Teaching from the heart: crossing the research/teaching/public engagement nexus.

This study contributes the understanding of the triple nexus of research, teaching andpublic engagement (R/T/Pe) in STEM. Specifically, the research explores theperceptions and experiences of Scottish lecturers teaching undergraduate STEMcohorts within disciplines defined by the research excellence framework (REF) asSTEM Panel B. Panel B disciplines include engineering; chemistry; computer science;mathematics; physics; earth and environmental sciences.As Higher Education funding is increasingly explicitly linked to measurements ofimpact, this builds on the notion of Von Humboldt’s teaching/research nexus to explorethe role of lecturers in supporting students to integrate R/T/Pe. Notably, STEM panelB disciplines are reportedly the least likely to report on impact case studies within REFwhich infers that these disciplines are less likely to integrate aspects of publicengagement alongside their teaching and research.A qualitative design using an interpretative phenomenological methodology was usedto collect interviews from lecturers alongside novel data collection methods andautoethnography to reflect on interviews findings with participants. Overall,participants found that developing research-readiness in undergraduate cohorts ischallenging as undergraduates work towards becoming research-ready, and oftenpublic engagement projects can help to overcome these barriers.For lecturers there are structural barriers that can hinder their ability to develop linksbetween R/T/Pe and this is harder still for those teaching in post-92 universities.Boundary blocks can occur where there is lack of managerial support, funding orprotected time within a lecturer’s contracted hours. This was not the case in pre-92and ancient universities where public engagement professionals are often engaged toact as a broker to improve and incentivise engagement outside the university.Overall, early-career researchers were less likely impacted by boundary blocks toR/T/Pe due to access to CPD and training. This study suggests somerecommendations for the purpose and paradigm of the university to be reconfigured,particularly at undergraduate teaching level, to integrate public (external) engagementas the third mission of the university alongside teaching and research.