40. Visual research communication: Dr Leanne Rees and Steph Hughes on community-centred approaches to knowledge mobilisation

Knowledge mobilisationUptake enablersVisual communicationCollaborating with professional staffCreative collaborationStorytelling
Written By Chris Pahlow

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Episode show notes

"I never wanted to do a PhD only for it to sit as a thesis and no one to ever read it." If you’re a listener to this show, then I’m willing to bet you’ve probably had similar thoughts about your own work. Dr. Leanne Rees’ solution? To team up with creative professional Steph Hughes to craft a compelling comic-book-style visual based on the very words of the community members she partnered with for her research. The result: a vibrant piece of knowledge mobilisation that's now spreading across international networks, hanging on hospital walls, and empowering newly injured patients to see beyond limiting stereotypes — and a collaborative model I’d love to see more researchers and creative professionals embrace.

Dr. Leanne Rees has been a clinician for more than 20 years and is a research officer at MCRI with Prof Megan Munsie in the Stem Cell Ethics and Policy team. Her PhD explored the media portrayal of spinal cord injury, drawing on her extensive experience as a physiotherapist working with people with spinal cord injuries in rehabilitation, community, and acute care settings.

Steph Hughes is a multidisciplinary creative who's worked as a professional artist and visual communicator for more than 10 years. She also works at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation as a radio producer and specialises in communicating complex topics to broad audiences. Her background spans commercial illustration, community group projects, and museum collaborations.

Together, they've created an illustration that transforms Leanne's research findings into an accessible visual story - one that's been endorsed by international spinal cord injury organisations and adapted into an animation featuring the voices of people with lived experience.

"It's the relationships that you build over time not to ever let go of maybe a little dream that you've had at the back of your head and it's those relationship-building opportunities that can lead you to a path of okay, now's your chance!" — Dr. Leanne Rees

Whether you're sitting on research that deserves a wider audience, struggling to translate complex findings into accessible formats, or wondering how to build authentic partnerships with creative professionals, this episode offers a practical roadmap for community-centred collaboration that amplifies impact while empowering the voices at the heart of your work.

Our conversation covers:

  • The genesis of their collaboration and how to find the right creative partner

  • Using community voices and language rather than researcher interpretation

  • The iterative process of visual storytelling and refining key messages

  • Practical considerations for multi-format outputs and sustainable distribution

  • International impact and organic spread across spinal cord injury networks

  • Planning ahead for project longevity and adaptation

  • Building authentic partnerships that empower communities

  • Lessons for researchers seeking to collaborate with creative professionals

Find Leanne and Steph online:

Practical tips:

Start with community voices, not researcher interpretation:

  • Use the actual words and language of the people your research serves rather than translating their experiences through academic terminology

  • "All the words that are on the illustration are not mine. They're people with spinal cord injury. So that's given me a lot of confidence as someone who doesn't have a spinal cord injury to know that it's hopefully going to resonate." — Dr. Leanne Rees

  • Record conversations, take detailed notes, or use verbatim quotes from previous research to capture authentic language

Choose creative partners based on passion and process, not just aesthetics:

  • Look for collaborators who demonstrate genuine excitement about your work and can guide you through the creative process

  • "Getting the call from Leanne is a dream scenario for me. I get really excited this is the exact kind of brief that I like. It's super important work." — Steph Hughes

  • Prioritise flowing communication and willingness to iterate over having a predetermined visual style

Plan for multiple formats from the beginning:

  • Request layered digital files that can be adapted for different uses (social media, posters, animations)

  • Consider how your content will work across platforms before finalising the design

  • "Make sure you get the file in that layered format so then it can be used... had I received the file just as a flat embedded one, it wouldn’t give it that opportunity for it to become an animation." — Dr. Leanne Rees

Let time and distance clarify your key messages:

  • Allow space after completing research before attempting to synthesise it for broader audiences

  • Use exercises like three-minute thesis presentations to practice distilling core concepts

  • "I think allowing time to pass after my PhD to just kind of let my PhD sit there for a bit to figure out where its home or opportunities might be, I think helped as well." — Dr. Leanne Rees

Make accessibility and distribution part of your strategy:

  • Plan for free, downloadable formats that remove barriers to sharing

  • Consider hosting through institutional repositories to track impact and ensure permanence

  • Print physical copies for organic distribution in relevant settings like conferences and workplaces

Build relationships before you need them:

  • Cultivate connections with creative professionals and maintain those relationships over time

  • "It's the relationships that you build over time not to ever let go of maybe a little dream that you've had at the back of your head and it's those relationship-building opportunities that can lead you to a path of okay, now's your chance!" — Dr. Leanne Rees

Credits:

  • Host & Producer: Chris Pahlow

  • Edited by: Laura Carolina Corrigan

  • Music by: La Boucle and Blue Steel, courtesy of Epidemic Sound

Chris Pahlow
Chris Pahlow is an independent writer/director currently in post-production on his debut feature film PLAY IT SAFE. Chris has been fascinated with storytelling since he first earned his pen license and he’s spent the last ten years bringing stories to life through music videos, documentaries, and short films.
http://www.chrispahlow.com
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39. Implementation Science: Dr Robyn Mildon on bridging the 17-year gap between research discovery and impact