1:30-3pm, Weds 29 April 2026, online
Interested in learning about policy engagement, influence, and impact in your research career? This foundational session will provide an overview of policy and policy engagement in the UK, helping you navigate and approach these areas effectively. You will learn about articulating what parts of your research are ‘policy relevant’; learn about policy actors within and beyond government and parliament and start to identify key actors for your own research; and learn some common methods for engagement to have in your toolbox.
Led by Dr Sarah Weakly (Research & Knowledge Exchange Lead, University of Glasgow College of Social Sciences/Centre for Public Policy) and Kimberley Somerside (Policy Engagement Lead, Centre for Public Policy).
The webinar will be chaired by the Coast-R Network’s Prof Stuart McLelland. Stuart is Deputy Director of the Energy and Environment Institute at the University of Hull and Professor of Water Science, conducting research focused on the experimental modelling of rivers and coasts, and particularly understanding how climate change impacts on these environments.
The webinar will take place via teams. To book your place please click the link below:
Meet the Speakers
Dr Sarah Weakley
Sarah is a Research and Knowledge Exchange Lead at the College of Social Sciences Research Support Office and the Centre. In her College role she advises social scientists on all aspects of their knowledge exchange and external engagement activities, including funding applications, impact training, and engagement activities with public sector and policy partners.
Within the Centre, she leads training provision on policy and political engagement for University of Glasgow researchers and the Centre for Public Policy Practice Fellows programme. She has a PhD in Social Policy and a Masters in Public Administration, where her research focussed on poverty and social security.
Kimberley Somerside
Kimberley leads the Centre’s policy and external engagement programme of work. This includes supporting events and engagement, policy training and running Spotlight ‘the public policy and political process podcast’. She also supports the delivery of Policy Labs, Policy Schools and other policy engagement opportunities.
Kim’s background is in policy engagement in public health, health inequalities and the third sector. She previously led the Policy Engagement for Voluntary Health Scotland and worked for the political monitoring agency Newsdirect. She was a founding member of Women in Public Affairs Scotland.
