Researcher Champions for Public Engagement
Leading to Engage (L2E) was a novel scheme to develop 16 mid-career researchers as institutional champions for public engagement. The first cohort of researchers joined the programme in 2015 and since then have all developed their PE practice and skills in all sorts of different ways. The scheme was made possible through funding from the Research Councils UK Catalyst Seed Fund, which was used to support training for the L2E cohort and provide budget to run their own engagement activities. The L2E cohort can offer advice and support on planning and carrying out engagement projects and can also help you to make contacts with other researchers in your College with an interest in engagement. The leading to Engage champions, through their work, leadership and encouragement of others helped set a changing culture that has led to greater visibility and appreciation of public engagement with research.
