Erinma Ochu, Public Engagement Fellow, Wellcome Trust

Change takes time, persistence, commitment, care, collective action. How does this fit with academic pressures to produce journal publication after journal publication and busy teaching commitments?

If you’re into social and environmental change, there’s a tension, a challenge with coming at change from an academic perspective where your contributions to wider society and the environment might not be valued. For me, the reward, is a feeling – not money, not promotion – but a sense that day-by-day a different world is crafted when our work is shaped by outside influences and we are ourselves open to change.

I discussed these issues at a recent research seminar at the Open University as part of their Engaging Research series. You can watch a recording of the seminar below. (Slides here.)

Challenges

There is the opportunity to grow shared resources at the edge. Whilst this is not without its challenges, as we explored during the workshop, and as by others, take heart from a growing network of flipped academics, extreme citizen scientists and citizen social scientists. Gradually people are beginning to see the value of how you work.

From my own personal experience, some tips…

1. Find mentors to guide you

2. Connect to networks that can support you

3. Share your story with others

4. Use ethical principles to guide you

5. Take time off

And remember… let your passions shine through – the future, begins in the here and now.

Stay in touch: Erinma Ochu or twitter.com/erinmaochu