How we’re supporting the projects that strengthen Wales’ research culture
There is a startling amount of excellent research coming from Wales at the moment, but the researchers producing that work need as much support as we can give them.
That’s where the Research Culture Networks Grants, which we are running in partnership with Medr, come in.
The first 14 projects we’ve supported show the importance of encouraging collaboration and partnerships in developing Wales’ research culture. The initiatives will all have a positive impact on the wider sector, by addressing key challenges and shaping best practices for a more inclusive, resilient, and healthy research environment in Wales.
Grants such as these recognise the expertise of those involved, while supporting a bottom-up approach to building research networks.
This is a further demonstration of how, working with Medr, the Learned Society of Wales can use its role as the National Academy to encourage research communities to work together on Wales’ research culture.
Here are details of the schemes we’ve supported:
Creative Coproduction in the EMPOWER Endometriosis and Women’s Health Research Culture Network
– Dr Rebecca Anthony, Cardiff University
This project uses creative, participatory methods to capture and make visible the often-undocumented processes of coproduction in women’s health research, addressing challenges around transparency, inclusion, and shared understanding within interdisciplinary research cultures. The project will benefit EMPOWER network members, people with lived experience of endometriosis, interdisciplinary researchers, and policy and third sector partners across Wales.
Cardiff University Research Technical Professional (RTP) Network
– Dr Kieran Aggett, Cardiff University
Establishing this network will strengthen awareness of how RTP roles advance research and address the persistent challenges surrounding RTP career recognition. This network primarily serves Cardiff University Research Technical Professionals, with potential future expansion across the wider Welsh higher education sector.
Wales Cancer Research Centre (WCRC) Early/Mid-career researcher (EMCR) Network Writing Retreat
– Dr Helen Pearson, Wales Cancer Research Centre (WCRC) and Cardiff University
This project will deliver a focused writing retreat to strengthen scientific writing skills and boost research outputs for early/midcareer cancer researchers. The funding will support WCRC EMCR Network members by providing accessible, high quality writing training tailored to their development needs.
Developing a cross-Wales Pharmacy Research Community of Practice
– Dr Sarah Brown, Cardiff Metropolitan University
The project supports a positive, sustainable pharmacy research culture by normalising research-related conversations, strengthening practice-academia connections and shared learning through monthly Journal Club sessions. Pharmacy professionals and academic partners across Wales will benefit initially, with ongoing collaboration supporting longer-term patient benefit.
Women’s Inclusive Network for Scholars at Cardiff Law & Politics (WINS): Pilot Scheme
– Melinee Kazarian, Cardiff University
This is a pilot network addressing gendered barriers to research progression by fostering an inclusive culture that sustains research momentum, confidence, and leadership across career stages. This network is open to women-identifying and non-binary researchers in Cardiff Law & Politics.
Advancing Human Neuroscience Across West & North Wales
– Dr Eva Balgova, Aberystwyth University
The project aims to address limited access to collaborative research networks in human neuroscience and neuroimaging infrastructure by initiating a partnership between Aberystwyth and Bangor Universities and Hywel Dda Health Board. The programme will benefit established and early-career researchers, as well as research-active clinicians.
Swansea International Race Equality Network (SIREN) Residential Mentoring Programme for racialised/ethnically minoritised Postgraduate Research Students
– Lily Owens-Atkins, Swansea University
Empowering researcher identity grounded in lived experience, this initiative fosters belonging (as pre-requisite to becoming) and enables participants to see themselves as vital contributors to a more equitable, inclusive and transformative research ecosystem. This project will benefit Racialised/Ethnically minoritised Postgraduate Research Students.
HEARD – Hearing Every Voice: Co‑creating an Inclusive and Diverse Research Culture for Climate Change and Health
– Julie Peconi, Public Health Wales NHS Trust
HEARD will strengthen research culture in the Welsh Climate Change and Public Health Research and Evidence Network by embedding inclusive, co‑produced approaches that address the disproportionate impacts of climate change on marginalised groups and ensure their voices shape research design, delivery and outputs as equal partners. HEARD will create an inclusive and diverse research culture within the Climate Change and Public Health Research and Evidence Network ensuring that co‑created outputs are relevant to all benefiting those with lived experiences; from ethnic minority backgrounds; researchers; practitioners; and policy stakeholders both in Wales and beyond.
Collaborative Futures: A Research Culture Network for Women in Legal Academia in Wales and Beyond.
– Stanislava Nedeva, Cardiff University
– This Network unites legal academics, creating collaborative spaces, to advance knowledge and share experiences that will promote visibility and challenge entrenched research cultures. It is open to women in legal academia at all career stages.
Write Now!
– Dr Elena D. Hristova, Bangor University
– Write Now! is a summer writing retreat that provides twenty half-day sessions of dedicated writing time, hosted in Caffi Caban, Brynrefail. Write Now! is designed specifically for female academics with caregiving duties: it facilitates daytime writing and reclaims evenings and weekends from compensatory academic labour.
Aberystwyth University ECR Network; a supportive and inclusive space for researchers to thrive
– Hannah Rees, Aberystwyth University
Four events will run for Aberystwyth researchers addressing research culture challenges faced by ECRs. The events will provide chances for interaction and collaboration as well as supporting training, wellbeing and personal development needs of Aber ECRs.
FMHLS (Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences) ECR Elevate: Research, Skills & Connection
Dr April Rees, Swansea University
This project will strengthen research culture across the Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences (FMHLS), Swansea Universty between February and August by establishing a faculty‑wide Early Career Researcher Network that addresses the core challenge of ECR isolation through co‑designed forums, skills training, and inclusive community‑building activities. The project is designed for Early Career Researchers across FMHLS (including later‑stage PhD researchers, fixed‑term research staff, and early‑career academics) who will directly benefit from improved community, equitable development opportunities, and strengthened research culture.
North Wales Research Culture Network: Strengthening Cross-Institutional and Cross-Sector Collaboration Across Borders
– Eranda Abeysinghe, Wrexham University
A North Wales focused research culture network will tackle fragmentation across geography, career stage and institutions by running two co-designed workshops and two roundtables. It will support early and mid-career researchers, researchers with protected characteristics, and staff in regional Welsh institutions, plus public sector including councils, third sector and industry partners, producing podcasts, blogs and visual outputs.
Black Voluntary Sector Research Network (BVSRN): Amplifying Global Majority Leadership in Wales’ Research Culture.
– Dr Edward Oloidi, University of South Wales
– BVSRN elevates the strengths, expertise and leadership of Global Majority Voluntary Sector organisations by co creating a collaborative framework, evidence library and guidance that embed community-rooted excellence and equitable research practice across Wales. The network will benefit GMVS organisations, university researchers, policymakers and grassroots researchers seeking to strengthen equitable, community-rooted research practice in Wales.