Beyond the Research: Cultivating Researcher Well-Being and Inclusive Cultures at Conferences

Setting the Scene for Researcher Well-Being

While the calibre of research presented at ICSSR was impressive, what stood out most was the intentional effort to support the people behind the research. The conference opened with a pre-congress workshop led by Dr Emma Kavanagh and Dr Mary Woessner, which focused on self-care in research. This wasn’t a token gesture — it was a reflective, practical session that encouraged participants to “live out” well-being practices in their leadership roles.

The session included grounding techniques, reflective check-ins, and worksheets for developing personal self-care plans. It also emphasised the importance of connection, regular breaks, and quiet spaces — all of which align with our guidance for conference organisers and delegates. These practices are not just helpful; they are essential for fostering a psychologically safe environment, particularly when researchers are engaging with sensitive or emotionally challenging content.

This approach reflects our own research at the SPRINT Project, which emphasises that well-being should not be an individual burden but a shared responsibility embedded in research culture. You can read more about our evidence-based research in our recent open-access paper: Best practices for supporting researchers’ mental health

You can also download our free researcher well-being guidelines to explore these best practices further.

Trauma-Informed Presentations in Practice

A strong example of trauma-informed practice came from Francesca Principe’s presentation on gender-based violence in Canadian men’s ice hockey. She included a clear content note at the start of her talk and made a deliberate choice not to read sensitive quotes aloud — a strategy that allows audience members to choose whether to engage with the material. This aligns with our guidance, which recommends content notes on slides or posters and encourages presenters to consider whether they read emotionally intense material aloud to reduce the risk of secondary trauma.

These practices were not isolated. Across the conference, we observed presenters staying within the remit of their topics, clearly outlining the emotional scope of their content, and signposting to support resources — all of which contribute to a more inclusive and psychologically safe environment.

To find out more about trauma-informed care, check out our recent blog and infographic around leveraging strengths within safeguarding in sport and dance.

Valuing Lived Experience and Co-Production

Another best practice example came from Dr Aurélie Pankowiak, who shared insights from a collaborative research project involving people with lived experience. Her approach exemplified ethical co-production: she was transparent about the level of collaboration, consulted with a lived experience advocate throughout the project, and reflected on the emotional impact of personal disclosures — not only for herself but for others involved.

This mirrors our own emphasis on ethical engagement with lived experience experts, as outlined in our SPRINT Project guidelines. Dr Pankowiak’s work is a reminder that inclusive research cultures are not just about who is in the room — but how power, voice, and care are distributed within the research process.

As highlighted in recent powerful LinkedIn posts by Dr Pankowiak and Sonny J Wise reflecting on the marginalisation of lived experience at academic and industry conferences, it is vital that organisers recognise the structural power dynamics at play and take proactive responsibility for safeguarding—not just inviting lived experience, but creating conditions where it can be shared safely, truthfully, and without undue emotional burden.

Embedding Well-Being in Conference Design

The ICSSR conference also demonstrated how organisers can embed well-being into the very fabric of the event. From offering quiet spaces to encouraging breaks and reflection, the environment was designed with psychological safety in mind. These design choices reflect many of the recommendations we’ve developed at the SPRINT Project, including:

· Including content notes on slides and posters

· Consider whether to read sensitive quotes aloud

· Staying within the remit of emotionally challenging topics

· Providing signposting to support resources

These are not just logistical details — they are cultural signals that say: “You are welcome here, and your well-being matters.”

Continuing the Conversation

If you’d like to explore more reflections from the ICSSR 2025 conference, including our poster on safeguarding and researcher well-being in dance and sport, you can read our companion blog post here: Safeguarding in Dance and Sport: Insights from the ICSSR Conference

Call to Action: Building Inclusive Research Cultures Together

As we reflect on the ICSSR 2025 conference, one thing is clear: researcher well-being is not a luxury or an afterthought — it is foundational to ethical, inclusive, and impactful research.

We invite:

· Conference organisers to adopt trauma-informed and inclusive practices using our guidance document

· Researchers and delegates to model care, reflection, and transparency in their presentations and leadership

· Institutions and funders to support systemic change that embeds well-being into the structures of research culture

Let’s move beyond individualised notions of “resilience” and instead build research environments that are safe, inclusive, and sustainable for all.

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Written by Dr Mary Quinton