Join us in celebrating ten years of successful impact generation at our 2023 Impact Festival.

This one-day event will showcase impact success stories, offer you a chance to find a partner from another Scottish university, and give you the opportunity to access funds for impact collaborations. Inspirational sessions include a keynote speech from Mark Miodownik and skills development and networking facilitated by Skillfluence.

The IAA Impact Festival is organised by the five Scottish universities with EPSRC Impact Acceleration Accounts (IAAs): University of Edinburgh, University of Strathclyde, University of Glasgow, Heriot-Watt University and University of St Andrews.

Plenary sessions

Our keynote speaker is Mark Miodownik, Professor of Materials and Society at UCL. He champions materials science research that links to the arts and humanities, medicine and society. Mark established the Institute of Making, where he is a director and runs the research programme. He also recently set up the Plastic Waste Innovation Hub to carry out research into solving the environmental catastrophe of plastic waste. Mark is a broadcaster and writer on science and engineering issues, and believes passionately that to engineer is human. In 2018 he was awarded an MBE for services to materials science, engineering and broadcasting.

The keynote will be followed by lightning talks from impact leaders from the five leading Scottish universities in science and engineering. The speakers will share their experiences of creating different types of impact from social and policy impact to industry collaboration, commercialisation and company creation. Learn how our speakers have leveraged the support available to them to further their career and translate their research into impact. The speakers are:

Dan Hodgson, University of Edinburgh, The Physics of Goo: Impact from soft matter and complex fluids
Laura Wicks, Heriot-Watt University, Lothian Lugs - flipped the model of university engagement
Charles McLeod, University of Strathclyde, Innovation to impact: Enhancing through-life asset management, from cradle to grave
Ross Gillanders, University of St Andrews, Lightwater Sensors
TBC, University of Glasgow

Networking sessions

Skillfluence will facilitate structured networking that will allow you to meet other researchers from across Scotland and creatively explore opportunities to collaborate.

Exhibitors

In the exhibition space, you will meet funders and innovation hubs that can provide support for your impact activities. The exhibitors are:

Converge
Scottish Policy and Research Exchange
Scottish Enterprise: High-Growth Spinout Programme (HGSP)
Interface
Data Lab
ICURe
West of Scotland KTP Centre

Photography and filming

There will be an official photographer and videographers on the day to record the event and create promotional materials. If you do not wish to be photographed or filmed, please speak to a member of staff upon arrival. We will provide you with a sticker to alert the photographer and videographers.

Privacy notice

Please find our privacy notice on the IAA Impact Festival website.

Spaces are limited. Register now to secure your place!

In partnership with:

IAA Impact Festival 2023