“Making an impact” is one of those phrases that sounds inspiring but can feel vague in practice. Is impact a single headline change, a new law passed, a startup scaled, or the steady, shifts that reshape systems over time? That question framed the kick-off session of the ReSkillSpan Impact Modules, where over forty researchers gathered to explore how their work can translate into real-world impact.
From the start, the session felt purposeful. Participants were an active cohort: asking questions, testing ideas, and iterating together. That energy revealed an early lesson: impact begins with curiosity and a bias toward action, not purely with big ambitions.
Participants were guided to reflect on their own “impact roles”: the unique blend of activities and roles you can fulfill as an impactful researcher. Several attendees described hybrid paths, for example a researcher who partners with community organizers, or a researcher who combines an artistic role with a research one. These hybrid identities enable translating technical evidence into decisions, programs, innovations and impact.
Next to the impact role of researchers, networks are a practical determinant of their impact. A well-evidenced idea has limited reach if it lacks the right channels and partners. Translating your research into each stakeholder’s language, such as policy briefs for officials, human-centered stories for communities, and prototypes for practitioners, is a skill as important as a sound methodology.
Communication mattered not only in content but in timing and empathy. Impact requires not just correct evidence but alignment with partners’ priorities and constraints. The session emphasized listening: understanding what stakeholders need to act, and adapting the ask accordingly. That may mean prioritizing a single, actionable recommendation over a long list of findings, or offering an early prototype rather than final results.
Perhaps the most encouraging takeaway was action orientation. Rather than leaving with abstract frameworks, participants sketched next steps: who to call, what data to prepare, and which pilot to run. That movement from reflection to concrete tasks is what turns intention into influence.
As the Impact Modules progress, the researchers will deepen network mapping, stakeholder engagement strategies, and practical communications tools. But the foundations are clear: meaningful change is rarely solitary or sudden. It’s a mix of clarity about your role, a willingness to operate across disciplines, strategic partnerships, and the persistence to iterate your plans and ideas.
Creating impact isn’t reserved for a select few. It starts with asking clear questions about whom you’re trying to influence, shaping your message for those audiences, and taking the first practical step. For researchers ready to broaden their reach, the path is less about abandoning scientific background and more about stretching how and with whom that expertise is shared
Author: Isabelle Hommes-Knoll, THRIVE Institute