In this recent interview, Dr Camilla Forbes from the Department of Health and Community Sciences shares information about her work in Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement (PPIE), highlighting the importance of engaging communities in research on health promotion and public health.
Category: Case Study
Loveland Bridging Communities Project
Tim Hughes tells us about recent work completed with Loveland, a community field project based in Falmouth, which invites local people to get involved in food growth and sustainability. With support from our Bridging Communities Fund, Loveland’s work has continued to grow, inviting new audiences to explore their natural surroundings.
Inviting Publics to Engage with Structural Biology
In this interview, Dr Becky Conners from the Department of Biosciences talks about her journey into public engagement, and the role this plays in her work on structural biology – including most recently, her contributions to both the Somerscience and FUTURES festivals on the importance of bacterial phages.
B-HUGS: A Collaborative Project for Social Change
Dr Safi Darden talks about her recent project, B-HUGS, supported as part of the 2024-25 Engaged and Participatory Research Fund. This work draws on interdisciplinary expertise, looking to address rissues of educational belonging for Black youth in Devon.
Co-Production in Physical and Mental Health Research: An Interview
Catherine Hurcombe speaks to Dr Jemima Dooley from the Department of Psychology about her experience of public engagement in her research, exploring best practice working with Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement (PPIE) groups, and using engaged research to create benefits for both participants and researchers.
How Lived Experience is Shaping Our Team Science Approach to Inclusive Research
Dr Darren Hudson highlights the importance of Public and Patient Involvement and Engagement (PPIE) funding in supporting his team’s application for the NIHR Team Science Award. By working with PPIE representatives from conception of the work, the team’s proposal could be grounded in the needs of those with lived experience, and encourage meaningful change.
LGBTQ+ School Champions
Dr Helen Birkett tells us about how Engaged and Participatory Research Funding helped support the LGBTQ+ Schools Champions Scheme. Working with Dr Chris Sandal-Wilson, and major local charity, Intercom Trust, the project has explored new avenues for engaging young people with LGBTQ+ history, and encouraging belonging amongst LGBTQ+ pupils.
What’s in a Will? Using Public Engagement to Add Depth to a Project
In this interview, Catherine Hurcombe speaks to Dr Laura Sangha from the Department of Archaeology and History about her role on the research project, The Material Culture of Wills, England 1540-1790, which invites members of the public to explore the culture behind early modern wills through citizen science, workshops, and musical performances inspired by these historical stories.
Insect Interactions: The Value of Engaging the Public with Ecology Research
In this interview, Catherine Hurcombe speaks to Dr Thomas O’Shea Wheller from the Department of Ecology and Conservation about the role public engagement plays in his research on the behaviours of social insects, ranging from invasive hornet activities to working with the beekeeping industry.
Eastern Devon Social Health Research Workshop
Professor Manuela Barreto and Camilla Rooney from Wellmoor share insights from their Social Health Learning Project – a collaboration between University researchers and community partners to explore social health interventions in East Devon. Having been shortlisted for the 2024-25 round of Engaged and Participatory Research Funding, this work was supported by an alternative funding source, as it tackled ambitions closely linked to the University’s Civic University Agreements.