Amplifying Research

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

36. Practical Impact Planning and Evaluation: Dr Sarah Morton on contribution vs attribution and the Matter of Focus approach

View the full show notes, including a summary of practical tips on the Amplifying Research website: https://www.amplifyingresearch.com/podcast/36-sarah-morton
How can we move beyond hoping for impact to systematically creating it? What tools can we use to plan for the impact we want to see in the world, evaluate whether it's happening, and tell compelling stories about the change we're contributing to? Dr Sarah Morton takes us through the Matter of Focus framework and software designed to do just that.
(We’re releasing this ep a little early, between our usual monthly drops, to coincide with the ARMA UK conference. If you’re in Edinburgh, drop by the conference to say hi to Sarah and give OutNav a try in person! We’ll be back to our regular release schedule on July 1st with a new episode featuring returning fan-favourite guest Prof Phillip Dawson — all about his approach to crafting killer academic talks.)
Sarah spent 16 years working in knowledge exchange at the University of Edinburgh before co-founding Matter of Focus. Her team's approach to impact planning and evaluation stands out for its focus on using plain language and breaking things down in ways that are really easy to understand, and they’ve developed the software tool OutNav to help make all this practical..
"I think where the approach works best is if it becomes really part of the way you work. We've got to have more of a feedback mindset because people are doing great things, but they're often not reflecting on them and people are making huge assumptions about engagement, for example, that they're engaging the people who are most important to the change that they see, and quite often they're not." -- Dr Sarah Morton
Sarah walks us through Matter of Focus' four-step process: setting out your theory of change using plain language headings, auditing what evidence you already have, identifying gaps and collecting meaningful data, and building your impact narrative over time. We explore how this cyclical approach transforms impact work from bureaucratic afterthought to strategic advantage.
Our conversation covers:
Why contribution analysis beats attribution thinking for complex change
The four-step Matter of Focus process for impact planning and evaluation
How to map pathways to impact using plain language frameworks
Practical data collection methods that busy researchers actually use
Moving from "broadcast mode" to strategic stakeholder engagement
Embedding impact thinking into daily research practice
How institutions can better support systematic impact work
Find Sarah online:
Website: Matter of Focus
LinkedIn: Dr Sarah Morton
Resources discussed:
Software: OutNav
Article: The Matter of Focus framework
Article: An overview of the Matter of Focus approach
Article: 3 feedback tools to help you track your outcomes and impact
Article: How to bring different voices into your evaluation
Article: 4 simple steps to start evidencing your research impact
Case Study: Using OutNav to assess the impact of the Global Kids Online research initiative
Book: How Do You Know If You Are Making a Difference? A Practical Handbook for Public Service Organisations 
 

35. Strategic Science Communication: Prof John C. Besley on designing communication that actually changes behaviour

View the full show notes, including a summary of practical tips on the Amplifying Research website: https://www.amplifyingresearch.com/podcast/35-john-c-besley
Passionate about sharing your research and want to ensure your comms efforts deliver meaningful results? Professor John C. Besley shares insights from his book Strategic Science Communication, and the SCREE framework, to help you move beyond hoping for impact to designing for it. In this conversation, he reveals why many research communication efforts fall short – not because researchers aren't trying, but because they haven't been asked the fundamental question: what specific behaviour do you want to change? John and I discuss how to identify clear goals, understand the beliefs that drive behaviours, and align your communication activities accordingly. Whether you’re the director of research org, working in comms/operations, or an individual researcher, John shares practical tips that can help you start improving the outcomes of your comms and engagement today.
John is a Professor at Michigan State University's College of Communication, Arts, and Sciences, where he's spent more than 20 years researching public views about science and scientists' views about the public. His mission is to help science communicators be more effective by encouraging evidence-based and strategic communication choices.
"Often the scientists I'm talking about, if they have research that maybe they think somebody could use, they want people to use it. They want people to consider that science when making decisions. And if you want that to happen, you can just hope that it happens. Just hope for it. Or you can start making the choices that increase the likelihood that people will consider that research." — John C. Besley
The SCRREE framework emerged from John and his colleagues' recognition that while many researchers are committed to communication, few have ever been asked what they hope to achieve from their efforts. SCRREE stands for Strategic, Cumulative, Reflexive, Reciprocal, Equitable, and Evidence-based — principles that transform ad-hoc outreach into sustained impact. Through their consulting work with research organisations, they've developed a practical process that helps teams move from vague aspirations like "increasing awe and wonder" to specific behavioural goals like "getting policymakers to consider evidence in environmental decisions."
Our conversation covers:
Why strategic communication matters for researchers in today's funding and impact landscape
How to identify “audience-specific behavioural goals” that actually matter for your research
The practical process of asset mapping: aligning your existing activities with your goals
Why "engagement" really means giving people time to stop, think, and form beliefs
Common mistakes like focusing only on risks while ignoring benefits, norms, and efficacy
Building trust through demonstrating expertise, caring, integrity, shared values, and openness
The importance of cumulative thinking: why one-off activities rarely create lasting change
Practical tips for researchers at any level to start being more strategic today
How organisations can better support strategic communication through hiring and infrastructure
Find John online:
Website — strategicsciencecommunication.com
Resources — http://strategicsciencecommunication.com/resources
LinkedIn — linkedin.com/in/john-besley

34. Reimagining Impact: Professor Lisa Grocott on hosting Tomorrow Parties to bring future impact to life

View the full show notes, including a summary of practical tips on the Amplifying Research website: https://www.amplifyingresearch.com/podcast/34-lisa-grocott
Imagine stepping into a future where your research is creating the impact you've always hoped for. That's exactly what happens in a Tomorrow Party – an innovative method where researchers and stakeholders physically experience their desired futures rather than just planning for them. In this episode, Prof Lisa Grocott explains how this approach helps close the "imagination gap" that often prevents meaningful change. By creating spaces where people collectively imagine themselves already living in their preferred futures – speaking, feeling, and celebrating as if those futures are real – Tomorrow Parties generate the emotional connection and collective hope that traditional planning methods rarely achieve.
Lisa is Professor and Co-Director of WonderLab at Monash University and an Honorary Professor of Play at Design School Kolding (DSKD) in Denmark. Born in Aotearoa, New Zealand, Lisa is of Ngāti Kahungunu descent on her mother's side, with whakapapa from the UK on her father's side.
Her approach to designing for impact draws on both her co-design practice and Indigenous knowing, and is centered on creating transformative experiences that shift perspectives and unsettle everyday norms.
"What we realized at the end of the three days together was that almost every good idea we'd come up with had been seeded in that 30 minutes of us goofing around at the beginning... We realized that every time we tried to make it look a bit more like this intentional strategy it took away from something that the guests were telling us was the most important part of it, which was this idea that they never got to practice engaging with the future with their imaginations." -- Lisa Grocott
The Tomorrow Party began as a playful exercise before a funding application and evolved into a formal methodology supported by the Wellcome Foundation Trust. Unlike traditional planning methods that use scenarios or economic models, Tomorrow Parties invite participants to speak and act as if they're already living in futures 1, 3, or 5 years ahead. As Lisa describes it, participants don't just envision these futures cognitively – they actually feel them, creating emotional connections that drive genuine motivation and action.
Whether you're looking to align your research team around impact goals, engage meaningfully with diverse stakeholders, or simply break free from ineffective planning approaches, this episode offers a practical methodology you can start using immediately. Lisa walks us through the three-act structure of a Tomorrow Party and shares powerful stories of transformation – from Aboriginal community leaders finding their voice to cynical academics surprised by their own capacity for hope – demonstrating why this playful yet profound approach might be the missing element in your impact strategy.
Our conversation covers:
How researchers can use imagination to bridge the gap between knowledge and meaningful action
The origins and evolution of the Tomorrow Party methodology
How emotional engagement and "felt experiences" create more memorable and motivating visions for the future
The connection between imagination, hope, and collective action
How to host your own Tomorrow Party to align teams, engage communities, or develop partnerships
Why unsettling established perspectives is critical for transformation
How to transform the feeling of possibility into practical action
Ways to keep the energy and vision of imagined futures alive in daily work
Find Lisa online:
WonderLab (Monash University) -- https://www.monash.edu/mada/research/project/wonderlab
The Tomorrow Party -- https://tomorrowparty.org

33. AI For Science Communication: Prof Mike S. Schäfer on AI's promises, pitfalls, and pink slime

View the full show notes, including a summary of practical tips on the Amplifying Research website: https://www.amplifyingresearch.com/podcast/33-mike-schafer
 
How is generative AI transforming the way research is communicated and understood by different audiences? Prof Mike S. Schäfer gives us a state of the union on the rapidly evolving world of AI and science communication.
Mike is a professor of science communication, the director of CHESS (Centre for Higher Education and Science Studies), and head of the Department of Communication and Media Research at the University of Zurich.
"In science communication, dialogue often, by many, is seen as the best way of doing science communication, but the challenge is having a dialogue with people who are not interested in science to begin with... It's difficult to scale up if you actually want to do face-to-face dialogue. And AI is great at that." -- Mike Schäfer
Whether you're a research leader looking to build your team's communication capacity or an individual researcher seeking to develop your skills, this episode offers practical advice on making training work for the long term.
 
Our conversation covers:
How the general public is increasingly using tools like ChatGPT to get answers about science
The characteristics of early AI adopters and concerns about digital divides in AI literacy
How AI hallucinations and "pink slime" could impact scientific knowledge
The ways that ChatGPT and other models conceptualise and communicate science
Practical applications for researchers to experiment with AI in their communication efforts
The future of AI in science communication and the importance of keeping "humans in the loop"
 
Find Mike online:
LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikesschaefer
CHESS — https://www.chess.uzh.ch/en.html

32. Making Sci Comm Training Stick: Brendon Bosworth on finding the right training approach for your team

View the full show notes, including a summary of practical tips on the Amplifying Research website: https://www.amplifyingresearch.com/podcast/32-brendon-bosworth 
 
Looking to implement communication training that creates lasting change? Communication specialist Brendon Bosworth shares practical insights on choosing the right trainer, designing effective programs, and embedding communication skills in your research team.
Brendon Bosworth is a science communication trainer and principal consultant at Human Element Communications. He works with leading international organisations, research institutes, and universities including the UN Environment Program, FAO, and the University of Cape Town to make research on topics of global concern more accessible to non-specialists.
"My encouragement here is to really make science communication part of your mandate and your vision so that it's woven into the institutional way of doing things right from the start." -- Brendon Bosworth
Whether you're a research leader looking to build your team's communication capacity or an individual researcher seeking to develop your skills, this episode offers practical advice on making training work for the long term.
Our conversation covers:
How to choose the right trainer and training approach for your needs
The four S's framework: Strategy, Simplicity, Storytelling, and Solutions
Why most one-off workshops don't create lasting change
Tailoring communication training to your organization's goals
The importance of practice and ongoing support
Building science communication into organizational culture
Creating internal networks to maintain momentum
Practical ways to keep developing skills after training
 
Find Brendon Bosworth online:
Linked In — https://www.linkedin.com/in/brendonbosworth/
Human Element Communications — https://www.humanelementcommunications.com
 

31. Events that Actually Work: Cameron McKnight on Building Research Communities that Last

View the full show notes, including a summary of practical tips on the Amplifying Research website: https://www.amplifyingresearch.com/podcast/31-cameron-mcknight 
 
Looking to run events that researchers actually want to attend? Cameron McKnight shares practical insights on building sustainable research communities and running events that deliver real value.
Cameron McKnight is a PhD candidate at the Murdoch Children's Research Institute, where his research focuses on modeling mitochondrial diseases using CRISPR-edited human pluripotent stem cells. He's also a passionate advocate for building better research communities, having led several successful programs designed to support researchers at all career stages.
"In the end, all of this is volunteer work for scientists. We don't get paid to run these events... But if you're going to do it, you're better off making a huge effort and changing it more dramatically." -- Cameron McKnight
From scheduling that works for busy researchers to documentation that ensures long-term success, Cameron offers practical advice you can start implementing today to make your research events and communities more impactful.
Our conversation covers:
Why research networks and collaborations are crucial in modern science
Common pitfalls in running research events (and how to avoid them)
Practical strategies for organizing sustainable events on a budget
How to build consistency and continuity into volunteer-run programs
Making events accessible and valuable for all participants
Simple tools and systems for effective event organization
Building communities that extend beyond single events
The importance of proper handover documentation
Find Cameron McKnight online:
Linked In — https://www.linkedin.com/in/cameron-mcknight-78740b44

30. Teaming up for Translation: Dr Kenneth Strahan and Danielle Teychenne on building collaborations that drive research impact

View the full show notes, including a summary of practical tips on the Amplifying Research website: https://www.amplifyingresearch.com/podcast/30-ken-and-dani
 
When Dr Kenneth Strahan developed research-backed archetypes to help understand how different people respond to bushfires, Danielle Teychenne and her colleagues saw an opportunity to create real change. Together, they embarked on an ambitious project to translate this research into practical tools for communities. In this episode, they share candid insights about what it takes to build successful research translation partnerships - from finding the right collaborators to navigating real-world implementation challenges.
Ken is a researcher with 30+ years of experience in bushfire research in Australia, and Dani is currently a learning designer at BehaviorWorks, and she has a background in digital learning.
 So in this episode, we'll hear from Ken about how his work identified seven distinct archetypes that reflect different ways people respond to bushfires — research that could save lives if effectively implemented.
We’ll then discuss the implementation or translation piece, how Danielle and her colleagues tapped into Ken's research, collaborated with him and put together a new project centered on helping communities better prepare for bushfires.
"People wanted to see tailored education... They wanted to feel empowered. They didn't want to have their autonomy taken away from them. They didn't want to be told what to do." – Danielle Teychenne
Whether you're a researcher hoping to see your work create change, or someone looking to adapt research for real-world use, this episode offers valuable lessons on building bridges between research and practice — including frank discussion of what worked, what didn't, and how to navigate the challenges that emerge along the way.
 
Our conversation covers:
The journey from research insight to practical application
Creating archetypes or user profiles as part of your research
Build productive research translation partnerships
Strategies for tailoring research for different audiences
Navigating implementation challenges and roadblocks
Tips for measuring real-world impact
The importance of starting small and building incrementally
Balancing rigour with practical constraints
 
Find Dr Kenneth Strahan online:
Linked In — https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-kenneth-strahan
Find Danielle Teychenne online:
LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielle-teychenne
Bluesky — https://bsky.app/profile/lisagiven.bsky.social
More details on the project:
https://climatethrive.com.au/bushfire-tool
https://climatethrive.com.au/noosa
https://climatethrive.com.au/penrith-cald
 

29. Planning Ahead for Impact: Prof Lisa Given and Dr Wade Kelly on making the new year your most impactful one yet

View the full show notes, including a summary of practical tips on the Amplifying Research website: https://www.amplifyingresearch.com/podcast/29-lisa-and-wade 
 
Looking to make 2025 your most impactful year yet? Prof Lisa Given and Dr Wade Kelly share practical tips for planning ahead to make impact manageable - from carving out time in your calendar to building the right relationships.
Lisa is Director of RMIT's Social Change Enabling IMPACT platform, and Wade is a Senior Lecturer in Deakin University's Researcher Development Academy. Together, they unpack how researchers can balance career progression with their impact goals, and tap into opportunities within their university.
"It's about understanding how organisations work. Most people can only see one system below them, one system above them, maybe two. So if you're within a lab, you might understand your school and faculty, but you really aren't looking at what's going on in the university. Keeping abreast of all of those levels to be an empathetic researcher is important because it'll allow you to pitch your work in ways that respond to those different levels." – Dr Wade Kelly
This episode is essential listening for any researcher wanting to make impact a sustainable, practical part of their work. From protecting your time to building the right relationships, Lisa and Wade offer actionable advice you can start implementing today.
 
Our conversation covers:
How to carve out time and energy for impact when juggling multiple commitments
Balancing career progression goals with impact goals
Finding and creating opportunities within your university
Protecting your time and learning to say "no"
Building relationships that support your impact goals
Making impact work manageable and sustainable
Planning for the year ahead while staying flexible
The importance of face-to-face connections
Finding your community and support network
 
Find Dr Wade Kelly online:
Linked In — https://www.linkedin.com/in/wade-kelly/
Bluesky — https://bsky.app/profile/wadekelly.com
Find Prof Lisa Given online:
LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisagiven/
Bluesky — https://bsky.app/profile/lisagiven.bsky.social

28. Embedding DEI: Prof Reema Harrison on building equitable research practices from grant to impact

View the full show notes, including a summary of practical tips on the Amplifying Research website: https://www.amplifyingresearch.com/podcast/28-reema-harrison
 
Today’s episode is a deep dive with Prof Reema Harrison on how to embed diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) throughout the entire research process — from study design to dissemination.
Prof Harrison leads a program of research at the Australian Institute of Health Innovation, focusing on how increasing stakeholder engagement can contribute to improved healthcare quality, experiences, and outcomes, and she has published extensively on the use of peer support, mentorship, and co-design approaches to create impactful change in healthcare.
We discuss practical strategies for building diverse research teams, effectively engaging with various communities, and ensuring that your research outputs are truly relevant and impactful.
"Diversity, inclusion, impact, stakeholder engagement are all part of a research approach. They're not something to add on after you've designed a project. They are how you develop work and a program of work and sustain it." — Dr Reema Harrison
If you’re a researcher committed to making your work more inclusive and impactful, or if you’re part of a research organisation looking to better support DEI in your projects, this episode is packed with valuable insights and actionable advice!
 
Our conversation covers:
Why meaningful co-design and stakeholder engagement should start from the very beginning of a research project
Practical strategies for building diverse research teams and why diversity in the research team matters
The importance of ongoing stakeholder relationships and community engagement as standard practice, and how it contributes to improved outcomes
Approaches for effectively engaging with diverse communities, ensuring their voices are heard and respected
Practical advice on handling conflicts and power dynamics in diverse teams and stakeholder groups
The role of research institutions in supporting DEI initiatives
Tips for early career researchers on building networks and engaging with diverse stakeholders
How to use peer support, mentorship, and co-design methods to foster inclusivity in research
How to navigate challenging conversations and build emotional intelligence in research settings
Ensuring that research outputs are relevant and impactful for all community groups, not just the majority.
Challenges researchers may face when trying to embed DEI into their work and how to overcome them.
 
Resources:
CanEngage project website
“Providing review and feedback as a co-author – a guide for consumers“
“Visual summary of a national analysis about multicultural consumer engagement practices“
“Audit for Consumer Engagement (ACE) Tool“
Find Dr Reema Harrison online:
LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/reema-harrison/
Macquarie University — https://researchers.mq.edu.au/en/persons/reema-harrison