Leeds Beckett University - City Campus,
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Nurturing a vibrant research environment in our Carnegie School of Sport - Research and Knowledge Exchange Awards 2024
As part of our Research and Knowledge Exchange Awards 2024, we are proud to share a series of blog posts celebrating our award nominees. In this post, Samantha Sherman, Research Coordinator in the Carnegie School of Sport, shares her experience of growing a vibrant research environment within her school, which has led to her nomination in the Research and Knowledge Exchange Professional Category.
My journey as Research Coordinator at Leeds Beckett University has spanned nearly two decades and reflects my deep commitment to nurturing a vibrant research environment. This dedication has played a big part in the growth and success of Carnegie School of Sport’s (CSS) research community.
One of the highlights of my role has been watching the school’s research community flourish - especially seeing postgraduate researchers’ (PGRs) progress into academic leaders themselves. When I first joined, the scale and scope of research in the school were relatively modest - but today, it’s grown exponentially.
Supporting key initiatives like the Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) 2008, the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2014, REF2021, and now looking forward to REF2029, I have been working with Director of Research, Professor Susan Backhouse, to focus on enhancing research quality and the school’s broader impact.
My role in supporting and establishing the Postgraduate Research (PGR) programme has led to a thriving community of over 200 PGRs - many of whom have stayed on at LBU as professors, readers, postdoctoral research fellows and lecturers, further strengthening the school and building connections with professional sports organisations.
For newcomers to the field, my advice is to create a supportive research culture, champion each other’s growth, and build a community based on shared knowledge. I am excited to continue growing our programme and shaping future research at Leeds Beckett.
Samantha Sherman
Sam Sherman is a Research Coordinator in the Carnegie School of Sport. In her role, she supports CSS staff and Postgraduate Researchers across all aspects of their research journey from PGR studentships to Research Excellence Framework (REF) assessments.
