Public engagement support for Life Sciences researchers

What can we do for you?

Whether it's help with a public engagement grant section, training, planning an activity, or support for evaluation and reflection, the SLS Public Engagement team are here to help!

Events

Regular calls to participate in School-led events are communicated via email. If you want to take part in other events or organise your own, contact us directly or attend one of our monthly drop-in sessions (details below).

If you have participated in an event, please contact us so we can track levels of engagement from staff and students in the School.

Resources

There's no need to reinvent the wheel! The team has put together helpful resources to make your public engagement experience as smooth and robust as possible.

• Got an idea for an event, activity or project? Use our Public Engagement with Research Planning Guide to see if it fits with our School strategy.
• Feedback and evaluation is important - check out our Public Engagement with Research and Scholarship Evaluation Framework 2023-2028 for our outcomes and indicators with evaluation methods and our logic model. 
• Further resources are available in the SLS Internal Documents SharePoint folder
  • SLS Overview of PE guidance
  • PE grant application guidance
  • Uploading entries into Discovery Portal

For information on events management, risk assessments and work experience, please visit the SLS Safety SharePoint.

Training

Throughout the year the School of Life Sciences, Talent and Development Team and Research and Innovation Services (the Doctoral Academy and Research Culture and Environment) offer training events for staff and postgraduate students. There are courses which are public engagement related or provide opportunities to learn skills that can translate to public engagement activities. 

If you don’t see a training opportunity that you feel would help you with your participation in public engagement, please get in touch (details below).

University of Dundee Public Engagement Network and newsletter

The University of Dundee Public Engagement Network is a group of people committed to public engagement. Open to all staff and students who have direct roles in delivering, advising or supporting public and community engagement activity. The Network meets every 6-8 weeks.

Join the Public Engagement Network

Sign up for the Public Engagement Newsletter

University of Dundee Public Participation and Involvement Network

The Public Participation and Involvement (PPI) Network is for researchers, teachers, and anyone else in the University, who involve the public (including patients, service users, and communities) in research and teaching activity. The PPI network combines a short case presentation with discussions on experience, on topics relevant to public involvement such as ethics, encouraging diverse participation, the community perspective, and public affairs. In this way, the network aims to facilitate public involvement and recognise the importance of public involvement in achieving impact and engagement.

The network is co-chaired by Dr Jean McEwan-Short and Dr Leeanne McGurk. Please contact them to learn more about the Network and upcoming meetings.

Funding

Public engagement with research is now a vital part of grant applications. We have collated information that should help get you started. If you would like to discuss your plans further, please get in touch with us by email as there are many ways that we can support you.