The OU’s Public Engagement with Research Catalyst ran from April 2012 to March 2015. The project involved a multi-disciplinary team, working on a series of work packages that connected with the NCCPE’s EDGE Tool.

Members of the OU’s PER Catalyst team, ‘An open research university’

The project was led by Professor Tim Blackman, who has now left the Open University to become Vice-Chancellor at Middlesex University. Professor Richard Holliman (Faculty of Science) was the academic lead on the project, and a co-Investigator. As the Open University’s Champion for Public Engagement with Research (2012-2015), he worked closely with Professor Blackman to strategically oversee engagement opportunities across the university’s research community. With support from Fiona McKerlie (Project Manager) and Drs. Astrid Wissenburg (Director, Research, Scholarship and Quality), Richard had strategic and operational responsibility for all aspects of the project, with particular responsibilities for leading the Leadership and Mission work packages.

The project team also included a number of other co-investigators and Research Associates:

• Professor Eileen Scanlon: based in the Institute of Educational Technology (IET), Eileen worked on the Communication work package, alongside Trevor Collins.
• Dr Trevor Collins: based in the Knowledge Media Institute (KMi), Trevor led the Learning and Communication work packages.
• Dr Richard Holti: based in the Faculty of Business and Law (also known as the OU Business School), Richard worked on the Support work package, working alongside Dr Gareth Davies, the Evaluation Research Associate.
• Dr Anne Adams: based in the Institute of Educational Technology (IET), Anne worked with Dr Ann Grand (Research Associate in IET) on the Staff work package.
• Dr Nick Mahony: based in the Faculty of Social Sciences, Nick worked with Dr Hilde Stephansen (Research Associate in Social Sciences) on the Students and Publics work packages.