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Engaging the public with your research can be hugely rewarding and have benefits for everyone involved.

What motivated you to engage the public with your work?

RCUK recognise that public engagement can provide substantial benefits to the researchers involved in engaging the public, as well as providing a major contribution to society. Engaging the public can also improve the quality of research and its impact, by widening research horizons. Engaging with a non-specialist audience can enhance a researchers skills and benefit their career development and their institution

Describe the public engagement work you have done.

I am involved in taking forward the three aims of the RCUK Public Engagement with Research Strategy: 

1. Recognising and responding to public views
2. Inspiring young people
3. Supporting researchers

What are your top three tips for other researchers?

1. Think about the purpose of your engagement activity to inform the approach.
2. Think about the audience for your activity to engage them effectively
3. Take advantage of the support and resources available.

What are your top three resources to support your engagement work?

1. What’s in it for me? The benefits of public engagement for researchers: This RCUK publication includes a selection of some of the highlights and first hand experiences of a range of researchers across the UK of the positive benefits arising from engaging with the public. 
2. The engaging researcher: This Vitae and National Coordinating Centre for Public Engagement publication highlights some of the many ways researchers can engage the public, offers practical tips for getting started and explores how public engagement can benefit researchers and the public. 
3. Engaging young people with cutting edge research: An RCUK brochure providing helpful signposts and opportunities to both researchers and teachers on how to get started working together.