Professor Annette Fillery-Travis and Dr Russell Thackeray discuss the importance of research in fostering personal growth, challenging assumptions, and advancing professional practices. They discuss the benefits of applied research, the need for an open mind, and the significance of curiosity and skepticism in the research process.

They underscore the importance of research in surpassing routine and fostering personal growth, stressing the necessity of a critical perspective towards underlying assumptions in established research projects and personal assumptions. Annette also highlights the potential of research to challenge societal norms and professional practices. Both agreed on the necessity of persistence, flexibility, and continuous examination and refinement of assumptions throughout the research process.

They cite the idea of a scientist being "free of concepts", which means being open to new ideas and not being wedded to preconceived notions. They also discuss the concept of "making the familiar strange", which involves questioning established concepts and assumptions. They further discussed how concepts could be proven incorrect despite appearing to be correct and the importance of curiosity and skepticism in research.

You can find out more about research coaching and gather some resources at aftassociates.co.uk

Professor Annette Fillery-Travis and Dr Russell Thackeray are joined by Dr Siân Astley- Secrétaire Générale de EuroFIR AISBL

The group had a wide ranging conversation including:

The importance of interdisciplinary collaboration, open science, and disseminating research to a broader audience was emphasised, particularly in the context of biology, medicine, and food research. They discuss the challenges and considerations in engaging with open science, including issues related to data privacy, intellectual property, and the need for balance in protecting contributors while ensuring progress. The conversation also touched on the potential benefits of self-publishing, the use of repositories for sharing research materials, and the importance of clear planning, communication, and understanding in small research projects.

They also discuss the changing landscape of research and development. They highlight that whilst there is now greater accountability and competition, there is still room for "big sky thinking" and creativity. The concept of "open science" was also introduced, defined as making research as open as possible while closing it only when necessary. This approach, which is favoured by the European Commission, was contrasted with traditional publishing models, and Sian mentioned that it has led to new alternatives for organisations, including self-publishing.

They also discuss the concept of fair data, which is meaningless without proper documentation, and the importance of data exchange and interaction between specialties. Thet further touch on the role of citizen science in this context, citing examples of successful collaborations in other fields like Astrophysics and Mathematics. They both acknowledged that the current academic assessment process and concerns around data privacy are hindrances to this open science approach.

They also discuss the challenges of predicting the impact of research proposals, with an emphasis on the role of individuals in contributing to open science.

They highlight the value of due consultation and the potential benefits of using creative commons licenses for a more flexible approach to data sharing agreements.

Finally they touch on the challenges and considerations in small research projects, outlining the need for clear planning, communication, and understanding the terms and conditions of existing research tools. Additionally, they deliberated on research impact, policy engagement, and potential future research directions, such as global competency development in China.

You can find out more about research coaching and gather some resources at aftassociates.co.uk

Professor Annette Fillery-Travis and Dr Russell Thackeray discuss the importance of professional networks, the impact of research, and the need for openness and collaboration in their fields. They share success stories of collaborative research and the benefits of cross-sector collaborations, as well as the significance of actively disseminating research through various channels. Lastly, they emphasise the importance of open science, the use of open access repositories, and the shift in focus from the number of papers to the impact of research.

They also touch on collaborative case studies, and how to deal with Intellectual Property issues.

Annette shares her recent experience from an EU project where everyone was required to produce an estimate of their output's scale, and Annette highlights the importance of getting research out of the lab and into the public domain, as research that sits on a shelf doesn't contribute to knowledge. She also highlights the shift in focus from the number of papers an academic produces to the impact their research has. Finally, she encourages open science and emphasises the role of professional researchers in ensuring their research is used effectively.

You can find out more about research coaching and gather some resources at aftassociates.co.uk