Research Adjacent / Sarah McLusky
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researchadjacent.bsky.social
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
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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
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
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
November 6, 2025 at 1:57 PM
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
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
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
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
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
October 21, 2025 at 10:34 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
October 16, 2025 at 8:30 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
October 14, 2025 at 11:04 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
October 9, 2025 at 8:45 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
October 7, 2025 at 10:24 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
October 2, 2025 at 9:45 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
September 30, 2025 at 9:01 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.
September 25, 2025 at 10:15 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
September 23, 2025 at 8:45 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 🗡️ 🧛
September 18, 2025 at 9:02 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.
September 16, 2025 at 10:15 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.
September 11, 2025 at 11:01 AM
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
September 9, 2025 at 12:40 PM
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
September 9, 2025 at 8:30 AM
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
August 21, 2025 at 12:02 PM
The research world loves to debate about exactly what to call things. The term impact is sometimes used to talk about engagement, translation, knowledge exchange and the rest. I'm with Tamika Heiden - what we call it is less important than what we actually DO!
@researchimpactacademy.com
August 19, 2025 at 2:04 PM
I found this nugget fascinating! I always knew Australia was hot on research impact but according to Tamika Heiden, Australia might have initiated the whole movement! 😯 You'll have to listen to the podcast for the full story as well as Tamika's take on the current impact landscape around the world 🌏
August 14, 2025 at 9:30 AM
New episode out today 🥳 I'm chatting to Tamika Heiden of @researchimpactacademy.com about her journey from research to research impact, via knowledge translation. We talk about impact around the world and the challenges of starting her own business. Listen here buff.ly/IZQFN5p
August 12, 2025 at 8:45 AM
Who can relate to this? I know I can! Technology transfer professional Anji Miller is a huge advocate for mentoring but, until this year, she never quite managed to find the right mentor for herself. Hear Anji's take on the value of mentoring here buff.ly/7SFHhSA
August 7, 2025 at 12:30 PM