UTS CRICOS PROVIDER CODE: 00099F Big Picture Research Translation, Altmetrics and Impact uts.edu.au Alex Byrnes Research Publication Officer, RIO

1.Research translation and the pathway to impact 2.Upcoming changes in the research impact space 3.Influencing the translation process 4.How do Altmetrics tie in? 5.Resources – watch this space! uts.edu.au

Measuring Research uts.edu.au Qualitative – HERDC... now ROC (Research Outputs Collection) Quantitative – ERA (Excellence in Research for Australia) Performance - "track record", grant proposals, promotion applications... Impact Academic "Broad"

Research Translation uts.edu.au

Why does this matter? uts.edu.au 1.Engagement and Impact Consultation Paper (National Innovation and Science Agenda) 2.Parallel exercise to ERA 2018 dedicated to measuring “impact” (ARC) 3.Conversations about “impact” will become more common around UTS (and other Australian Universities) – trial “Impact” can be a loaded word, and is used to refer to some vastly different things

So, what is “impact”? “Impact” was defined in a specific way in the trial (in line with UK REF) “An effect on, change, benefit to the economy, society, culture, public policy or services, health, the environment or quality of life beyond academia” uts.edu.au It does not include impact on research or the advancement of academic knowledge, nor impacts on students, teaching or other activities within UTS. ARC definition: "...demonstrable contribution that research makes to the economy, society, culture, national security, public policy or services, health, the environment, or quality of life, beyond contributions to academia."

And what is “engagement”? ATSE defined engagement as: “the interaction between researchers and research organisations and their larger communities / industries for the mutually beneficial exchange of knowledge, understanding and resources…” OECD focus on knowledge transfer and commercialization defined as: “the multiple ways in which knowledge from universities… can be exploited by firms and researchers themselves so as to generate economic and social value and industrial development” uts.edu.au

What does that mean? uts.edu.au

Wait, what does that mean? uts.edu.au “Impact” (in this sense) is NOT: Citation counts Altmetrics counts H-index Journal impact factors “Impact” (in this sense) IS: The benefits to society (whatever facet that may be) that have happened because research was adopted Enhancing health care to diabetic patients of South Asian Job creation Being instrumental in the design of policy or frameworks Etc, etc, etc

How will “impact” be measured? uts.edu.au ?

Influencing the translation process uts.edu.au Targeted stakeholders – Translation Toolkit, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute Unintended beneficiaries Altmetrics?

Influencing the translation process - identify uts.edu.au Early identification – ideally built into a research proposal (along with clear aims, designs, and outcomes)

Influencing the translation process - prioritize uts.edu.au High power Satisfy Opinion formers/Policy makers. Keep them satisfied with what is happening and review your analysis of their position regularly. Actively Engage Key stakeholders who should be fully engaged through full communication and consultation. Low power Monitor This group may be ignored if times and resources are stretched. Inform Recipients of research. It may be helpful to take steps to increase their influence. Low impact / stake holdingHigh impact / stake holding

Influencing the translation process - engage uts.edu.au Information giving – newsletters, fact-sheets, website, publications, etc Information gathering – one-to-one interviews, questionnaires, focus groups Consultation – consultation papers, public meetings Participation – research participants Collaboration – advisory group, research team, steering committee

The unintended beneficiaries uts.edu.au Unexpected uptake / adoption of research Stakeholders not originally identified Open access – availability of research Public speaking, etc

Metrics in the translation process uts.edu.au Easy! BUT not necessarily correct Bibliometrics used as academic impact measure Altmetrics potential to track targeted stakeholders, and help identify unintended beneficiaries

Altmetrics uts.edu.au Potential to show social reach (could that eventually lead to indicating social impact??) Detecting when research is being passed down the information chains HOWEVER - "shallow" and true ability to track this limited by citing conventions (or lack of) in the media

uts.edu.au New stories that link to specific research outputs Social media mentions Demographic information to help contextualise data from metrics Policy mentions

Using Altmetrics uts.edu.au Complement traditional metrics Contextualise – don't just cite counts Author, A. (2015). "Title." Journal name. Doi: /10.100x. Paper covered by more than 100 media outlets worldwide, including The Wall Street Journal and The Guardian. Recommended on 12 research blogs, putting it in the 99th percentile of Biology publications published in Author, A. (2015). "Title." Journal name. Doi: /10.100x. Citations: 4. Other metrics: listed on Altmetric.com as being in the 96th percentile of papers published in Journal name and the 87th percentile of papers published in International: this paper has been mentioned, bookmarked, or viewed in at least 43 countries.

Resources uts.edu.au AHRM self-evaluation tool – how do you measure “changing perceptions”? evaluation/ REF impact case studies – all discipline areas Developing UTS resources – Staff Connect, Symplectic Impact working group