Conducting research ‘with’ and not just ‘on’ organisations

The reformulation of the evaluative criteria in the UK’s Research Excellence Framework in 2029 places increased stress on demonstrating research ‘impact and engagement’ defined as ‘the wider contribution of research activity to society and the economy’. It is important to consider routes to ‘impact’ in your academic career, not just for these reasons but also to create intrinsic motivation and job satisfaction. This chapter is designed to offer guidance on the basis of my experience of how that might be achieved. I take a collaborative, pro bono approach to working with organisations to create mutually beneficial outcomes. On reflection, this has worked well, so I analyse steps that are worth considering along the way to an impactful research career. However, because the path has not always been straightforward, I also reflect on those occasions when I have posed myself some serious questions about my research motivation.