Last week, our team had the privilege of co-facilitating ‘Community Research: Exploring & Celebrating Collaboration’, a showcase dedicated to community-based research in the South West. Supported by the University of Exeter and the Devon Research Engagement Network, this event offered people from across the academic and voluntary sectors the chance to connect, and share valuable insights into their work.
Author: Catherine Hurcombe
“What is Life Like ‘After’ Thyroid Disease?”: Investigating UK-based Thyroid Disease Patients’ Experiences of Life and Care Following Definitive Therapies.
Lauren Asare shares how she used Springboard Funding to support her ongoing investigation into the lived experiences of thyroid disease patients. With a background in Public and Patient Involvement and Engagement (PPIE), Lauren provides valuable insights into the health applications of public engagement, and since acquiring this award, has obtained funding to continue her research through a PhD.
Project Lifecycles: Supporting Energy Services and Infrastructure in South Africa’s Informal Settlements
The Public Engagement with Research team has been privileged to support Professor Federico Caprotti and Dr Whitney Pailman through our Engaged Participatory Research Fund. This work forms part of a larger project, exploring energy provisions and infrastructure for communities in South Africa’s informal settlements. In this piece, we’ll be looking at the lifecycle of this project, demonstrating the possible uses of publicly engaged research.
Positive Tipping Points Toolkit
Peter Lefort discusses his recent Springboard-funded work, the Positive Tipping Points Toolkit, which builds on research exploring the positive impact that small-scale changes can have on the climate crisis. The toolkit forms part of a much larger project, focussed on bringing this methodology to new audiences.
Being Human Festival 2024
With the theme for this year’s Being Human Festival, Between the Lines, having been announced, we are taking the time to showcase some highlights from last year’s event. This extended across Devon and Cornwall and was supported by a range of academic and community contributors committed to celebrating the humanities.
Interdisciplinary Public Engagement: The Reading Bodies Project
Catherine Hurcombe, Regional Engagement Assistant, interviews Associate Professor Katharine Murphy and Dr Liv Glaze on their Reading Bodies project. This project demonstrates the benefits of an interdisciplinary approach to public engagement, combining research from across faculties, departments, and languages.
Thunnus UK: Public Engagement in Marine Ecology
Dr Lucy Hawkes shares insights into the Thunnus UK project, which investigates the return of Atlantic bluefin tuna to the nation’s waters. Using the Springboard Fund, the research team were able to share their findings through a public stakeholder event that invited attendees to contribute to this growing area of ecological research.
Exploring Experiences and Support Preferences of Children and Young People on Neurodevelopmental Assessment Waiting Lists in Devon
Dr Anna Price from the department of Health and Community Sciences speaks to us about her recent project, which investigates the perspectives of young people seeking neurodevelopmental assessment through Devon’s healthcare providers. Supported by Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement (PPIE) funding, her experience highlights the complexities of patient outreach work, including both its challenges and benefits.
Lessons in Science Communication and Public Engagement: The 2025 UK Science Festivals Network Conference
The UK Science Festivals Network – a consortium of science festivals and event organizers from across the UK, managed by the British Science Association – recently hosted its 2025 conference at the Watershed in Bristol. Engagement Manager, Dreolin Fleischer, and Regional Engagement Assistant, Catherine Hurcombe, attended the conference ahead of Exeter’s upcoming community festivals, including FUTURES 2025.
Loveland: Using Sustainable Food Growth to Connect Communities
This project, based at the Loveland site near Falmouth, Cornwall, received the Bridging Communities award to support its ongoing work combining ecological food growth with community wellbeing in nature. Dr Tim Hughes discusses his experience of using this fund to develop the project.