Join us for the IAA Impact Festival 2022 on Tuesday 22nd March at The Studio, Glasgow.

Primarily aimed at staff from the Universities of Edinburgh, Glasgow, Heriot-Watt, St Andrews, and Strathclyde, the festival is an opportunity for you to connect with fellow researchers and discuss a range of impact related topics.

About

Following the success of past Impact Festivals, the 4th instalment of the festival will be held in March this year and will continue to help in:

Building impact awareness and knowledge with our academic communities

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Developing future Impact Leaders

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Creating & developing networks between our institutions to encourage collaborations that will drive impact

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This one day event will comprise of plenary and breakout sessions, aiming to train, inform and inspire, using a mix of lecture and/or workshop styles, with expert facilitators.

The festival will also feature its Impact Gallery. An area that presents a mix of exhibits, posters, demonstrations & sponsors. Providing a perfect opportunity to showcase outputs and impact from previously funded IAA projects, with both academics and stakeholders present, including funders.

Session speakers

Andrew Bissell

CEO
Sunamp

Andrew will discuss the history and long-term partnership between Sunamp and The University of Edinburgh, exploring how innovative collaborations between industry and academia can enhance the impact journey. 

Olga Kozlova

Director of Innovation and Industry Engagement
University of Strathclyde

Olga will discuss the importance of entrepreneurial mindset in modern academia, providing an insight into a journey of an entrepreneurial scientist and how different types of research commercialisation could support delivery societal and economic impact.

Dr Abbi Hobbs

Social Science Lead
Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (POST), UK Parliament

Abbi will talk about ways to achieve impact in a legislative context, focusing on the UK Parliament but also with reference to the Scottish Parliament and other devolved legislatures, including the structure and functions of UK Parliament​, who uses research and how you can get involved.

Chair

Dr Fiona Armstrong
Dr Fiona Armstrong is Global Director of Research Engagement for Heriot-Watt University. Fiona holds a doctorate in Plant Biophysics, and was previously Deputy Director of Community Engagement for UK Research and Innovation’s (UKRI) EU Exit Programme. She has had a number of leading roles within the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), spearheading projects to support the transition to UKRI, and having oversight of the Strategy and Communications teams, as well as business improvement generally.

Please contact us using the online form or through the below address if you would like further information.

Policy, Strategy and Impact Research Engagement
Heriot-Watt University
EH14 4AS

PSI@hw.ac.uk