Image: Dr Selina Johnson chairs the panel on building interdisciplinary collaborations, featuring Prof Michelle Briggs, Dr Jacqueline Waldock, Sam Mukhopadhyay and Dr Matthew Flynn.
Over 60 academics, researchers, postgraduate research students and professional services staff from across the university escaped the damp Liverpool weather to celebrate and discover more about developing interdisciplinary collaborations at the annual Research Staff Conference on Wednesday, 3 December. The conference theme aligned with the goals and values of Liverpool 2031, supporting the ambitions of our researchers to develop innovative and inclusive collaborations. The Celebrating Researchers Champions and Images of Research winners were also announced at the conference.
If you weren’t able to attend on the day then watch recordings of the conference Keynote, In Conversation and Panel on the conference website.
Beyond Boundaries: Developing an Interdisciplinary Mindset
Hosted by the Research Staff Association (RSA) and the Academy’s Researcher Development & Culture team, the conference provided opportunities for researchers to develop their interdisciplinary skills and learn from the experiences of speakers with a variety of backgrounds and roles.
The Keynote was delivered by Professor Iain Buchan, W.H. Duncan Chair in Public Health Systems and Associate Pro Vice Chancellor for Innovation, who shared his experiences of using data science and AI in health care and the change in perception of interdisciplinary research over his career. “I am delighted that [interdisciplinary research] is now encouraged,” said Professor Buchan. “There is a vast amount of value that you can unlock for human health by working together across disciplines.”
After lunch we were joined by Professor Anthony Hollander, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research and Impact, and Professor Georgina Endfield, Dean of the School of Histories, Languages and Cultures. Their conversation explored the Liverpool 2031’s interdisciplinary strategy, the roles of the University of Liverpool Research Frontiers in supporting and developing interdisciplinary research, and how researchers can position themselves to thrive in the current and future Higher Education environment.
Image: Professor Anthony Hollander discusses interdisciplinary research and University of Liverpool strategy.
In the afternoon we were joined by four outstanding panellists discussing how they build and maintain interdisciplinary collaborations. Prof Michelle Briggs, Clinical Professor of Nursing, Dr Matthew Flynn, Senior Lecturer in Music Industries, Sam Mukhopadhyay, Head of Cop UK Engagement and Planning, Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, and Dr Jacqueline Waldock, Lecturer in Music, all shared their top tips and insights into effective collaborations. Key takeaways were to always listen more than speak, to not be afraid of making mistakes (but learn from them!), to remember that the point of communication is to get to a point of mutual understanding, and to have confidence in your own knowledge and abilities whilst respecting the expertise of others.
Image: Attendees take part in the Prosper Masterclass.
The Prosper team and the Partnerships and Consultancy team also delivered engaging Masterclasses exploring the misconceptions around communication and providing support for how to develop partnerships beyond academia. Structured networking and wellbeing activities during the day helped attendees to connect and to reflect and recharge.
Information about the speakers and sponsors, along with wellbeing resources and self-reflection logs are available in the conference Virtual Delegate Pack. The Research Staff Conference 2025 was sponsored by Cytiva, Greiner Bio-One, Nikon Healthcare, Starlab and Thermo Fisher Scientific.
Celebrating Researchers in 2025
The invaluable role that research staff play at the university was celebrated at the conference with the Research Staff Community and Research Culture Champion prizes awarded by Professor Georgina Endfield. Research staff embody the university’s core values, conducting ambitious and innovative research, fostering an inclusive and positive research culture, and helping to achieve Liverpool 2031’s strategic objectives.
A total of 38 nominations were received for research staff from across all three Faculties were nominated for Celebrating Researchers 2025 for activities including building researcher networks, organising development events, coaching and mentoring postgraduate researchers and peers, forging links with organisations in the Liverpool region and beyond and participating in strategic steering groups.
“I was delighted to be able to celebrate the inspirational achievements of our diverse research staff community,” said Professor Endfield. “With their dedication and commitment, I am confident the University of Liverpool will achieve its goals in the coming years.”
The 2025 Research Staff Community Champion Prize was awarded to Dr Haifa Alhadyian of the Institute of Systems, Molecular & Integrative Biology. Dr Alhadyian has developed tailored resources to empower graduate students and postdocs to manage their career progression and has created resources to engage school students with science. She is also the founder of a podcast series fostering scientific collaborations and strengthening research culture within Arab societies.
Image: Dr Haifa Alhadyian is awarded the Research Staff Community Champion prize by Professor Georgina Endfield.
The 2025 Research Culture Champion Prize was awarded to Dr Kaitlin Schaal of the Institute of Infection, Veterinary & Ecological Sciences. Dr Schaal was recognised for her instigation of bi-annual group retreats, for writing her group’s Lab Handbook, for leading the lab to Silver in the Laboratory Efficiency Assessment Framework certification, and for delivering training for colleagues on topics such as data management and reproducible research.
View the full list of nominations and details of the two Research Staff Champions on the Celebrating Researchers 2025 page.
Images of Research 2025
The conference also saw the prizes announced for the annual Images of Research photography competition. Twelve thought-provoking and engaging images were submitted for the ‘Showcase Your Research’ category, highlighting the diverse and world-leading research that happens at the university. Showcased research included co-creation workshops on disability in Uganda, barriers to suburban densification, dementia in couples, medieval ribbed vaulting in Chester cathedral, antimatter experiments at CERN, and public attitudes towards data.
The winner of the Judges’ Prize was Rachel Lucy Clemett with her picture ‘Binary’, representing the tension between visibility and invisibility within disability narratives. The winner of the Public Vote was Dr Giamila Quattrone with her photo ‘Heres: Supporting Earth-Built Heritage Resilience in Southern Morocco’.
Image: The winners of the Showcase Your Research prizes. Left – ‘Binary’ by Miss Rachel Lucy Clemett. Right – ‘Heres: Supporting Earth-Built Heritage Resilience in Southern Morocco’ by Dr Giamila Quattrone.
This year’s competition also saw a new prize category ‘Researcher Journey’, allowing researchers to reflect on their careers. The judges picked ‘Beyond Borders, Beside You’ by Dr Sibel Cal Kayitmazbatir, representing the importance of personal relationships in supporting research careers. The Public Vote was won by Rachel Lucy Clemett with ‘An Unexpected Visitor’, highlighting the (sometimes) quiet solitude of research.
View all the images and read more about them on the Images of Research 2025 page.
Other Upcoming Development Opportunities for Research Staff
RSA Christmas Coffee Morning – Thursday, 18 December 2025, 10:30-11:15am – no need to register, just join us in the Researcher Development Studio (Room 316), 3rd Floor, 126 Mount Pleasant (Building 114 | Grid Ref. C5 on the University Campus Map). Email ResearchStaffAssociation@liverpool.ac.uk for more information.
How to improve grant success by partnering with industry – Thursday, 22 January 2026, 1-2pm, In-person. Grants are more competitive than ever, so join this RSA Lunch & Learn to explore how to improve your chances of success by partnering with industry. Register: https://RSALunchLearn_Jan26.eventbrite.co.uk
Research Fellows Showcase Call for Abstracts – Deadline Monday, 26 January 2026. Fellows, postdocs and other research staff are invited to submit abstracts to present at the Research Fellows Showcase 2026, happening on Tuesday, 12 May 2026 in the Cathedral Crypts. With research talks (open to fellows only), flash talks and posters (open to all research staff) available – there are dozens of opportunities to showcase your research, build your profile as a future research leader and make connections with other researchers across the university. Further information and submit your abstract here: https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/researcher/fellowships/2026/
Further information
The Academy’s Researcher Development and Culture Team is committed to offering support for all researchers, academics, research-enabling staff and postgraduate researchers at all career levels, providing opportunities and developing initiatives that meet their career aspirations. Colleagues are encouraged to regularly access the Researcher Development Programme for upcoming researcher development activities.