A year on: celebrating the first IHE Impact Fellowship cohort!
9 September 2021
In October 2020, we launched a brand new scheme to help researchers built skills and create impact. Here's how it went...
![Screenshot of the IHE Impact Fellows presenting](https://www.ucl.ac.uk/healthcare-engineering/sites/healthcare_engineering/files/styles/large_image/public/microsoftteams-image_2.png?itok=HL44AusF)
Pictured above: members of the 2020 IHE Impact Fellows cohort taking part in the live 'Science Showcase'
Last year, we unveiled a pioneering Impact Fellowship scheme, available to all researchers working across healthcare engineering at UCL.
The first of its kind at UCL, the scheme focuses on accelerating the impact of research by engaging beyond university walls, and developing researchers' engagement skills and networks.
Over the last year, our first cohort of 14 Fellows worked with policymakers, media, public, patient and community groups, growing their skills and building towards a tangible activity where they put their skills into practice. These activities ranged from Fellows hosting their own policy roundtables to workshops around contraceptive choices.
Science Showcase
![Impact Fellowship Science Showcase](https://www.ucl.ac.uk/healthcare-engineering/sites/healthcare_engineering/files/styles/medium_image/public/science_showcase_twitter.jpg?itok=xwokRNN7)
The Fellows had an opportunity to show off their skills during a public event hosted by podcaster and comedian, Steve Cross. 'Science Showcase'. The event gave the public a glimpse into ways UCL researchers are changing the world and challenged the Fellows to convey their research in a laidback, understandable manner.
You can watch the full hour-long Science Showcase sessions on YouTube:
What did the Fellows think?
“This Fellowship has been an amazing eye-opening experience. I’ve had the chance to learn so much in a short space of time, and the opportunity to connect with some amazing researchers! I’ve really enjoyed networking with so many interesting people/stakeholders and learning the different ways to create impact. - Dr Rupy Matharu, Research Fellow in UCL Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering
Impact Fellowship Scheme interactive report
We have created an in-depth interactive report that highlights more aspects of the pioneering scheme and features interviews with some of our 2020 cohort.