Accessibility statement

Research impact

About the Department of Health Sciences Research Impact Group (HS RIG)

The aim of the group is to provide advice and support for activities that assist in maximising the impact of all our research. Established in November 2021, the HS RIG identifies needs and makes available practical support and resources for researchers across the department. The aim is for research impact activities to become embedded as routine practice across the Department of Health Sciences.

We define research impact as the provable effects/benefits of research in the 'real world', that is outside of academia.

Research Impact Group Members

The HS RIG comprises the Department Research Impact and Knowledge Engagement Lead and Research Impact and Knowledge Exchange Coordinators from across the research groups in Health Sciences.

Role of the Research Impact Group

The HS RIG plays a key role in promoting knowledge and awareness of activities that support research impact and knowledge exchange activitites.

The Department Research Impact and Knowledge Exchange Lead works closely with the Coordinators, and liaises with the Department Research Committee, the Faculty of Science and the University's Impact Managers.

HS RIG members undertake awareness raising of research impact related activities within the research groups. They help to identify examples of best practice and where there may be training and support needs. Collectively they work on providing resources, sharing ideas and examples, and promoting best practice. Encouraging and supporting the routine practice of planning, implementing and recording research impact activities helps meet the needs of major funders like NIHR and Wellcome.

Working with research teams, the HS RIG teams help to identify case studies, identifying where there is a need for additional research to establish and evidence impact. This work plays a key part in ensuring that the requirements of future Research Excellence Framework exercises are more easily met.