Research Adjacent / Sarah McLusky
@researchadjacent.bsky.social
Stories, strategies and support to help you thrive in a research-adjacent career. New podcast episodes fortnightly. https://researchadjacent.com/
#researchadjacent
#researchadjacent
Pinned
NEW EPISODE 🥳 I'm talking to Laura Breen about 'one university thinking' at the The University of Manchester. Laura is the Research Development and Impact Manager. She works across all disciplines and with partners to help bring together research teams to tackle big challenges. buff.ly/yvCqSI2
I ask all my guests what they would change if they had a magic wand 🪄
Laura Breen wants to create more time and space for people to really get to know each other in what she calls 'creative relational spaces'.
We all know that's where things really happen!
Laura Breen wants to create more time and space for people to really get to know each other in what she calls 'creative relational spaces'.
We all know that's where things really happen!
November 25, 2025 at 10:15 AM
I ask all my guests what they would change if they had a magic wand 🪄
Laura Breen wants to create more time and space for people to really get to know each other in what she calls 'creative relational spaces'.
We all know that's where things really happen!
Laura Breen wants to create more time and space for people to really get to know each other in what she calls 'creative relational spaces'.
We all know that's where things really happen!
Laura Breen works across disciplines and partners to help bring together diverse research teams. Her approach is a great example of 'one university thinking', which happens to be a key pillar of the new University of Manchester strategy. We recorded months ago it's clearly Laura's intuition at work!
November 20, 2025 at 10:45 AM
Laura Breen works across disciplines and partners to help bring together diverse research teams. Her approach is a great example of 'one university thinking', which happens to be a key pillar of the new University of Manchester strategy. We recorded months ago it's clearly Laura's intuition at work!
NEW EPISODE 🥳 I'm talking to Laura Breen about 'one university thinking' at the The University of Manchester. Laura is the Research Development and Impact Manager. She works across all disciplines and with partners to help bring together research teams to tackle big challenges. buff.ly/yvCqSI2
November 18, 2025 at 10:02 AM
NEW EPISODE 🥳 I'm talking to Laura Breen about 'one university thinking' at the The University of Manchester. Laura is the Research Development and Impact Manager. She works across all disciplines and with partners to help bring together research teams to tackle big challenges. buff.ly/yvCqSI2
At the Festival of @hiddenref.bsky.social there was a lot of talk about recognising a broader range of research outputs. But, as Elisa Collado says, a lot of work coordinating research will never lead to any outputs. This means many roles will remain hidden if outputs are the only metric of success
November 13, 2025 at 12:01 PM
At the Festival of @hiddenref.bsky.social there was a lot of talk about recognising a broader range of research outputs. But, as Elisa Collado says, a lot of work coordinating research will never lead to any outputs. This means many roles will remain hidden if outputs are the only metric of success
Join me for a 30sec visit to the Festival of hiddenref.bsky.social at ThinkTank Birmingham on 8 October 2025. Listen to the latest podcast episode for a full event report pod.link/1663857550
November 11, 2025 at 10:31 AM
Join me for a 30sec visit to the Festival of hiddenref.bsky.social at ThinkTank Birmingham on 8 October 2025. Listen to the latest podcast episode for a full event report pod.link/1663857550
I do think there is magic in getting people together to tackle big challenges 🪄 Simon Hettrick and James Baker explained that @hiddenref.bsky.social has always been a bottom-up community-led campaign which is why gatherings like their Festival are so important.
Hear more in your podcast app
Hear more in your podcast app
November 6, 2025 at 1:57 PM
I do think there is magic in getting people together to tackle big challenges 🪄 Simon Hettrick and James Baker explained that @hiddenref.bsky.social has always been a bottom-up community-led campaign which is why gatherings like their Festival are so important.
Hear more in your podcast app
Hear more in your podcast app
New episode: Join me at the Festival of Hidden REF in Birmingham on 8 October. I meet Simon Hettrick, James Baker, Elisa Collado, Lorraine van Blerk, Laura Henderson, Alix Brodie-Wray, Dr Emily Ennis, Jo Williams and Nick Sheppard about hidden roles and non-traditional outputs buff.ly/skpJuUR
November 4, 2025 at 10:25 AM
New episode: Join me at the Festival of Hidden REF in Birmingham on 8 October. I meet Simon Hettrick, James Baker, Elisa Collado, Lorraine van Blerk, Laura Henderson, Alix Brodie-Wray, Dr Emily Ennis, Jo Williams and Nick Sheppard about hidden roles and non-traditional outputs buff.ly/skpJuUR
Like Johanna Stadlbauer's LinkedIn posts, making people feel seen is far and away the most common feedback I get on this podcast. In the sometimes hyper-competitive research world where metrics may matter more than people, recognising our shared humanity might be the most valuable thing we can do.
October 30, 2025 at 9:30 AM
Like Johanna Stadlbauer's LinkedIn posts, making people feel seen is far and away the most common feedback I get on this podcast. In the sometimes hyper-competitive research world where metrics may matter more than people, recognising our shared humanity might be the most valuable thing we can do.
Tangible work benefits with a side of pizza and yoga? Who else wants to hop on plane to Austria right now for one of Johanna Stadlbauer's programmes? The PostDoc Office has recently been named as an example of best practice in researcher supervision so this approach is definitely doing things right.
October 28, 2025 at 10:31 AM
Tangible work benefits with a side of pizza and yoga? Who else wants to hop on plane to Austria right now for one of Johanna Stadlbauer's programmes? The PostDoc Office has recently been named as an example of best practice in researcher supervision so this approach is definitely doing things right.
Latest guest Johanna Stadlbauer is not one to shy away from the hard stuff. Her first research-adjacent job was in reporting sexual harrassment and now she is tackling the culture of overwork in academia. With a kind, but no BS, approach she creates spaces where it's OK to tackle the hard stuff.
October 23, 2025 at 9:45 AM
Latest guest Johanna Stadlbauer is not one to shy away from the hard stuff. Her first research-adjacent job was in reporting sexual harrassment and now she is tackling the culture of overwork in academia. With a kind, but no BS, approach she creates spaces where it's OK to tackle the hard stuff.
NEW EPISODE 🎉 with Johanna Stadlbauer, Head of the Research Careers Campus and PostDoc Office at University of Graz. We talk about about making academia kinder and more fun 💶 ✍ 🧘 🍕 and creating spaces where people feel seen and supported.
Listen here buff.ly/mzNeuc8
Listen here buff.ly/mzNeuc8
October 21, 2025 at 10:34 AM
NEW EPISODE 🎉 with Johanna Stadlbauer, Head of the Research Careers Campus and PostDoc Office at University of Graz. We talk about about making academia kinder and more fun 💶 ✍ 🧘 🍕 and creating spaces where people feel seen and supported.
Listen here buff.ly/mzNeuc8
Listen here buff.ly/mzNeuc8
A year ago I ran an online event to start building community amongst research-adjacent freelancers. Those conversations have evolved into the Research Adjacent Community. It's a friendly, supportive space for the self-employed and research-adjacent to hang out. Come and join us! buff.ly/HswITwI
October 16, 2025 at 8:30 AM
A year ago I ran an online event to start building community amongst research-adjacent freelancers. Those conversations have evolved into the Research Adjacent Community. It's a friendly, supportive space for the self-employed and research-adjacent to hang out. Come and join us! buff.ly/HswITwI
The most valuable thing that a freelancer can bring to your research endeavours is themselves. You get support from a real person and can forge connections in a way big corporations or AI just can't replicate.
🎧 Listen to the podcast
buff.ly/cm5y61b
📑 Explore the Directory
buff.ly/oM0LKVN
🎧 Listen to the podcast
buff.ly/cm5y61b
📑 Explore the Directory
buff.ly/oM0LKVN
October 14, 2025 at 11:04 AM
The most valuable thing that a freelancer can bring to your research endeavours is themselves. You get support from a real person and can forge connections in a way big corporations or AI just can't replicate.
🎧 Listen to the podcast
buff.ly/cm5y61b
📑 Explore the Directory
buff.ly/oM0LKVN
🎧 Listen to the podcast
buff.ly/cm5y61b
📑 Explore the Directory
buff.ly/oM0LKVN
I've been both a freelancer and an employer of freelancers. I know how important it is to get the right match, but how difficult it can be to find the right person. So I'm delighted to introduce the Research Adjacent Directory! It's a unique listing board for research-specialists. buff.ly/oM0LKVN
October 9, 2025 at 8:45 AM
I've been both a freelancer and an employer of freelancers. I know how important it is to get the right match, but how difficult it can be to find the right person. So I'm delighted to introduce the Research Adjacent Directory! It's a unique listing board for research-specialists. buff.ly/oM0LKVN
NEW EPISODE: This is a must listen for anyone who employs freelancers (or might in the future) and freelancers themselves. This episode is full of advice to make sure it's a positive experience all round. Listen here buff.ly/u7UsQEC
October 7, 2025 at 10:24 AM
NEW EPISODE: This is a must listen for anyone who employs freelancers (or might in the future) and freelancers themselves. This episode is full of advice to make sure it's a positive experience all round. Listen here buff.ly/u7UsQEC
Hidden labour was a strong theme at #IRCC25. At the conference Alys Kay ran a workshop showcasing System Shuffle (cocreated with Rika Nair, Andrew Moss, Ellen Cole and Nicola Simcock) which is all about the wide range of roles that contribute to research. Listen to the full episode buff.ly/tBStCUO
October 2, 2025 at 9:45 AM
Hidden labour was a strong theme at #IRCC25. At the conference Alys Kay ran a workshop showcasing System Shuffle (cocreated with Rika Nair, Andrew Moss, Ellen Cole and Nicola Simcock) which is all about the wide range of roles that contribute to research. Listen to the full episode buff.ly/tBStCUO
Join me for a wander around the International Research Culture Conference #IRCC25. The latest podcast episode is a report from the conference - topics include hidden labour in research teams, and professional development (or the lack of) for research adjacent roles. buff.ly/tBStCUO
September 30, 2025 at 9:01 AM
Join me for a wander around the International Research Culture Conference #IRCC25. The latest podcast episode is a report from the conference - topics include hidden labour in research teams, and professional development (or the lack of) for research adjacent roles. buff.ly/tBStCUO
Sometimes conferences can seem like a lot of hassle - the travel and time out from all the other stuff we have going on. But as Chandrika Nair shared in the latest podcast from #IRCC25, we can only solve big-sector wide challenges if we collaborate.
September 25, 2025 at 10:15 AM
Sometimes conferences can seem like a lot of hassle - the travel and time out from all the other stuff we have going on. But as Chandrika Nair shared in the latest podcast from #IRCC25, we can only solve big-sector wide challenges if we collaborate.
NEW EPISODE: Reflections from last weeks International Research Culture Conference #IRCC25 at University of Warwick organised by the National Centre for Research Culture featuring guests Chandrika Nair, Alys Kay, and Dolly Coates. Find it in your podcast app or here buff.ly/tBStCUO
September 23, 2025 at 8:45 AM
NEW EPISODE: Reflections from last weeks International Research Culture Conference #IRCC25 at University of Warwick organised by the National Centre for Research Culture featuring guests Chandrika Nair, Alys Kay, and Dolly Coates. Find it in your podcast app or here buff.ly/tBStCUO
Who do we need to talk to to make that happen???? Podcast guest Esther Lisk-Carew's love of film means that she knows how impactful iconic role models can be. She would use her Research Adjacent magic wand to turn mentor Rupert Giles in Buffy the Vampire Slayer into an academic researcher 🗡️ 🧛
September 18, 2025 at 9:02 AM
Who do we need to talk to to make that happen???? Podcast guest Esther Lisk-Carew's love of film means that she knows how impactful iconic role models can be. She would use her Research Adjacent magic wand to turn mentor Rupert Giles in Buffy the Vampire Slayer into an academic researcher 🗡️ 🧛
Precarity isn't just an issue in academia. It's also baked into how the cultural sector operates. Having patched together her own career from short term contracts, Esther Lisk-Carew now mentors others so that they can find a balance between their own creative practice and more stable income streams.
September 16, 2025 at 10:15 AM
Precarity isn't just an issue in academia. It's also baked into how the cultural sector operates. Having patched together her own career from short term contracts, Esther Lisk-Carew now mentors others so that they can find a balance between their own creative practice and more stable income streams.
Ever wondered why you don't hear more about engagement in arts and humanities research? Esther Lisk-Carew and I talk about how co-production is often business as usual for these subjects and the typical outputs can be more accessible than standard publications. Listen in your podcast app.
September 11, 2025 at 11:01 AM
Ever wondered why you don't hear more about engagement in arts and humanities research? Esther Lisk-Carew and I talk about how co-production is often business as usual for these subjects and the typical outputs can be more accessible than standard publications. Listen in your podcast app.
Really excited to be doing this live podcast recording - come and be in the audience!
Live podcast at #ImpactIgnite2025!
Curious about how your colleagues got into the wonderful world of research impact?
Join us for a special live recording of the @researchadjacent.bsky.social podcast with host Sarah McLusky.
📅 25–26 Nov, Novotel Southampton
Register now at impactignite2025.com
Curious about how your colleagues got into the wonderful world of research impact?
Join us for a special live recording of the @researchadjacent.bsky.social podcast with host Sarah McLusky.
📅 25–26 Nov, Novotel Southampton
Register now at impactignite2025.com
September 9, 2025 at 12:40 PM
Really excited to be doing this live podcast recording - come and be in the audience!
After a brief summer break we're back with Esther Lisk-Carew who works for AHEAD at @manmetuni.bsky.social. She helps to organise creative research engagement events. We talk about engagement as method, career precarity in the cultural sector, and Buffy 🧛🗡️
buff.ly/m3WDcvP
buff.ly/m3WDcvP
September 9, 2025 at 8:30 AM
After a brief summer break we're back with Esther Lisk-Carew who works for AHEAD at @manmetuni.bsky.social. She helps to organise creative research engagement events. We talk about engagement as method, career precarity in the cultural sector, and Buffy 🧛🗡️
buff.ly/m3WDcvP
buff.ly/m3WDcvP
Making a big career move is always scary. Starting @researchimpactacademy.com threw up a whole load of mindset challenges for Tamika Heiden but, passion got her through and 11 years later she is still here and still helping people.
Listen to get inspired buff.ly/IZQFN5p
Listen to get inspired buff.ly/IZQFN5p
August 21, 2025 at 12:02 PM
Making a big career move is always scary. Starting @researchimpactacademy.com threw up a whole load of mindset challenges for Tamika Heiden but, passion got her through and 11 years later she is still here and still helping people.
Listen to get inspired buff.ly/IZQFN5p
Listen to get inspired buff.ly/IZQFN5p