Senior Research Fellow Dr Bryonny Goodwin-Hawkins has been selected as one of 44 academic fellows who will work within 21 government departments. Following a pilot in 2021 run by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Policy Fellowships programme has now more than doubled in scale and expanded the range of research disciplines involved.
The 2021 pilot demonstrated the value of academic input to a range of policy challenges by informing the development of policy in a range of areas. For this round of fellowships the following high-priority policy areas have been identified:
- Building a green future
- Securing better health, ageing and wellbeing
- Tackling infections
- Building a secure and resilient world
- Creating opportunities, improving outcomes
- Data and evaluation (additional fellowship focus area)
Bryonny will take up one of three Fellowships with the Welsh Government, supported by the ESRC. She will spend 18 months providing expertise towards a policy roadmap for local government finance reform. Bryonny said, “I’m honoured to have been selected as a 2023 UKRI Policy Fellow. The Fellowship offers me a real opportunity to apply my research skills to practical policy questions. How local government is financed matters for the people and places councils serve. I’m looking forward to working alongside Welsh Government colleagues to help deliver positive change.”
The fellowships will enhance the relationship between academia, government and research organisations by improving the flow of evidence, insights and talent. The overall aim is to help fulfil the potential of research and expertise to inform and shape effective public policy and its implementation. The 2023 scheme is funded by:
- Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC)
- Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC)
- Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC)
Bryonny is a Fellow of the Regional Studies Association, and has contributed to the National Innovation Centre for Rural Enterprise (NICRE) since 2020. She is currently a lead researcher in the Horizon Europe project RUSTIK, which is developing new data and methods to help policymakers make better decisions for sustainable transitions in rural areas.
Matt Reed, CCRI Director said “I’m delighted for Bryonny. The fellowship is built on a sustained body of work and achievement, which reflects her commitment to research for the public good, and I’m looking forward to the fruits that this next research period will bring.”
Further information regarding the fellowships can be found on the UKRI website.
