I head the team within PPLS that works to maximise the exchange of knowledge between researchers in philosophy, psychology, and language science at the University of Edinburgh and a wide range of stakeholders whose work or activities can benefit from the School’s academic research. This includes policymakers, practitioners, third-sector organisations and advocacy groups, the creative industries and wider society. My team and I work to build capacity amongst academics to enable them, and their research, to engage with such knowledge users, and to broker relationships between academic and non-academic stakeholders that will be mutually beneficial. We also work to identify and curate evidence of non-academic impact resulting from PPLS research, so this can inform further productive engagement, and related benefits this produces, between researchers and non-academic knowledge users in Scotland, the wider UK, and globally.

My role is to help maximise the exchange of knowledge between researchers in the social and political sciences at the University of Edinburgh and those knowledge usurers whose activities might be advanced through the outputs of such academic research, including policy makers, practitioners, and wider society. Through maximising such knowledge exchange (KE) activities, it is intended that sociological research will potentially bring significant socio-economic benefits to Scotland, the wider UK and internationally.

The Genomics Forum is a novel initiative in the field of social science research. It develops links between scientists and social scientists working across genomics, and connects research in this area to policy makers, business, the media and civil society in the UK and internationally.I managed the strategic development and delivery of communications and marketing (both traditional and digital) on behalf of the Genomics Forum and the wider ESRC Genomics Network. Key achievements in this position include:• Maximising publicity for engagement initiatives through strategic planning of PR and marketing activities, and ensuring their effective delivery, including increasing reach through digital channels including Twitter (doubling followers to over 3000) and blogs (42,000 page-views in 14 months).• Successfully generating national and international media coverage for high-profile events, such as a full-page feature article in The Observer on an expert conference co-organised with the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).• Increasing brand recognition amongst key stakeholders through the use of digital and traditional communication channels, for example: as managing editor for "the gen" – the Genomics Network magazine – produced a full colour magazine with an ultimate circulation of 4000 print and electronic copies – a substantial level of subscription for a publication in this sector.

SNIFFER is a cutting-edge environmental research, thought leadership and knowledge brokering organisation providing services to government, independent bodies and commercial organisations.I led communication strategies for SNIFFER, and the projects for which the organisation was responsible, in order to maximise engagement with target audiences and stakeholder groups. My main achievements included:• Auditing marketing and communications to identify improvement opportunities, and subsequently developed a marketing/comms strategy in order to increase brand reach/recognition.• Leading on the rebranding and repositioning of the organisation – as part of the above strategy – to successfully modernise its image and more closely aligning this to a rapidly evolving market.• Redeveloping the organisation’s website, including the integration of social media, to increase visitor traffic and awareness of services and related outputs.• Developing a media engagement strategy resulting in, for example, national BBC radio coverage of a climate change seminar organised by SNIFFER.

The Festival of Politics is a key part of the Edinburgh summer festivals, promoting participation in matters of political interest among those attending this annual event. Since inception, the initiative has engaged several hundred thousand visitors, and annually features in excess 50 high profile events and a world-renowned, international photojournalism exhibition.As Director of the PR, marketing and production of this initiative, I attracted tens of thousands of visitors to the Scottish Parliament each year, and won awards for its significant public engagement. My main achievements include:• Leading the branding, marketing and PR strategy covering web, print, and social media. • Successfully achieving a ticket uptake of 93% in 2010, and generating substantial media coverage spanning over 50 articles and broadcast packages.• Formulating the programme and securing the participation of headline contributors ranging from Annie Lennox to Armando Iannucci, as well as diverse stakeholders such as Amnesty International and The Carnegie UK Trust.• Leading the project management of all technical and logistical requirements associated with transforming a national parliament into a 750 seat public venue and exhibition space.• Securing a nomination for a Channel 4 award for political engagement, and receiving a Scottish Government Excellence Award.

The Scottish Parliament is the primary democratic forum within Scotland, with its decisions having a major influence upon the direction of Scottish society. My role was crucial in supporting the functioning of the organisation and the work of Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs), facilitating both plenary and committee meetings of the institution through:• Guiding the decisions of the Parliament’s Presiding Officers and Committee Conveners.• Producing documents crucial for facilitating meetings of the Parliament.• Providing advice and support to Members to enable them to fulfil their representative roles.

Robin Harper was Scottish Green Party Leader and the first Green to be elected to a UK parliament. Ensuring the successful engagement of this high-profile politician with both media and constituents demanded multiple skills covering media relations, preparing speeches and articles, and amending legislation. Key achievements include:• Securing the lead story on BBC Scotland TV news, highlighting health and safety issues within Scotland.• Building profile-raising campaigns on diverse issue such as hate crime and energy conservation, through authoring motions for Parliamentary debate and questioning government ministers.

My skills and expertise in campaign development, public relations/affairs, and policy formulation were in demand whilst freelancing to support the communication needs of a number of high-profile clients, based within the UK and internationally. Working for commercial, government and third sector organisations key achievements included:• Developing and fronting a PR campaign on behalf of a global conservation organisation that successfully raised the profile of the threats faced by the marine environment.• Providing key guidance to an environmental NGO in its campaign, and subsequent legal review, leading to the protection of UK deep-water marine areas from threats posed by development.

Marine Conservation Society is the UK’s leading marine-dedicated environmental NGO. I played a central role in successfully delivering a number of campaigns for the organisation and maximising media coverage for these, including:• Editing and leading the media launch of the best-selling Reader’s Digest Good Beach Guide.• Engaging the media during the Sea Empress super-tanker disaster, resulting in my appearing on Radio 4’s Today programme, amongst other substantial media coverage.

I was responsible for managing Scotland's first Marine Nature Reserve - at St Abb's and Eyemouth - and providing policy advice on marine conservation issues to the organisation.