Volunteer support capacity building of RMAs from the African continent

Walcott Communications specialises in the higher education sector, providing strategic advice and support for research communication and research impact activities. It offers a mix of training events for academics, supporting professional services staff to improve support for research impact, and also working directly with researchers helping them to devise and implement their knowledge exchange and engagement objectives

I am a communications consultant specialising in research communication, particularly in relation to research impact. I work on short term projects for UK universities and other organisations in the HE sector. I offer a mix of training (Intro to Impact, Pathways to Impact and Embedding Impact), consultancy on strategic support for research impact, and also work directly with researchers helping them to implement their communications and KE objectives.

Responsible for management of EPSRC IAA and supporting research impact across the university

I have been asked to join the communications advisory board for BESS (www.nerc-bess.net) based at the University of York. I am quite excited about it!

Working with Professors Piran White and Hilary Graham at the University of York, on this ESRC-funded research project which aims to highlight the interconnections between the health of the population and the health of the ecosystems. The project’s communication challenge is to engage two communities, with different language and motivations, to find a common conceptual space to share and discuss the linkages and mutual benefits between the environmental and public health sciences. It is a short project, just 18 months, so it's going to be interesting!

This is a exciting project working with Northumbria University to create and deliver a university wide impact strategy and implementation plan. I am partnering with Nicola Mitchell (Bring to Life Ltd) Should finish phase one by the end of 2013...

Editor of CMPO's biannual magazine Research in Public Policy.

I managed a small market research project for PolicyBristol, based in the Faculty of Social Science and Law

Working with the brilliant Dr Mark Reed and Dr Anna Evely, helping them to deliver their knowledge exchange one day training, based on the KE guidelines they developed for LWEC

Group workshops and one-to-one feedback session for a selection of the university's REF impact case studies

Consultation on case studies and workshop

Assist and advise on REF 2014 Impact case studies for UOA 22: Saskia Walcott was commissioned by the Department of Social Sciences at the University of Sunderland as a consultant to help us develop our REF submission, particularly in relation to the impact agenda. Saskia worked with us over a 12 month period conducting a ‘needs assessment’ in relation to our development of the REF documents and tailor making a toolkit to enable us to embed impact in our research agenda not just for the REF but beyond. The recommendations made included how to improve our web presence, how to develop impact strategies for new research, the need for shared impact database accessed and completed by everybody as an archive of our dissemination and impact activities; as well as how to improve our REF submission, particularly in relation to building our impact case studies. Following the recommendations we secured further QR funding to develop an Impact database which is being considered as the model to be rolled out across the university; and which is being shown to other universities. There is no doubt in my mind that our REF submission was improved as a result of the work and advice from Saskia. Saskia’s input and style was knowledgeable, informed, professional, honest, direct, always helpful and delivered with a sense of humour. We had a lot to learn and there was the opportunity for bruised egos. However, the manner in which the advice was given meant was always positively critical and immensely helpful. I have recommended Saskia to others and have no hesitation in doing so.

Working with RCUK and the Ri on an exciting Olympic themed public engagement project

Commissioned to research and write the organisation's ten year history