University of Edinburgh creates public research link panel

Four researchers from the University of Edinburgh have been appointed to "help promote the work of academia to the public".

They will join seven other Fellows as part of The Edinburgh Beltane Beacon for Public Engagement, a four year project in partnership with the University of Edinburgh intended "to bridge the gap between researchers working at the cutting edge and the people their research will affect".

The university received a record-breaking £249 million in research funding last year, a 17 per cent increase over the 2007/2008 academic year. The Edinburgh Beltane will make the benefits of this research apparent to a wider audience.

And there is more to the plan than simply public outreach, with one of the Edinburgh Beltane's stated goals being to "encourage citizen participation and understanding of areas of research relevant to public policy such as health and life sciences, energy and the environment".

According to the Edinburgh Beltane: "The public can communicate with the Scottish Parliament to influence decision-making and Edinburgh Beltane is tapping into this by offering people access to research expertise that’s relevant to public policy."

The academics include Dr. Stuart Lynn, an astronomer; Professor Antonella Sorace, a linguist; Dr Marieke Hoeve, an immunologist; and Dr. Alan Walker, a physicist. They will be showcasing research to the public over a period of six months.

Principal of the university, Professor Sir Timothy O'Shea said: "This is recognition not only of the University's performance, but also of the high standard of teaching and research that characterises Scottish higher education."

The University of Edinburgh was recently placed in the top 20 of the Times Higher Education - Quarterly Supplement World Rankings.