Research & Innovation Services

The Lab for Academic Culture

About the Lab

The Lab’s focus is the maintenance, development and enhancement of positive academic cultures in which everyone can thrive.

  • The Lab is a space for creativity, collaboration, and the testing and piloting of new ideas and initiatives.
  • The Lab houses recognisable and trusted expertise drawn from a number of specialisms and areas of the university.
  • The Lab has an advisory role in the establishment of the university’s Research Culture Priorities, and Action Plan.
  • The Lab provides a connecting structure for relevant internal projects across University Services and strategies.
  • The Lab provides ongoing reflective critique of University of Glasgow Research/Academic Cultures, through a range of evaluation mechanisms.

The Lab works in tandem with the Research Culture Commons – a university wide network for everyone connected to research at the University of Glasgow.

 

2025 Terms of Reference for the Lab for Academic Culture

 Lab for Academic Culture Logo

Membership of the Lab for Academic Culture

As a space for creativity, collaboration and the generation and testing of new ideas, the Lab convenes a team of experts from across the university to support ongoing reflective analysis, and to ensure connectivity and alignment across university strategies and strategic projects.

The Lab is led by Co-Directors Professor Chris Pearce (VP for Research and Knowledge Exchange) and Dr Kay Guccione (Head of Research Culture and Researcher Development) and comprises the following cross university membership:

  • VP Research and Knowledge Exchange
  • Head of Research Culture and Researcher Development
  • Executive Director of Research Services
  • Academic Lead for Inclusive Research Practice
  • Academic Lead for Good Research Practice
  • A (Deputy) Dean of Research (1-year term)
  • A Dean of Graduate Studies (1-year term)
  • Challenge Programmes Director
  • Research Culture Manager (Lead for Collegiality, Recognition and Careers)
  • Fellowships Development Manager
  • Head of Research Policy Governance and Integrity
  • Research Enhancement Manager
  • Research Integrity Manager (Lead for Research Integrity)
  • Research Information Manager (Lead for Open Research)
  • Wellcome Institutional Research Culture Project Manager
  • VP Learning and Teaching
  • Head of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
  • People & Organisational Development Business Partner (Promotion, and PDR)
  • Chair of the Research Professional Staff Network
  • Two Research Staff Representatives (1-year term)
  • Two PGR Representatives (1-year term)
  • 3 External Advisors (2-year term)
  • Scottish Research Cultures Collaboration Manager (SFC)
  • Plus, invited members as required to serve the Lab’s agenda

Working Groups

In addition to overseeing the University's Research Culture Action Plan, the Lab for Academic Culture has several ongoing project-based working groups:

  1. Activating Communities for Culture Change - led by Dr Rachel Herries (Research Culture Manager). This project brings different segments of the community together to catalyse action towards a positive research culture.
  2. Power Relationships and Research Integrity - led by Dr Sam Oakley (Research Governance and Integrity Manager). This project aims to explore the intersections of power relationships, research misconduct and interpersonal behaviour.
  3. Data Sharing Community - led by Valerie McCutcheon (Research Information Manager). This project aims to develop a community informed about the value of data sharing and who are active in data sharing practices.
  4. DORA and CoARA Working Group - Chaired by Prof. Lisa DeBruine (Academic Lead for Good Research Practice) and Dr Rachel Herries (Research Culture Manager): The San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA) aims to improve the ways in which the output of scientific research is evaluated. The Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment (CoARA) is a collective of organisations committed to reforming the methods and processes by which research, researchers, and research organisations are evaluated.
  5. InFrame Project, led by Dr Kay Guccione (InFrame Project Lead) and Charlotte Bonner-Evans (InFrame Project Manager): The universities of Glasgow, Edinburgh and St Andrews have been awarded £3m to create a new framework for inclusive research leadership – the InFrame Project – recognising that a skilled collegial approach is critical for the development of supportive and equitable cultures, and foundational to the aspirations set out in our research culture action plans. 
  6. Inclusive Research Practice - Led by Prof. Doris Eikhof, Academic Lead for Inclusive Research. IRP gives us the tools to do inclusion meaningfully, as a valuable and valued aspect of how our research is done, not just a box ticking exercise. Browse the Inclusive Research Practice web pages to learn more about how our projects and initiatives can support your inclusive research practice, at the University of Glasgow and beyond. 
  7. Narrative CVs - a Research Services Directorate collaboration: this project spans all areas of work for Research Services from recruitment and promotion, to demand managed funding calls, to REF2029. We work collectively on our growing Narrative CV resource bank. 

Outputs, Awards and Impact

2026

  • Guccione, K. (2026 July 4-8) How might we create a culture of thriving through research relationships: moving from small actions to grand designs [Invited presentation]. Federation of European Biochemical Societies, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
  • Herries, R., & Guccione, K. (2026, March 5). Activating people and projects through an all-schools research culture and environment away day [Conference presentation]. Scottish Research Cultures Showcase, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK.
  • Inframe Team (2026, March 2). InFrame Culture Catalyst Fund Projects [Symposium]. Scottish Research Integrity and Culture Week, Scotland, UK.
  • Unwin, A. (2026, March 2). The InFrame Community Hub [Conference presentation]. Scottish Research Integrity and Culture Week, Scotland, UK.
  • Axelithioti, P., McDonald, C., Gourlay, E., & Jackson Ireland, H. (2026, March 2). The importance of being earnest (and collegial, and disruptive) [Conference presentation]. Scottish Research Integrity and Culture Week, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, Scotland, UK.
  • Bonner-Evans, C. (2026, February 27). The why, what and how of mentoring: The benefits of mentoring for early career researchers [Keynote presentation]. Developing Your Research Career Through Mentoring and Networking, Bangor University, Bangor, Wales, UK.
  • InFrame Team. (2026, February 24). Increasing collegiality in research: Lessons from the InFrame Project [Online symposium]. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CgMKwEGzbqc
  • Attenborough, R., & Ploin, A. (2026, January 21-22). Evaluating what hasn't happened yet? A creative methodological response to the challenge of evaluating a 2-year cross-institutional culture change project [Conference presentation]. Researcher Education and Development Scholarship (REDS) Conference 2026, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland, UK.
  • Axelithioti, P., & McDonald, C. (2026, January 21-22). Disrupting hierarchies: An examination of the InFrame Project [Conference presentation]. Researcher Education and Development Scholarship (REDS) Conference 2026, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland, UK.
  • Backwell, L., & Lim, C. (2026, January 21-22). Giving voice to the community: Co-creating a framework for research culture change [Conference presentation]. Researcher Education and Development Scholarship (REDS) Conference 2026, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland, UK.
  • Guccione, K. (2026, January 15). Maximising development through a whole culture approach [Keynote presentation]. Postgraduate Pedagogies Conference, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, England, UK.
  • Crabtree, E., Guccione, K., & Stefanatos, R. (2026). What does researcher independence and the hidden curriculum mean for postdocs? A collaborative autoethnographic study. Innovations in Education and Teaching International, 1–16. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14703297.2026.2655328

2025

  • Abidin, Z. U., & Guccione, K. (2026, December 1-4) Making the hidden labour visible: Mapping leadership, collegiality and support networks underpinning research culture funding success [Conference presentation]. Society for Research into Higher Education International Conference 2025, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, England, UK.
  • Backwell, L., Lim, C., & Gardener, D. (2026, December 1-4). Giving voice to the community: Co-creating a framework for research culture change [Conference presentation]. Society for Research into Higher Education International Conference 2025, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, England, UK.
  • Axelithioti, P., McDonald, C., & Vazquez Martin, C. (2026, December 1-4). Role modelling collegiality in an interdisciplinary research support team [Conference presentation]. Society for Research into Higher Education International Conference 2025, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, England, UK.
  • Lim, C., & Abidin, Z. U. (2025, June 10) InFrame presentation [Conference presentation]. Scottish Technical Conference 2025, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland, UK.
  • Abidin, Z. U., & Bonner-Evans, C. (2025, September 23). Mapping inclusive research leadership and collaboration through social network analysis: Insights from the Culture Catalyst Fund [Conference presentation]. International Research Culture Conference, University of Warwick, Coventry, England, UK.
  • Lim, C., & Backwell, L. (2025, September 23). Giving voice to the voices: Co-creating a framework for research culture change [Conference presentation]. International Research Culture Conference 2025, University of Warwick, Coventry, England, UK.
  • Guccione, K. (2025, September 18). Building collegiality and confidence in supervisory teams [Lecture]. Umea University, Online.
  • Backwell, L., Lim, C., & Abidin, Z. U. (2025, November 25-26) Giving voice to the voices: Co-creating a framework for positive research culture impact [Conference presentation]. Impact Ignite 2025, Research Impact Academy Southampton, England, UK.
  • Abidin, Z. U., & Bonner-Evans, C. (2025, November 19-21). Who really makes research happen? Surfacing the hidden work behind funding success [Symposium presentation]. Scottish Educational Research Association Conference, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, Scotland, UK.
  • Lim, C., & Backwell, L. (2025 September 8-9). Giving voice to the voices: Co-creating a framework for research culture change [Conference presentation]. European Conference on Educational Research (ECER) 2025, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.
  • Abidin, Z. U., Lim, C., & Bonner-Evans, C. (2025 September 8-9). Mapping collegiality, research leadership and institutional collaboration: Social network insights from the Culture Catalyst Fund [Conference presentation]. European Conference on Educational Research (ECER) 2025, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.
  • Guccione, K., Gourlay, E., & Chin, R. (2025, July 3). European Mentoring and Coaching Council Mentoring Award for Thesis Mentoring [Award].
  • Bonner-Evans, C., & Unwin, A. (2025, June 2). Transformative change: Improving research culture through the lens of collegial leadership [Conference presentation]. Association of Higher Education Professionals Annual Conference 2025, Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow, Scotland, UK.
  • Guccione, K. (2025, May 19). Connecting research integrity to research culture [Keynote presentation]. National Conference on Research Integrity, Chicago, IL, United States.
  • Bonner-Evans, C. (2025, March 26-27). Developing collegial leadership [Conference presentation]. BBSRC Connecting Research Culture Conference, Norwich, England, UK.
  • Bonner-Evans, C., Nicoll Baines, K., & Fuller, S. (2025 March 26-27). Interactive seminar: How senior leaders can foster a positive culture change and how to sell it to a reluctant audience [Interactive seminar]. BBSRC Connecting Research Culture Conference, Earlham Institute, Norwich, England, UK.
  • Guccione, K. (2025, March 24). Positioning coaching within educational practice [Presentation]. Coaching in HE UK Network, Online. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IffZgGRkQBE
  • Barkley, D. (2025, March 12). Bridging the gap: Supporting mid-career researchers in UK higher education [Presentation]. Vitae, Online. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kTm5bUoD5TI
  • Guccione, K. (2025, February 12]). What's going right in research culture? [Invited presentation]. European Association of Research Managers and Administrators (EARMA) ECDI Thematic Group, Online. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ttbuMo6H40
  • Guccione, Kay (2025) A whole culture approach to doctoral education. In: Creaton, Jane and Gower, Owen (eds.) Prioritising the Mental Health and Wellbeing of Doctoral Researchers: Promoting Healthy Research Cultures. Routledge, pp. 73-90. ISBN 9781003403210 doi.org/10.4324/9781003403210-5

2024

  • Elliot, D.L. , Ohlsen, S., Guccione, K. , Daley, R.A. and Blackmore, C. (2024) The PhD is a personal individual struggle … but you don’t have to struggle alone: Supervisors’ perspectives of international scholars’ well being. In: Edwards, M., Martin, A. Ashkanasy, N. and Cox, L. E. (eds.) Research Handbook of Academic Mental Health. Edward Elgar Publishing Limited. https://www.e-elgar.com/shop/gbp/research-handbook-of-academic-mental-health-9781803925073.html
  • Guccione, K., & Bonner-Evans, C. (2024, December 6-9). The approach breaks down barriers: Academic-professional mentoring partnerships that shift the power differential through mutual third-space alliance [Conference presentation]. Society for Research into Higher Education International Conference, Nottingham, England, UK.
  • Herries, R. (2024, October 25). Positive research culture: A partnership approach [Keynote presentation]. Netherlands Research Integrity Network Symposium, Utrecht, Netherlands.
  • Guccione, K. and Bonner-Evans, C. (2024, October 10) The Approach Breaks Down Barriers. Academic-professional Mentoring Partnerships that shift the Power Differential through Mutual Third-space Alliance [Conference presentation]. Researcher Education and Development Scholarship (REDS) International Conference, Online.
  • Gourlay, E. (2024, October 10). A community approach to leadership development: Giving research professionals a ticket on the self-esteem train [Conference presentation]. Researcher Education and Development Scholarship (REDS) International Conference, Online.
  • Gourlay, E., & Naik, V. (2024, September 23-24). Honey, we shrunk a thesis mentoring programme [Conference presentation]. Vitae International Conference, Birmingham, England, UK.
  • Guccione, K. (2024, July 16). It's not charity: Reducing waste and activating talent through research culture work [Keynote presentation]. University of Manchester Research Culture Open Meeting, Manchester, England, UK.
  • Guccione, K. (2024, July 15-16). Measuring and monitoring research culture is easy [Invited presentation]. The Unnamed Research Culture Event, University of Leeds, Leeds, England, UK.
  • Guccione, K. (2024, May 16). Collegiality: Will we know it when we see it? [Keynote presentation]. Advancing Research Culture Conversation Meeting, Waterford, Ireland.
  • Herries, R., & Guccione, K. (2024, February 26). Activating anecdotes: The power of open practices in changing research culture [Keynote presentation]. Liverpool John Moores University Open Research Week 2024, Online. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-c4Fr1ecfs8&t=14s

2023

  • Somorin, Y., & Stefanatos, R. (2023, September 6-7). Aligning the Concordat with research culture strategies [Conference presentation]. Vitae Conference, Manchester, England, UK.
  • Guccione, K., Gourlay, E., & Bonner-Evans, C. (2023, October 11). Mentoring as a mechanism for leading culture change [Conference presentation]. Researcher Education and Development Scholarship International Conference 2023, Online.
  • Guccione, K. and Stefanatos, R. (2023) A beginner’s guide to supervising a PhD researcher. Biochemist, 45(5), pp. 11-15. doi: 10.1042/bio_2023_140
  • Guccione, K. and Bryan, B. (2023) Worth doing but not worth having? The influence of personal aspirations and career expectations on the value of a doctorate. Studies in Graduate and Postdoctoral Education, 14(1), pp. 83-98. doi: 10.1108/SGPE-02-2022-001

2022

  • Guccione, K. (2022, January 25). Finding the reasonable boundaries of peer mentoring [Invited presentation]. Student Mental Health Research Network 2022, Online. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTC_f3qZH_4
  • Guccione, K. (2022) Foreword: when our postgraduate researchers choose to teach, we should show their value. Postgraduate Pedagogies, 2(1), pp.3-10.
  • Guccione, K. (2022) What does a Thesis Mentor do? And how can we support them to do it well? CollectivED, 14, pp. 58-60.

2021

2020

2019

Previous Lab Projects