Occasional Speaker – Claire Gordon

The Liberty Mutual Research Institute for Safety has a wonderful publication, From Research to Reality®, whose title captures the powerful motivation shared by many of us working in applied research and scientific policy. No matter what our particular discipline, each of us wants to make a positive difference; we want to be part of significant and lasting solutions to real world problems. But the paths from exceptional science to successful real world impact are rarely straightforward:  they’re complicated & arduous, and they often require skills we don’t learn in academia. Moreover, successful research to reality transition may require a fundamental shift in paradigm that places “Reality to Research” considerations on equal footing throughout the research and transition process.

In this informal engagement we’ll discuss how research and research communication done for decision making and policy development may differ from traditional academic research, and consider how these differences influence successful proposal writing, research designs, statistical methods, communication, and teaming in the “real world.” In response to audience questions and interests, Dr. Gordon will share her successful & unsuccessful experiences in obtaining funding, communicating research results to stakeholders, promoting collaboration among competing interests, and generating the consensus needed to impact policy in both the Department of Defense (DoD) and in the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).