TEN Learning Session: Translating Research into Policy
Understanding How Institutions Turn Evidence into Impact
How do universities and philanthropies move research into policy action?
This session examines what happens within institutions when they attempt to integrate scientific evidence into real-world decision-making. Drawing on new findings from the National Science Foundation–funded study by Dr. Taylor Scott and Dr. Katelin Trautmann, this conversation examines leadership roles, organizational infrastructure, and the subtle mechanics of research translation.
What You’ll Learn
- The Structural Perspective
Why translation fails less because of weak science and more because of missing systems, roles, processes, and capacities that make engagement sustainable. - The Spectrum of Philanthropic Engagement
How foundations navigate reputational and legal constraints while shaping policy indirectly through networks, funding strategies, and capacity-building initiatives. - University–State Dynamics
Why some public universities operate transactionally while others build collaborative, bi-directional partnerships, and how “priority sensing” changes their impact. - Barriers and Enablers
What leaders identify as persistent challenges (resource gaps, timing mismatches, limited infrastructure) and what factors help overcome them (trust, co-developed research, leadership support). - Future Directions in Research Translation
Emerging approaches for operationalizing institutional “capacity,” comparing models across university types, and tracing the historical trajectories of engagement.
Why It Matters
Effective research translation is not about isolated outreach; it is about institutional design. This session equips attendees to analyze their own organization’s systems and identify where strategy, capacity, and leadership alignment can transform impact from episodic to enduring.