Dublin (UCD) in 2005 and works as a Senior Manager in UCD Research & Innovation. He leads the Research Analytics and Impact team. This team helps to develop research impact and public engagement, promote the research reputation of the university and inform research strategy through the use of advanced analytics.
He has over 18 years of experience in research systems, strategic planning and business intelligence. In addition, Liam has over 10 years management consulting and project management experience in Ireland and overseas. Prior to UCD, he worked at Deloitte, Accenture, Rolls-Royce & Bentley motorcars. He graduated with first class honours in both his primary degree in Mechanical Engineering and in his postgraduate Master of Business Administration (MBA).
Luciana Lolich, originally from the Patagonian region of Argentina, received her doctorate from University College Dublin. Since then, has continued to develop, through teaching and research, her core interest of studying complex societal challenges at the intersection of public policy and markets. Luciana has an interdisciplinary background combining business and social sciences. Luciana has worked as a university lecturer, researcher and is currently the Research Impact Officer in the School of Nursing and Midwifery at Trinity College Dublin. Luciana is interested in studying the impact of research in the real world, increasing impact literacy, and fostering a culture of research impact.
Margo Strijbosch is director Erasmus Research Services (ERS) at Erasmus University Rotterdam. ERS is the university’s service department that facilitates research and engagement by connecting the wealth of knowledge of the university to societal partners.
Margo has studied Biomedicine at Leiden University Medical Center and after that has been working for several years at the Ministry of Economic Affairs on research and innovation policies, amongst other on European Research and Innovation affairs and Horizon 2020. In 2012 she joined the impact and innovation Center of Delft University of Technolology where she has been active at the intersection of policy development, business development, grant support and public affairs. In 2019, she joined Erasmus University where she set up Erasmus Research Services - a total new research and engagement support department (50 employees) with fields of expertise in the areas of open & responsible science, grants, knowledge transfer and business development.
Mark Mann is the Managing Director of two companies providing strategic innovation services across Europe. His services include training, innovation policy development, strategic planning and implementation and impact management with a focus on applied projects, particularly in social innovation and arts, humanities and social sciences commercialisation. He is also a Director of Divine Ox, an impact measurement company focused on two strands SMEs in supply chains and ecosystem measurement. He gained extensive experience as the lead for social venture creation and Humanities and Social Sciences Commercialisation at the University of Oxford’s Technology Transfer Office (TTO), Oxford University Innovation Ltd (OUI) and the BBC before that. His clients have included the universities of Kent, Bristol, Cardiff, Leicester, Lancaster, UCL, Pantheon Sorbonne and Charles University in Prague. He has also worked with Ploughshare, Oxentia and the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland where projects have ranged from training academics and knowledge exchange professionals to designing new IP policies and strategic programmes.
Mary-Jane Bopape is the Managing Director of the South African Environmental Observation Network (SAEON), a business unit of the National Research Foundation (NRF). She holds a PhD degree in meteorology from the University of Pretoria, and also held a position as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Reading. She worked at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and South African Weather Service (SAWS) on weather and climate studies. She co-supervises postgraduate students at the Universities of Pretoria, Witwatersrand, Limpopo, Cape Town and North West. She is one of twenty one 2019 Climate Research for Development (CR4D) fellowship grantees and a 2021 AIMS Women Fellow in Climate Change Science. She was recognised by the President of South Africa as a pathfinder in 9 August 2019 speech on women’s day. She is a co-recipient of the 2008 World Meteorological Organization (WMO) award for young researchers. She served as the vice and co-President of the South African Society for Atmospheric Sciences (SASAS) during the 2018-2020 term. She was listed as one of the most influential Africans of 2021 by the New African magazine and was honoured as a scientist by the Ghana based Humanitarian Awards Global.
Michael Golden has a range of experience in communications and educational programs within the non-profit and university sectors, in both Australia and Ireland. He was responsible for leading a European education project in 2023, funded by EIT-Manufacturing, in the area of 3D printing. He has also been involved in several other education projects and partnerships within Ireland, which have a strong focus on capacity building of educators, and development of pedagogical resources. Michael also brings previous experience from Australia in delivering STEM education programs for high school students and working in higher education communications teams. Michael also holds a postgraduate qualification in science communication.
Van Meeteren earned his PhD as a Neuroscientist from the Rudolf Magnus Institute for Neurosciences of the Utrecht University in 1994. Then, after 18 years of innovation and scientific validation of prevention, care and cure concepts and educational MSc‐models out of the University Medical Centre Utrecht, in 2008 he became Director of Innovation “Healthy for Live” at TNO, with board memberships of amongst others the National Platform Sports and Physical Activity, Body@Work, the Center for Care Technology Research, etcetera. Van Meeteren was also Professor at Maastricht University. At present, from 2015 on, he fulfills his main role as Executive Director and Secretary General of the Top Sector Life Sciences & Health (LSH), known under the name Health~Holland. Furthermore, Van Meeteren is Professor of Perioperative Health at Erasmus Medical Center. From out of both these appointments he holds several governance positions, like in that of the national societal theme “Health and Care” of the Mission driven policy of the Ditch Cabinet, Health Research Infrastructure, Regenerative Medicine Cross Borders, Medical Delta, Fit for surgery, etcetera.
Pascale Ropars is the Knowledge Mobilization Officer at Université Laval in Québec City, Canada. She coordinates the outreach and knowledge integration efforts stemming from research projects funded by ULaval’s largest interdisciplinary strategy, Sentinel North. In collaboration with researchers and the administrative centre, she supports knowledge mobilization initiatives across various research teams, leads the drafting of integrative summaries, and ensures the maximization of research results' impact among knowledge users. Additionally, she is an active member of the Research Impact and Outreach working group stemming from the Office of the Vice-Rector Research and Innovation. This group is tasked with developing tools, programs, and solutions to assess and enhance the societal impact of research conducted by the entire Université Laval community, as well as to increase its visibility.
Professor Rémi Quirion is the inaugural Chief Scientist of Quebec since July 2011 (reappointed twice by different governments; longest serving Chief Scientist in the world). Elected President of the International Network for Government Science Advice (INGSA) in 2021 (over 6,000 members from 130 countries). McGill Full Professor in Psychiatry since the 1980s and Scientific Director at the Douglas Mental Health University Institute from 1995-2011. He also served as Vice-Dean, Faculty of Medicine at McGill University, as well as Senior University Advisor (Health Sciences Research) to the Principal. Prof Quirion was the inaugural Scientific Director of the Institute of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction (INMHA; 2001-2009). As Chief Scientist, he chairs the Board of Directors of the three Fonds de recherche du Québec. In 2020, the Quebec government asked him to chair a major committee on the future of universities with recommendations currently being implemented. Also directly involved in multiple government strategies focusing on science & innovation as well as the sustainable development goals of the UN.
He has served on multiple national & international boards. During in active career as scientist, he trained over 80 scientists from all over the world; served on editorial boards of more than 15 international journals in Psychiatry, Neuroscience & Pharmacology; and published 5 books & over 750 publications cited over 50,000 times.
He received many awards and recognitions including the Order of Canada (OC); l’Ordre National du Québec (CQ); la Médaille de l’Assemblée nationale du Québec; le Prix Wilder Penfield du Québec; Chevalier de l’Ordre de la Pléiade ; Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada; Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences; Membre de l’Académie de Médecine de France; Membre de l’Ordre des Palmes Académiques de France; Membre du Conseil International des Sciences; Membre du Temple de la Renommée Médicale du Canada & few honorary doctorates.
Renira Narrandes, MA, MSc(OT), MPH is the Knowledge Translation Program Manager at the Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), Canada’s most research-intensive hospital and the largest centre dedicated to improving children’s health in the country. In her role, Renira teaches knowledge translation (KT) courses and provides hospital-wide KT consultation to clinicians, researchers, and educators.
Prior to joining SickKids, Renira was a KT Specialist at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), where she coordinated the KT program at two research centers and developed organization-level KT and evaluation strategies.
Renira holds three master’s degrees in journalism, occupational therapy, and public health.
She is also a storyteller and spoken word artist who has performed in North America, Europe, on TV, in podcasts, and at academic conferences and events. Renira runs storytelling workshops for people and organizations specialized in health, science, and KT. She has licensed these workshops to SickKids and is excited to share an abbreviated version with you at the AESIS conference!
If you’ve come to the end and are wondering what KT is, check out Renira’s spoken word poem.
Rick Delbridge is Professor of Organizational Analysis and co-convenor of the Centre for Innovation Policy Research at Cardiff University. He was formerly the University Dean of Research, Innovation & Enterprise during which time he led the development of SPARK, the world’s first social science park, which opened in March 2022. He is currently the university lead for the Cardiff Capital Region Challenge Fund, an initiative using challenge-led innovation to tackle societal challenges and create business opportunities for innovators. His main areas of research expertise are innovation, organization, employment relations, and Japanese management and he has published widely on these. Rick is Special Advisor for Research and Innovation to the President of the Learned Society of Wales and a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences, the British Academy of Management and the Learned Society of Wales.
Ms Rose Msiza - Director: Research Support Unit in the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI). She is responsible for policy development and funding of programmes aimed at the development of high-level skills in the areas of Science, Engineering and Technology, including Social Sciences and Humanities. This responsibility entails oversight responsibility over human capital development initiatives, and the implementing agency – the National Research Foundation (NRF). Some of the flagship human capital development initiatives she oversees include the South African Research Chairs Initiative (SARChI), the Centres of Excellence (CoEs) and the National Institutes for Research Development and Innovation (NIRDIs) - implemented by the NRF, the Internship Programme - implemented by the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC), as well as the National Policy Data Observatory (NPDO) hosted by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). Prior joining the DSI, she was working for the NRF, held different positions, supporting the implementation of country-to-country bi- and multi-lateral agreements, mobility grants, research infrastructure, and research capacity development programmes.
Ross Laurence is the Strategic Support Leader at Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research - a New Zealand Crown (government owned) Research Institute focused on biodiversity, biosecurity, sustainable land management and climate change. His role spans science strategy, investment, impact planning, evaluation and reporting. Ross’s interests include enabling researchers to better utilise impact pathways, systemic level barriers and opportunities to increase impact from science, enhancing organisational capability and systems, the societal value of biological collections and databases, and indigenous perspectives and how they can help increase impact. He is Chair of the Impact Planning and Evaluation Network (iPEN - Home) – a collective of New Zealand’s seven Crown Research Institutes who co-develop and deliver impact training and resources for researchers and carry out research on impact delivery. iPEN also works closely with government science system policy leaders and funders to enhance impact. Prior to 2014, Ross was employed by New Zealand’s Department of Conservation, which included leading work on the societal value of conservation. Ross’s academic grounding is in economics and ecology.
Dr Sarah-Anne Buckley, Associate Professor in History, University of Galway
Sarah-Anne grew up in Cobh, Co. Cork and received her PhD from University College Cork in 2010. A social historian of modern Ireland, she is an internationally recognised expert in the history of child welfare and gender history in Ireland. Current chair of the Irish History Students’ Association (IHSA) and past President of the Women’s History Association of Ireland (WHAI), she has authored/co-authored/edited eleven books and over twenty peer-reviewed articles/chapters. In 2020, Old Irelandin Colour, which she co-authored with Professor John Breslin, won the Journal.ie Best Irish-Published Book of the Year Award. Co-PI with Dr John Cunningham of the Tuam Oral History Project (TOHP), her projects have been widely cited in the media in recent years including articles in CNN and contributions to BBC Women’s Hour. In 2023, she was awarded an ENLIGHT Societal Impact Award representing the TOHP team and is currently an ENLIGHT Impact Ambassador for 2023/24.
Sean Newell is the Senior Director of Strategic Business Development at Elsevier, where he focuses on the broader subject of research impact, working with funders and institutions globally. Prior to joining Elsevier, he was the CEO of Researchfish, the research tracking platform, which is used by more than 100,000 Principal Investigators worldwide and tracks over 4 million research outputs. With an international career that has taken him to the UK, USA, Australia, Hong Kong, Ireland, and Denmark, Sean has managed business operations for a variety of organizations.
He joined Researchfish in 2015 and grew the business from start-up phase through to acquisition by Interfolio in 2019. At Interfolio Sean was part of the executive team that sold the business to Elsevier in 2022. Sean has established strong links with research funders, research organizations, and institutions around the world to help them track and understand the impact of their research. He is also the author of the book “Research Impact: The Interconnectivity of Stuff.”
Dr Sanjeev Kumar Varshney is a Delhi based Science facilitator and promoter. He has more than 33 years of experience promoting research and connecting scientific groups across the nations. He writes and delivers talk on Importance of Research, Research Funding, Subject of contemporary scientific interests, gender equality in science and engineering and international scientific cooperation.
He is a Member of Academic Council of HS Gaur Sagar Central University, Sagar; Research Council Member for JSS Academy of Higher Education, Mysore and Manipal University, Jaipur.
He was Head of the International Scientific Cooperation in the Ministry / Department of Science & Technology, Government of India till January,2024. He joined DST in the year 1990 and had facilitated international scientific cooperation from the Department of Science & Technology with its bilateral, multilateral, and regional scientific partners.
From 2017 till January 2024, he was the Indian Co-Chair, Governing Body of the bi-national Indo-German Science & Technology Centre (IGSTC) and the binational U.S-India Science and Technology Endowment Fund (USISTEF); both promoting joint Industrial R&D, Board of Director of a private limited company, Global Innovation & Technology Alliance (GITA) and was Member, Governing Council of the International Advanced Research Centre of Powder Metallurgy (ARCI) a R&D lab of DST, Govt of India. He was the Indian Focal Point for BRICS Working Group on Science & Technology and OECD Committee on Science & Technology Policy.
He was also the Governing Board member of the US-Indian Education Foundation (USIEF) during 2018-2022 and the Member, Board of Research Studies in Department of Geology, Aligarh Muslim University during 2018-2020. He was Plenipotentiary Representative of India to the International Centre for Science & Technology Information (ICSTI), Moscow during 2012-2023.
He has worked as Counsellor (S&T) with Embassy of India in Moscow to facilitate bilateral scientific cooperation between India and Russia during April 2008 - June 2011. He has been actively contributing to promotion of international scientific cooperation as well as scientific – industrial cooperation.
He completed Master in Geology in 1984 from Aligarh Muslim University with University Medal for obtaining first position. He qualified UGC NET in 1985 for Junior Research Fellowship and lectureship. He pursued research at University of Delhi during 1985-1990 on Himalayan river systems, sedimentation, diagenetic and tectonic modifications. He was also awarded Dr DN Wadia Research Fellowship in 1986 for his research on Himalayan Geology. He has been conferred Doctor of Science (DSc) (Honorary Causa) by Amity University, Rajasthan.
He is Life Fellow of Geological Society of India, Bangalore; Nepal Geological Society, Kathmandu and member of International Association of Sedimentologists, Oxford. He also has numerous certifications to his credit. He also taught at Kurukshetra University in 1990.
He has written several articles on Science Policies focusing on International Scientific cooperation. He is also involved in science popularization for which he writes regularly in newspapers, magazines and journals (online/offline).
Tadhg Caffrey is the interim Head of Impact at University College London. Tadhg has worked in engagement spaces for over a decade, including as the impact manager for the Bartlett Faculty of the Built Environment, and as the engagement lead at St George’s, University of London.
Across these roles Tadhg has a particular focus on reflective partnership work and how collaboration can create positive change. He helped to establish the UCL Centre for Coproduction in Health Research, and has led on projects that combine artistic performance and engagement methodologies. Tadhg has extensive experience of the UK Research Excellence Framework, and has published on impact as a driver for more diverse and inclusive research environments. His recent publication, ‘the Bartlett Manual of Impact’ provides a series of provocations and challenges to the sector, creating moments of reflection to encourage thoughtful and meaningful partnership work within and outside Higher Education.
Wilfred Mijnhardt holds the position of Policy Director General at Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University (RSM). He serves as an Honorary Professor at Edinburgh Business School, Heriot-Watt University (EBS-HWU). With an extensive career spanning over 25 years, Mr. Mijnhardt has garnered substantial experience in the field of institutional development. His professional journey is driven by a profound passion for universities, business schools, responsible research and education, excellence, and impact. In his current role at RSM, Mr. Mijnhardt dedicates his efforts toward spearheading the strategic transformation of business schools and universities, fostering an impact-driven mindset within these institutions. In his current role, his energy is focused on the strategic transformation of business schools and universities towards an impact-driven mindset. On an international scale, Mr. Mijnhardt actively contributes his expertise to various esteemed networks, including AACSB, EFMD, RRBM, UNPRME, CABS, and EUA. His involvement in these organizations underscores his commitment to advancing the business education sector and promoting best practices across diverse institutional settings.
Dr. Yuko Harayama is a member of the Board of Directors of Torey. Until October 2023, she was the co-chair of the Board of Directors of the Japanese Association for the Advancement of Science (JAAS), a Japanese non-profit organization established in 2022. Prior to joining JAAS, she was RIKEN’s Executive Director for international affairs, served in the Cabinet Office of Japan as an Executive Member of the Council for Science, Technology and Innovation (CSTI), and at the OECD as Deputy Director of the Directorate for Science, Technology and Industry. Dr. Harayama was Professor at the Graduate School of Engineering of Tohoku University for 10 years.
She is a Legion d’Honneur recipient (Chevalier) and was awarded honorary doctorate from the University of Neuchâtel. She is an International Fellow of the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences and a Foundation Fellow of the International Science Council. She holds a Ph.D. in Education Sciences and a Ph.D. in Economics both from the University of Geneva.
AESIS Network
Raamweg 7
2596 HL The Hague
The Netherlands
.png)
.jpg)
.jpg)
