From Research to Reach

A doctoral researcher’s experience in engaging the public through accessible research communication

Abstract

In this article, I reflect on my experience organising an international public engagement festival as a doctoral researcher specialising in interactional research, sharing my observations and insights on accessible research communication strategies. Initially immersed in producing academic outputs and assuming that engaging with potential users was not part of my role as a doctoral researcher, my experience of organising the Pint of Science festival shifted my perspective on the societal relevance of my work. Central to this reflection is the importance of fostering a cross-disciplinary, cross-level team environment that encourages diverse perspectives and collaborative decision-making. Another key takeaway from my involvement in the festival is the power of accessible communication strategies, like multimodal metaphors, in making complex research comprehensible and engaging to a non-specialist audience. This reflection also touches upon my preliminary thoughts on the need for a creative and transdisciplinary approach to research communication, where knowledge and research communication strategies are co-created with non-academic stakeholders. Ultimately, I allude to how research culture can evolve to be more inclusive and participatory, ensuring that research is communicated in a way that leads to a tangible societal impact beyond academia.