Professor John Drury

Early career perspective

As an early career researcher looking at public behaviour in mass emergencies, I was interested in and motivated by the intellectual challenge, and I valued the importance of producing new knowledge. At that time, one of my colleagues was more interested in the practical aspects of the research. He encouraged me to think about the implications of our research outside academia, including through practice and policy. This was an important turning point in how I approached my research. I went on to produce an accessible report on the research on mass emergencies, written for non-academics, which resulted in many interested responses and an invitation to a practitioner event. This report formed the basis of conversations, with practitioners and policymakers, enabling me to establish new contacts and, later, impact on the field of emergency management. 

Career progression perspective

While I continue to be interested in and motivated by the intellectual challenge and producing good research, the transition from an early career researcher to an established academic means I have become significantly more strategic. For example, with my research team we wrote to a contact in the Cabinet Office to request a meeting to pitch our new research on public behaviour in false alarms. As an established academic, I now give recommendations and advice to relevant stakeholders and beneficiaries in addition to producing accessible reports. 

Early career advice

The most important thing you can do to lay the basis for future impact is to cultivate relationships with those outside of academia interested in your work. This can involve things like giving talks at public engagement events, attending practitioner conferences, and responding to media requests. 

Career progression advice

Keep a record of all your impact activity, including both the knowledge exchange / pathways activities (meetings, emails, conversations, public engagement) and the ‘outcomes’ (including testimonies from non-academic stating that your work has been useful or has changed what they do. 

Impact achievements

Changed training and guidance on crowd safety management and emergency response.