DigitalChild WinterSchoolProgram
12:15–1:05 Arrival and Lunch
Acknowledgement of Country & Winter School Welcome
1:05–1:15
1:15–1:45
Professor Susan Danby, Centre Director & Professor Donna Hancox, Assoc Dean of Research, CIESJ
Session 1: Building your profile (Karen Cavu)
Defining your researcher identity activity
This activity asks you to summarize who you are as a researcher / what you offer / your point of difference / what you are seeking
LinkedIn exemplars and best practice & coaching
1:45–2:15
2:15–2:45
2:45–3:00
3:00–3:30
This session reviews profiles of alumni / industry leaders and helps you identify what great profiles look like for different purposes
LinkedIn (or alternative platforms including personal website) practice
This practice session gives you time to review and update your own profile based on best practice principles, with some time for peer and expert review
Q&A / learning summary
Time for follow-up questions, and for you to evaluate your own next steps based on what you learned in Session 1
Break (use this time to practice your researcher identity pitch!)
Session 2: Networking through conversation (Karen Cavu)
Defining your researcher identity activity
3:30–4:00
4:00–4:30
4:30–4:40
ENDOFDAY1
4:40–5:00
This activity asks you to summarize who you are as a researcher / what you offer / your point of difference / what you are seeking
Plan your conversations practice & coaching
This practice session gives you time to tailor the template for your own conversations and map an Informational Interview Record.
Conversation roleplay
This activity creates opportunity to practice and refine your questions for industry partners, for feedback and preparation for tomorrow's Industry sessions
Q&A / learning summary
Final opportunity to ask questions and for you to embed your learning from Session 2
Session 3 and 4: Objectives
Understand the importance of research engagement and impact in the HDR/ECR journey.
Identify key stakeholders and plan engagement strategies
Learn the five key components of an effective impact statement.
Recognise the value of clearly communicating the impact of your research.
9:30-9:35
Welcome to Day 2
Michelle Gregory, HDR Liaison Officer
Session 3: Natalie Jones and Chris Cahill
9:35–9:40 Introduction Context-setting
Workshop goals and expected outcomes
Understanding Engagement vs Impact
9:40–9:50
9:50–10:10
Clarify the distinction: engagement as a process; impact as change Definitions used by universities, major funders, and the global research ecosystem
Overview of different types of research impact
Stakeholder Mapping & Engagement Planning
Identify key stakeholders and practical engagement strategies
Activity: Use the Stakeholder Engagement Template to identify one key stakeholder and one achievable engagement action for your project
Outcome: A draft engagement plan that participants can begin to implement
Share-back & Reflection
10:10–10:15
10:15–10:30
10:30–11:00 Morning Tea and Networking Day2 Tuesday4August2026,9:30am-12:10pm
Group discussion of insights and common challenges
Stakeholder Engagement: Outputs & Supporting Evidence
Identify outputs and evidence from research collaboration
What counts as evidence of research impact (and what does not)
Leading vs lagging indicators
Collecting evidence over time
Potential sources of evidence
Session 4: Natalie Jones and Chris Cahill
11:00–11:20 Working with Industry Partners
Short interview with QUT investigator (allowing time for Q&A)
11:20–11:30 Impact Planning Frameworks
Introduction to logic models
How logic models support impact planning and evidence collection
Impact Statements
Introduce the five-part impact statement framework
Presentation of example impact statements by QUT investigators
11:30–11:50
Activity: Participants draft a short impact statement based on current or future research using the Impact Statement Template
Outcome: Practice articulating research impact clearly and persuasively
11:50–12:00 Communicating Engagement & Impact
Tailor messages for different audiences
Repurpose impact narratives for grant applications, researcher profiles, engaging with collaborators
Wrap-up & Questions
12:00–12:10
Key takeaways | Next steps
Support resources
Final questions
12:10
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