Division appoints new Advocates for Research Staff and Impact

The Social Sciences Division is excited to announce three new appointments to support senior academic leadership in Research Culture and to foster the impact of social sciences research through innovation, knowledge exchange, and engagement: Professor Christiaan Monden as Advocate for Research Staff and Jacqui Broadhead as Advocate for Impact (Partnerships and Engagement) from January 2023, and Professor Alis Oancea as Advocate for Impact (Responsible Engagement and Innovation), who undertakes her appointment from April 2023.

Professor Heather Viles

Professor Heather Viles

'I am delighted to welcome Christiaan, Jacqui, and Alis in their important new roles,' says Professor Heather Viles, Associate Head (Research) of the Social Sciences Division.

'I know they will provide invaluable support to the Division's senior leadership in prioritising the experiences of our research staff and, in turn, in optimising researchers' engagement with partners in policy, industry, and the wider community, to ensure their insights and expertise continue to deliver real and tangible benefits to wider society.'

Social Sciences Division Advocate for Research Staff, Professor Christiaan Monden

2022 09 christiaan monden

Professor Christiaan Monden

Embodying the Division’s commitment to realising the University’s vision of providing a world-leading environment for research staff, as Advocate for Research Staff, Professor Monden will reinforce senior academic leadership in the Division to support Research Culture, and fixed term researchers in particular. This will include working in partnership with the Researcher Hub, other divisional advocates and departments to ensure the Division understands and responds to the needs of research staff and the changing external environment, as well as steering divisional and departmental initiatives to address the specific challenges faced by fixed-term researchers.

On his appointment, Professor Monden said:

Despite the pretty buildings, the true strength and beauty of this university lies in its people. Our collective success depends on our ability to provide opportunities and support to all our researchers. I’m looking forward to working with colleagues across the Division and University to provide an even better environment for our research staff, especially for the diverse group of fixed term researchers.

Social Sciences Division Advocate for Impact (Partnerships and Engagement), Jacqui Broadhead, and Social Sciences Division Advocate for Impact (Responsible Engagement and Innovation), Professor Alis Oancea

Fostering and enhancing the benefits to the wider world of social sciences research at Oxford is central to the Social Sciences Division’s mission. In their new roles as Advocates for Impact, Jacqui Broadhead (Partnership and Engagement) and Professor Alis Oancea (Responsible Engagement and Innovation) will bring strategic leadership to a wide range of activities in support of this endeavour, including by encouraging ethical and responsible engagement and innovation, contributing to improving reward and recognition for impact activity, and strengthening public and community engagement. They will work closely with the Division’s Associate Head (Research) and senior members of the Divisional Research, Impact and Engagement Team to enhance our existing culture of engagement, knowledge exchange, and innovation.

Jacqui Broadhead

Jacqui Broadhead

Reacting to her appointment, Jacqui Broadhead said:

Knowledge exchange and impact work have the capacity to ensure that the exceptional social sciences research at Oxford translates into making a real difference to people’s lives worldwide. Through my work leading the Global Exchange on Migration and Diversity and Migration Oxford, I have seen first-hand the benefits of developing long term partnerships and engagement with policy makers, practitioners and communities. I look forward to this new role, advocating for the importance of impact and supporting researchers to forge new connections, contribute to important debates and, ultimately, effect societal change.

Alis Oancea

Professor Alis Oancea

Professor Alis Oancea, who will take up her role from April 2023, said:

I am delighted to take on this new role and I look forward to working with researchers and professional colleagues across the Social Sciences Division on enabling and supporting responsible engagement and innovation. Colleagues' and their collaborators' rich experience, together with insights from national and international research on research, will be invaluable to the further development and consolidation of approaches, structures, and mechanisms for support and recognition that are conducive to fair, collaborative, reflective and sustainable research impact practice.