Professor Rowena Hill from Nottingham Trent University undertook an 18-month UKRI policy fellowship with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) developing evidence-based climate policy.
A Fellowship Shaped by Expertise
Professor Rowena Hill’s Fellowship was designed around her expertise in behavioural science and disaster resilience. Rather than being assigned a predefined role, she was given the flexibility to shape her contribution to the department – something that she found to be empowering and impactful.
“I was grateful for the trust this demonstrated in my ability to identify areas of mutual benefit. It allowed both the department and me to get the most out of the fellowship.”
This flexibility enabled Rowena to ensure decisions were backed by strong evidence and that the department had the right structures and knowledge-sharing networks in place to sustain long-term impact. One example was ensuring that local structures managing the impact of adverse weather had access to the latest thinking in resilience and preparedness.
Bridging the Gap Between Science and Policy
Rowena’s motivation to apply for the Fellowship stemmed from her previous involvement with the UK Government’s COVID-19 national Foresight Group. While that role gave her some insight into policy, she wanted to be closer to the decision-making process and understand how science feeds into policy.
Her fellowship provided her that opportunity. She gained a big-picture view of how different policy areas connect and how to tailor research to meet government needs. Recognising that many academics are unsure how their works fits into policy, Rowena used her experience to support others. She gave talks at her own and other universities, contributed to training courses and leadership events, and collaborated with sectors including the UK Fire Service to build knowledge networks and evidence systems.
Lasting Impact
Rowena’s fellowship has had a lasting impact on both her career and government policy. She was invited to join MHCLG’s Register of Specialists, where her insights continue to shape policy discussions. She also played a key role in strengthening cross-departmental knowledge-exchange by helping develop ethics and researcher concordat structures. These efforts helped build trust in the evidence base and connect research integrity with its application in policy.
Her confidence in working with government has grown significantly, and she now feels equipped to identify where her expertise can make a difference and how to collaborate effectively with decision-makers.
Advice for other Academics
Rowena advises academics to “use this experience to develop yourself and really think about how this can help to shape your future research and engagement” and to “take time to listen and absorb before jumping into outputs. Engage as widely as possible – policy areas are deeply interconnected and understanding that will help you have more impact.”
