King's College London

Guy’s Campus CommuniTEA

Project leads: Julia Vlachaki Walker (WSPaRC), Elisa Martelletti (WSPaRC), Laura Fedele (WSPaRC)

Other project applicants: Darren Williams (CDN), Alina-Cristina Marin (WSPaRC), Zhaklin Chalakova (CDN), Ediz Hussein (Business Support Manager), Leanne Lu (Senior Business Manager), Rebecca Upsher (Psychology), Salim Hashmi (Psychology), Samantha Walters (Senior Business Support Officer), Darcey Kirwin (WSPaRC).

Project description: We hope that the Guy’s Campus CommuniTEA coffee mornings will bring people together to foster a sense of community and belonging while promoting a positive research culture. These gatherings are a chance to share ideas, highlight local initiatives, and build meaningful connections that could inspire collaborations, mentoring relationships, and a more supportive, vibrant campus environment.

In reviewing this project, the Research Culture Fund Panel described it as “A simple idea to create a lasting impact of inclusion.”

Find out more about upcoming Guy Campus CommuniTEA events here.

Creating a Consciously Inclusive Research Culture

Project leads: Stefania Tognin (Psychosis Studies)

Co-leads: Yuya Mizuno (Psychosis Studies), Katherine Beck (Psychosis Studies)

Project description: Our project, "Creating a Consciously Inclusive Research Culture," aims to significantly improve Research Culture within the Psychosis Studies Department. By fostering a better understanding of allyship and psychological safety, we hope to create a more inclusive and supportive environment. The workshop will address key challenges identified in the IoPPN Cultural Survey, such as working dynamics, bullying, and harassment. Participants will learn practical skills to enhance inclusivity and psychological safety within their working environment, ultimately leading to a more collaborative and positive research community.

In reviewing this project, the Research Culture Fund Panel described it as a “Very interesting project and clearly rooted within existing school data, with a clear outline of need.”

Monthly mingle: Drop-in lunches with the Joint R&D Office

Project lead: Dr Tanya Shlovogt (R&D)

Other applicants: Lauren Moult (R&D), Dale Batham (R&D), Ishtaah Persand (SLaM Research Nurse), Silian Martinez (R&D), Ann-Marie Murtagh (KHP CTO Director)

Project description: R&D Joint Office monthly drop-in lunches are a chance for researchers, staff and students to discuss their general or study-specific questions about Research and Development (R&D). This is a great opportunity to learn more about the different ways that the Joint R&D Office of South London and Maudsley and the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience are able to support you, while enjoying a free lunch! We will aim to answer your questions around:

• Set up, Amendments and Governance Processes
• Contracts and Funding
• Regulatory Approvals
• Support Departments (KHP CTO, King's Clinical Research Facility (CRF), Pharmacy)
• EDGE
• Commercial Studies

These sessions will also help us to understand how to improve our processes, making the managing and delivery of studies smoother for all.

In reviewing this project, feedback from the Research Culture Fund Panel found "this project idea simple yet potentially effective, with realistic and achievable impacts across the faculty, particularly in relation to addressing the 'us versus them' dynamic.”

Sign up for these events here: Monthly mingle: Drop-in lunches with the Joint R&D Office Tickets, Multiple Dates | Eventbrite

Data Sharing Workshop

Project lead: Matthew Grubb (CDN)

Other project applicants: [Grubb Lab members] Ana Dorrego-Rivas (CDN), Haoming You (CDN), Deyue Kong (CDN), Wing Ka Lo (CDN)

Project description: We’re hoping this event will promote positive research culture by improving Open Science practice, specifically in encouraging researchers to freely share the raw data underpinning their publications. As a lab we’ve been doing this for over 7 years now and can testify to its benefits, but we often hear from other researchers that although they’d like to start sharing their data, they’re unsure how to start doing it. This workshop is designed to give people from across the career spectrum all of the practical know-how and advice they need to start their own data sharing practices!

Feedback from the Research Culture Fund Panel said: “An amazing one-off event that could lead to better understanding of data sharing and lead to better collaboration.”

A standardised course and toolkit to promote a positive open research culture

Project lead: Samuel Westwood (Psychology)

Other applicants: Paolo Deluca (Addictions), Sarah Byford (Health Services & Population Research), Aneita Pringle (Vice Dean Research/Research Office), Sara Villa Hernandez (Wolfson SPaRC), Olivia Kowalczyk (Neuroimaging)

Project description: Our project promotes positive research culture by providing training in open research practices and equipping researchers with practical tools for transparency, openness, and error detection. By addressing gaps in training and resources not currently offered by King’s, we aim to empower researchers to adopt rigorous and reproducible practices.

In reviewing this project, the Research Culture Fund Panel described the project as "strong, with a clear plan, impactful goals, and a well-structured timeline."

Research Breakfast Club

Project lead: Caroline Stokes (Psychology)

Project description: The Children and Young People’s Psychological Trainings team is commissioned by NHS England to deliver postgraduate training to CAMHS practitioners. Our team is staffed by qualified clinicians employed as tutors to teach and assess our postgraduate trainees in a range of CBT-based interventions for children and young people.

Our tutors frequently express an interest in being involved in research and this monthly Research Breakfast Club aims to support them to develop their interests and skills in research, with the aim of offering increased opportunities to be more actively involved in research undertaken by our team.

Feedback from the Research Culture Fund Panel said: "A lovely, well planned and considered idea, particularly taking the working hours of the tutors into consideration.”

Seeding Open Science

Project lead: Sara Villa Hernandez (Wolfson SPaRC)

Other project members: Samuel Westwood (Psychology), Yo Yehudi (Open Life Science)

Project description: Seeding Open Science’ is a 12-week mentoring and training programme which aims to support and empower researchers and staff to become the new open science ambassadors within the department community and own projects. One of the main objectives is to help our participants develop understanding of open research practices, open leadership and open communication, skills that are transferable across different domains beyond scientific research. This will ultimately help them to involve contributors from their research fields and teams and ensure validity and sustainability of their project in the long term.

In reviewing this project, the Research Culture Fund Panel described the project as an "incredibly well thought out and detailed application matching many of the themes. The timeline of the project has been planned meticulously.”