Faculty Research and Impact support team
We provide high level support for academic research and impact activity, including PGR, by identifying and responding to opportunities, and working collaboratively with researchers to achieve their objectives. We provide advice based on previous experience, e.g. of funding applications and of the framework of internal and external policy surrounding this activity.
We work with research and finance teams within the Schools and with central departments, including Research Support Office, Business Consultancy and Innovation, Research and Partnership Development, Research and Impact Strategy, External Relations, the International Development Office, the PGR Student Team and the Liverpool Doctoral College, to facilitate and develop academic research and impact activity.
Our areas of responsibility are identified below and we are happy to discuss any aspect of research and impact with interested colleagues.
Ms Maeva Zimmermann
Research Development Officer
Maeva leads on the delivery of activities that support the Faculty’s research income ambitions. Overseeing the Faculty’s growing income portfolio (ca £4m), this includes identifying and disseminating strategic funding opportunities, providing tailored support for strategic funding bids, design and coordination of Faculty peer review and selection processes, organising funding-related events, and providing research income management information via income performance reports.
As the key point of contact for Principle Investigators and Co-Investigators developing strategic funding bids in HSS, she coordinates support across central departments (such as the Research Partnerships and Development Team and the Research Support Office) and the School Research Support Teams.
Maeva supports researcher development activities through her coordination of the Faculty ECR Network (intranet link), staff training and induction events and development of digital resources (intranet link).
She also supports aspects of the Faculty’s REF submission and planning for future research assessment exercises.
maeva.zimmermann@liverpool.ac.uk
Mr Nick Jones
Digital Content Coordinator
Nick is responsible for raising the profile of Faculty’s Research. He does this by producing and maintaining digital content through multiple channels such as the intranet and web pages, our regular newsletter and blogs which profile colleagues and opportunities within the Faculty, plus our social media presence (@livuniHSS) which we use for communicating opportunities, news, events and celebrating our successes.
Nick also works with the Faculty Research Theme Leads to ensure digital content is created, shared and updated about the themes and contributing research. Beyond this, Nick helps create content publicising the wider research activities and focusses across the Faculty, including research impact features and the ‘Tales From The Square’ podcasts. He also supports marketing and communications projects for a variety of colleagues and projects across the University.
Dr Chris Williams
REF and Impact Manager
As a senior member of the Faculty Research Impact Support team, Chris leads projects to deliver priorities and projects around Research Impact, REF Governance and Research Culture. His role includes the embedding of the concept and delivery across the faculty at all levels, but also has oversight of the portfolio of impact case studies for REF 2029.
Supporting the APVC for Research Excellence, he leads on the Faculty’s preparation for REF 2029 and subsequent submissions as part of the wider Institutional Research and Impact Strategy (RIS) Team. Chris monitors and interprets elements of the external research policy landscape, proactively identifying areas of relevance. He then designs programmes of support to raise awareness of both internal and external policies to facilitate compliance.
Ms Cat Tully
Impact Evidence Coordinator
Cat develops and implements new procedures and support to enhance the research culture of the Faculty.
Reporting to the REF and Impact Manager, Cat works with academic Impact Leads and other researchers engaged in impact activity, with a focus on developing best practice guidance, partnership and collaboration, and impact for funding bids. In addition, she works alongside strategic partners to develop evidence of impact.
Ms Grace Beer – Impact Evidence Officer
Grace is responsible for supporting the evidence collection and strategic provision for the impact projects within the faculty. She runs the Graduate Impact Scheme, as well as managing the Policy Impact Assistants, who all help to develop the research projects, focussing mainly on evidence collection for the REF submission.
Grace helps to drive forward the development of impact activities through targeted financial support, training and workshops and one-to-one support based on the strategic priorities and external demand as well as feedback from the Academics within the faculty. Working closely with the REF manager and central impact team, she helps to promote best practice in the faculty and enhance the research culture and impact related work.
Ms Paige Johnson and Mr Ganapathy Muthuthandavam
Policy Impact Assistants
Paige and Ganapathy have been appointed to support with the impact case studies within HSS in a fixed-term role initially until the end of the Academic year. Paige is focussed on supporting testimonial collection, and building up relationships with key policy makers and Ganapathy is focussed on finding policy citations through literature searches and building algorithms for this. Reporting to the Impact Evidence Officer, their role is to enhance the impact projects within the faculty, and to make sure that they can be evidenced in the best way possible as we move towards another REF submission. Ganapathy is also a current PhD student in the faculty, and Paige has recently passed her viva.
hspjohn2@liverpool.ac.uk, g.muthuthandavam@liverpool.ac.uk
Dr Jacky Waldock / Dr Peta Bulmer
Impact Fellows
Jacky and Peta bring a wealth of specialist experience to the team in the evolution of the impact process, and in the direct support of impact case studies. Working with the Impact Officer, they help embed impact into research design, and with the planning of evaluation and methodology. They take specific responsibility for areas such as ECR Impact development and training, public engagement and education, and work with individual researchers and departments to enhance and support impact development.
- Member of the Faculty Impact Forum
jwaldock@liverpool.ac.uk | peta.bulmer@liverpool.ac.uk
Mr Max Barlow
Research & Impact Administrative Assistant
Max provides administrative support for the Faculty Research & Impact Team, overseeing the organisation and logistics of key committees and groups, including minute taking and scheduling. He works with finance teams for purchasing and maintains the team inbox and calendars. Supporting the coordination of annual audits and maintains faculty databases, as well as assisting with research funding applications and peer review processes.
- Minutes Secretary to the Faculty Research & Impact Committee (RIC)
- Minutes Secretary to the Faculty Research Management Group (RMG)
Ms Hayley Meloy
Faculty Doctoral Training Officer
Hayley is the Manager of the ESRC North West Social Science Doctoral Training Partnership (NWSSDTP) and the AHRC ‘Crafting Care’ Doctoral Focal College, with responsibility for all aspects of coordinating these PhD funding schemes across the constituent universities. In addition, Hayley is responsible for supporting new doctoral funding bids and training provision within the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences.
- Secretary to the ESRC NWSSDTP Academic Management Committee and Strategy Board
- Secretary to the AHRC ‘Crafting Care’ Doctoral Focal College Academic Management Committee
- Member of the AHRC North West Consortium DTP Academic Management Committee
- Member of the Faculty PGR Committee
- Secretary to the Faculty Doctoral Training Steering Group
Dr Chris Egan
PGR Enhancement Officer
Chris works closely with the faculties director and deputy director of PGR as well as other PGR leadership staff across the faculty supporting PGR student recruitment, wellbeing, employability and data.
Christopher.Egan@liverpool.ac.uk
Mr Nathan Elsdon
PGR Administrator (Digital Communications)
Nathan is responsible for the communication of funding opportunities and events to PGR students in the Faculty via the fortnightly PGR bulletin and the HSS PGR social media accounts (Bluesky, LinkedIn and Instagram), as well as maintaining the Faculty PGR web pages and Faculty PGR Training Catalogue.”
Ms Nicola Rankin
Faculty PGR Enhancement Coordinator
Nicola works closely with Chris, Nathan, and the Faculty’s director and deputy director of PGR. She works with PGR leadership staff to support PGR student wellbeing and employability.
- Minutes Secretary to the Faculty PGR Committee
Dr Julie McColl
Doctoral Training Partnerships (DTP) Coordinator
Julie coordinates support for PhD students who are funded through the ESRC and AHRC funding schemes at the University of Liverpool. Julie is the key point of contact for student queries and is responsible for overseeing EDI and wellbeing activities, organising training courses, administering annual doctoral funding competitions, and communicating upcoming events and opportunities via monthly newsletters.
- Minute Secretary to the ESRC NWSSDTP Academic Management Committee
- Minute Secretary to the ESRC NWSSDTP Strategy Board
- Secretary to the ESRC NWSSDTP Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee
Ms Amy Connolly
Doctoral Training Partnerships (DTP) Placement Coordinator
Amy is responsible for coordinating the NWSSDTP Research in Practice Placement Scheme, the ESRC-funded initiative which requires all ESRC-funded students (since 2024) to undertake a three-month placement during the course of their PhD. Amy organises placements with non-HEI Partners and other universities to which students can apply, as well as supporting students to develop their own placement opportunities. Amy also has a broader responsibility for supporting collaboration with non-HEI Partners, by coordinating the annual CASE Studentship Competition and acting as secretary for the NWSSDTP Training, Employability and Knowledge Exchange Panel.
- Member of the NWSSDTP Academic Management Committee
- Secretary to the ESRC NWSSDTP Training, Employability and Knowledge Exchange Panel
Mrs Sarah Elsdon
Doctoral Training Partnerships (DTP) Administrator
Sarah is responsible for the administration of the ESRC and AHRC students’ expense claims, additional funding competitions and cohort events. Sarah also provides administrative support for the annual doctoral funding competitions.
- Minute Secretary to the ESRC NWSSDTP Training, Employability and Knowledge Exchange Panel
- Minute Secretary to the ESRC NWSSDTP Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee