At ISCRR, we appreciate our talented team members’ wonderful work by showcasing it. This month, we are putting the spotlight on the extensive research impact work delivered to date by Dr Magdaline Koutsaplis and Dr Jimmy Twin, by asking them to share their insights on three questions:
1. What is research impact?
Jimmy: “The NHMRC defines research impact as the verifiable outcomes research has made to areas like building knowledge, improvements in individual or societal health, as well as economic gains or savings. At ISCRR, we track where research is read, what decisions are made as a consequence of our research, and where those decisions lead to.”
Magdaline: “It’s important to add that we are unique at ISCRR in that all of our research is developed from questions posed by those who will use the research. So, while we certainly track the impact metrics associated with academic publications, our focus is on the actions of the decision-makers who request our research.”
2. Why is research impact important to measure?
Jimmy: “Well, I feel it is important for any researcher to have an interest in research impact. At ISCRR, we are involved in research impact for two reasons. Of course, firstly, we need to justify the research investment made, but more importantly, our aim is to improve the lives of the Australian working population. How can we possibly achieve this aim if we do not do a bit of impact measurement?”
Magdaline: “Put simply, reward and improvement. Research impact helps us determine whether our research has hit the mark. If one of our projects does not lead to their intended impacts, what happened? Is that something we have some control over in the future? Certainly, for our projects that do well, it’s nice to have good news stories and feel that our research is making a difference. On the other hand, the opportunity to improve is also quite energising.”
3. What advice would you give to someone looking to start measuring research impact in their organisation?
Jimmy: “Good luck! [Laughs] It is not an easy process to start, but it is worth the effort. The more you learn and can connect with those who will make decisions based on your research, the easier it is to plan how to measure impacts, and to ensure research translation activities hit the mark.”
Magdaline: “Yes, it has been quite a journey. Do not try to do this retrospectively! Carve out some time at the start, throughout the project and be proactive about it. The highest quality data we get is when we have a good working relationship with those who will use the research, and we capture the impact as it happens. If you wait, there is always a chance those key contacts move on. The link is broken, you may miss out on the opportunity to measure those longer-term impacts.”