The Knowledge Exchange Unit supports the exchange of information between UK Researchers and Parliament. They prepare a list of opportunities for researchers each week, which we will be disseminating in part through this blog.
If you are engaging in any of these opportunities, please email Glenn Harris or Suzi Edwards.
New opportunities for researchers to engage with Parliament (compiled 26th May 2021)
These opportunities have been compiled by the Knowledge Exchange Unit (KEU) in UK Parliament.
The KEU supports Parliament to communicate its research and expertise needs to the research community, and supports the research community to engage with Parliament. Take a look at the KEU’s webhub of information and resources for researchers.
These opportunities and resources have been sent to members of the KEU’s informal network for Knowledge Mobilisers, for circulation to researchers and others (find out more about the network here).
Engagement opportunities
- Select committee inquiries launched since last Thursday, 20th May 2021
- ‘Digital Literacies for a Healthy Democracy’ events, 11th and 18th June 2021
- Call for experts in energy sector digitalisation: reminder (deadline 28th May 2021)
- PhD Fellowship opportunity with POST in food science and technology open to applications: reminder (deadline 7th June 2021)
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- Select committee inquiries launched in the last seven days (since 20th May 2021)
- Principles of effective regulation | Public Accounts Committee | Deadline for evidence submission: Monday 7th June 2021
- DWP Employment Support | Public Accounts Committee | Deadline for evidence submission: Thursday 10th June 2021
- The long-term impact of the pandemic on towns and cities | Lords COVID-19 Committee | Deadline for evidence submission: Wednesday 30th June 2021
- Find all select committee inquiries open to submissions of written evidence here.
Why should I engage? Submitting evidence to a select committee can lead to further engagement, such as an invite to give oral evidence. Your submission will be published on the Committee webpage. Your insights may inform the Committee’s conclusions or recommendations it makes to the Government. Find out more about why to engage with Parliament here. And find more on engagement for impact here.
Support resources: find guidance on submitting evidence to select committees on the KEU’s ‘how to guides’ page
- ‘Digital Literacies for a Healthy Democracy’ events, 11th and 18th June 2021
These two events on the future of digital literacies – one UK focused and one international focused – will bring together academics, practitioners and policymakers to discuss the current digital literacies landscape and talk about possible future paths. They are being hosted by Dr Elinor Carmi as part of her Parliamentary Academic Fellowship project – ‘Digital literacies for a healthy democracy’ – with the House of Commons Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) Committee.
If you are an academic, practitioner, activist, educator, or policymaker working in the following areas, you are invited to attend and join the debate! Your participation and contribution are extremely valuable to this work.
- digital/data literacies
- digital/data inequalities
- digital/data inclusion
- all topics around education
The discussions are meant to raise important issues around digital literacies in different contexts. The beginning of the panel will start with questions prepared in advance and then the discussion will be open for questions from the audience that will be asked on the Q&A section.
Register for Friday 11th June, 14:00: UK focused event.
Register for Friday 18th June, 14:00: International focused event.
Why should I engage? Insights from the event will be included in a final report for the House of Commons DCMS Committee.
- Call for experts in energy sector digitalisation
This is a reminder that POST (Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology) is looking for experts to speak to about energy sector digitalisation, as they create a research briefing (POSTnote) on this topic. They would like to interview academics and experts who could contribute insights on:
- the use of digital technology within the energy system
- benefits provided by ‘digitalisation’
- disruptions to present methods of energy generation, transmission and use
- applications of the most relevant digital technologies to the energy sector, and associated benefits
- barriers to deployment across technical and policy dimensions.
Experts may be asked for an interview to share their insights, which would take place before the end of June. They may in addition be asked to externally review a draft of the POSTnote once it is written, which would be in July.
To recommend an expert, or to put yourself forward, please complete this form by 17:00pm on Friday 28th May 2021.
Why should I engage? POSTnotes are used by Members of the House of Commons and the House of Lords and UK Parliament staff to navigate complex research. Contributing to a POSTnote is a good way of feeding your research into the UK Parliament as part of a trusted, impartial publication. All contributors are acknowledged online when the POSTnote is published. On publication, you and your organisation’s communications team will be notified to publicize the POSTnote and your contribution. Therefore your contribution can help raise your profile and promote your research. Contributing to a POSTnote may lead to research impact as understood in the context of REF2021.
Support resources: find more information about contributing to a POSTnote as an expert
- PhD Fellowship opportunity with POST in food science and technology open to applications
This is a reminder that the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (POST) is currently recruiting for the 2021–2022 IFST-POST fellowship.
Applications are open to PhD students of UK universities researching a food science and technology topic. Applicants should be in the second or third year of their PhD studies, undertaking research studies related to Food Science and Technology at a UK university (NB students who will start their second year of studies in September/October 2021, and those who are writing up their theses but have not yet graduated are also eligible to apply). For all its fellowship schemes, POST welcomes and encourages applications from underrepresented groups.
The deadline for application is 23:59 on 7th June 2021. Find out more about the IFST-POST Fellowship.
Why should I engage? Fellowships offer the opportunity to work closely with a team in Parliament, supporting and informing its work, building capacity or helping evolve processes, or delivering a unique project. Find out more about why to engage with Parliament here. And find more on engagement for impact here.
More information: Find out more information about the Parliamentary Academic Fellowship Scheme here. And find information about the outcomes and impacts arising from previous fellowships here.
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