Today, the next generation of research innovators were announced by UK Research and Innovation. Amongst the 78 Future Leaders Fellows is MOLA archaeologist, Sadie Watson. Sadie is one of only a handful of Fellows not from a University and one of only two Fellows in this round to have a research-focus on archaeology. In this blog she tells us a bit about her Fellowship…
I am hugely honoured and excited to have been selected as a Future Leaders Fellow by UKRI. I join researchers from a range of multi-disciplinary fields receiving funding from the UK Government to tackle global challenges and ensure the UK maintains its status at the forefront of cutting-edge research.
My four-year Fellowship ‘Measuring, maximising and transforming public benefit from UK Government infrastructure investment in archaeology’ focuses on ensuring that public spending on archaeology for infrastructure projects leads to meaningful and relevant research and genuine community participation.
Most archaeological work in the UK is a result of development, with the total spend on archaeology by publicly-funded infrastructure projects, such as roads and railways, reaching many millions. However, as of yet, there is no established way to assess the social impact derived from this considerable investment. The outcomes of my Fellowship will include best-practice guidance and a tool-kit that will be used to inform future policy and practice.
