Communicating research
Communication and dissemination activities arising from EPA-funded research are strongly encouraged and monitored throughout the lifetime of funded projects. EPA-funded research is communicated to a wide range of audiences, while ensuring that the underpinning science is not compromised. Significant societal and behavioural change is required to respond to climate change and to environmental threats and opportunities.
EPA Researchers Awards
The EPA Researchers Awards acknowledge and celebrate the work carried out by EPA-funded research teams.
Engaged communication and dissemination
Knowledge transfer
The EPA is committed to incorporating best practice Knowledge Transfer principles into its funding programmes. In recent years, there has been a growing recognition that policy-makers and regulators need to be well-informed by science for environmental policy to be most effective. EPA Research 2030 has a key objective to develop and engage more proactively in targeted knowledge transfer activities. Under the Framework, the EPA commits to ensuring that the knowledge and research outputs generated by EPA-funded projects, are efficiently transferred in an appropriate and readily usable manner.
Knowledge transfer activities are framed around target users’ needs. Such transfer will be enabled by pro-actively engaging with key stakeholders and users of the research in the:
- Framing of the EPA Research Calls (co-design).
- Post-award monitoring to support and provide guidance for the EPA-funded research projects (co-development).
- Transfer of the knowledge outputs through strategically targeted communication and dissemination activities (co-creation).
EPA-funded projects receive proactive support from the EPA to transfer research to policy and achieve impact.
The EPA-IMPACT project, funded by the EPA and coordinated by ERINN Innovation, has been running since October 2021 with the overall objective to support the EPA in ensuring that outputs from EPA-funded research projects are effectively and efficiently transferred to policy-makers and policy implementation actors to assist them in making timely and evidence-based decisions.
Guidelines on how you can implement a simple knowledge transfer methodology into your project
Source: ERINN Innovation Ltd.
Communication guidelines for EPA-funded projects
The EPA Research Programme has published a number of guidelines and tools to assist with the preparation and on-going evaluation of project communications. The guidelines will also assist in focussing on the key messages of the project, and in improving communication between policy makers, scientists and other stakeholders. The documents can be accessed via the following links:
- EPA Research Guidelines for Project Communication Plans
- Guidelines for EPA-Funded Project Twitter Accounts
- Research 131 - BRIDGE: Tools for science-policy communication
- Research 132 - BRIDGE: Good Practice Guide for Science-policy Communication
- Research 133 - BRIDGE: A Knowledge Transfer Guide for Researchers
- Research 284a: Research to Policy Impact through Effective Knowledge Transfer
- Research 284b: Knowledge Transfer Guidelines and Recommendations for Irish Funding Agencies
Excellent science also needs effective communication and dissemination. Sharing research outcomes with scientists, industry, policymakers, funders and public audiences fosters collaboration and innovation. Communicating the progress of publicly funded projects helps to demonstrate the societal relevance of scientific research and build support for future research and innovation funding.
How to approach creating a video explaining your project results
How to approach writing a summary of your final report