Our team
The team at Research Consulting can benefit from a variety of backgrounds, which allow us to deal effectively with all the challenges we encounter.
In addition, Research Consulting employs a network of associates that are involved in our projects based on their expertise when required. For more information on our team, see our profiles below.
Prior to founding Research Consulting in early 2013, I spent 8 years in the Education practice at KPMG, working with clients in higher education and industry in both the UK and New Zealand. I then moved to the University of Nottingham as Research Financial Controller, and subsequently Head of Research Operations. My responsibilities at Nottingham included pre- and post-award management of research, negotiation with key customers on high value/high risk contracts, research reporting/management information and development of research business processes and systems.
I have also worked with a number of spin-out and start-up companies, and have a particular interest in the rapidly evolving world of open access publishing. To find out more about my past experience, please look me up on LinkedIn, or check out some of our projects and testimonials. If you’d like to know more about what we have to offer please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
orcid.org/0000-0001-7126-2954Contact Rob at rob.johnson@research-consulting.com
A public policy specialist, I have direct experience in academic research and direct knowledge of the startup world. Before joining Research Consulting, I worked as a third-sector lobbyist, and as a consultant for prestigious firms in the international legal sector, providing independent advice to governments, businesses and civil society organisations on matters related to public sector governance, environmental and economic policies. After earning a PhD in international law at the University of Nottingham, I also held teaching roles at the University of Leicester and the University of Nottingham.
At Research Consulting, I have managed projects that informed the development of tools to aid compliance with the open access policy for a post-2014 Research Excellence Framework, as well as studies looking at knowledge exchange and research commercialisation both within and across HEIs. I worked with Rob on a range of projects that looked at measuring the impact of research and informed research management strategies and practices at various universities.
Alongside my work at Research Consulting, I run a not-for-profit tech startup that fosters youth engagement in public policy (www.gada.org.uk).
Contact Mattia at mattia.fosci@research-consulting.com
A recently qualified PhD, I joined Research Consulting in February 2016. During my MSc in nuclear and energy engineering and my PhD in civil engineering, I learned to apply a number of approaches to data collection and analysis. I also gained extensive experience in the fields of applied and theoretical research, which resulted in the publication of numerous journal articles.
Having studied and researched in Italy, the United States, and the United Kingdom, I am familiar with different research environments. My background allows me to deal confidently with the technical and technological aspects of our consultancy work. In addition, I am an experienced programmer and I am in charge of making our internal management system more automated and efficient.
At Research Consulting, my areas of focus are Research Data Management practices, Open Access repositories, and Text and Data Mining policies. I have been working for UK institutions and charities, looking at the management of research outputs along with their dissemination and use/re-use in a wide range of sectors, ranging from STEM disciplines to humanities.
I am a member of the Research Data Alliance.
Contact Andrea at andrea.chiarelli@research-consulting.com
A Chartered Accountant, I trained at KPMG and after 5 years with the firm’s audit practice moved to the University of Nottingham in 2009 as a Financial Accountant within the Corporate Finance team. I became self-employed in July 2015 and then spent 12 months working on a large transformational project for the University of Nottingham as well as assisting on projects run by Research Consulting.Since May 2016, as a consultant, I have been assisting Research Consulting with their in house finance and administrative work and officially became their part time Office Manager in September 2016. In July 2017, I left self-employment behind and became the part time Financial Controller at Research Consulting.
I bring experience of preparing, reviewing and monitoring financial forecasts including sensitivity analysis and modelling for research projects, individual schools and business units and most recently for a significant 3 year transformational project within the university.
The most recent work I have conducted at the University of Nottingham involved me taking sole responsibility for and producing reports and calculations in relation to the benefits realisation (both qualitative and quantitative) and return on investment for a large transformational project.
I am an environmental biotechnologist with extensive entrepreneurial business experience, and work with Research Consulting on assignments involving research commercialization, spin-out and start-up companies and business-university interactions.
Following completion of a PhD in Biotechnology at Cranfield Institute of Technology, I joined OMEX Environmental as Technical Manager before leaving in 1993 to set up Scientific Solutions Ltd, a successful environmental biotechnology company was eventually sold to Norsk Hydro. I then spent a number of years at University of Sheffield where I led the setting up of nine spin-out companies including Adjuvantix, SEAMS, ECUS and Aqua Enviro Ltd. I also served on the boards of a number of these companies variously as MD, Chair and NED.
Since 2004, I have worked with early stage technology businesses, initially with BioCity Nottingham Ltd, and now as MD of Inntropy Ltd, which runs Nottingham’s first dedicated centre for new greentech firms. I have extensive experience in supporting the development and improving the quality of new companies through creation of a dynamic environment with a robust commercial focus and rich networking opportunities.
A strategic designer-thinker with a Masters Research degree in Branding & Identity from Nottingham Trent University, I am a brand specialist with a career in advertising and marketing environments stretching back over twenty years. Before setting up my own business in 2011, I held a role as senior graphic designer for East Midlands Development Agency (EMDA), supporting teams across all Agency functions, covering the broad remit of regional economic development.
I now work with clients across a number of sectors, including marketing and communications for higher education, professional research organisations, new technologies companies, museum support services, learning and development companies and business support providers. Some of my recent clients include The University of Nottingham, Knowledge Transfer Partnerships, Innovate UK, Smart Learning, Jisc, PraxisUnico and Lakeside Arts Centre.
You can learn more about my work on: http://gillwilliamson.co.uk/
A member of the British Educational Research Association and the Social Research Association I work with Research Consulting on projects requiring formal stakeholder analysis and evaluation. I have a wide range of experience in all research methods, but especially in survey design, administration and analysis (both online and paper questionnaires).
A researcher since 1997, I have worked for local authorities, an independent educational research organisation, a Russell Group university and on a freelance basis. My first degree is in Social Policy, and I hold an MSc in Research Methods and a PhD from the University of Nottingham’s School of Education. My research experience and expertise cover both quantitative (e.g. surveys) and qualitative (e.g. interviews, focus groups, text analyses) research and I have worked for a wide range of clients including universities, schools, health services, charities and community groups.
I have particular expertise in monitoring and evaluating satisfaction among stakeholder groups, and have previously developed and managed stakeholder surveys for a number of university professional services.