Back in August 2025 we announced that we were funding five places for Vivensa Academy members to join Zinc’s Inflection Programme. Inflection is for mid-career researchers at a bit of a “what’s next?” moment in their career. It provides clarity, structure, and community for participants to think about how to make a bigger impact through their work.
As the 12-week interdisciplinary programme finished at the end of 2025, we spoke with the five Academy members we funded – Laura Brown, Praveen Kumar, Deborah Morgan, Christian Morgner and Kjara Pilch.
Structured for success
One thing that worked well for all the participants was the structure of the programme – a mix of facilitated sessions and peer-led pods. They all stated that being pushed out of their comfort zone turned out to be hugely beneficial.
- Laura: “Change is hard – that’s the whole point of the programme. But hearing other people’s stories and what they are trying to do is inspiring. It encourages you to be a bit bolder.”
- Praveen: “I was doing the energizing activity on a regular basis – inputting what energizes me. That was really valuable.”
- Deb: “We did things like Odyssey mapping and developed a problem statement. The facilitators pushed us to think beyond our own boundaries we put in place.”
- Christian: “The coaches were brilliant. They successfully balanced support and challenge, which kept everyone engaged.”
- Kjara: “The accountability and the exchange of ideas within our pod was crucial. It’s easy to lose focus when life gets busy, but working together kept us all moving forward.”
Stepping out of the academic bubble
Another thing the participants appreciated was the network of contacts they had access to. Aside from the individuals in their pod, they could match with people with similar interests in other pods.
Some of them noted that conversing with such a wide range of people outside academia felt uncomfortable or difficult to begin with. However, it resulted in increased confidence, new ideas and potential collaborations.
- Laura: “I’m used to talking to other academics within our academic world. Suddenly I’m with people who have set up their own ventures, and I thought, am I in the wrong place? But it’s actually refreshing talking to different people and getting insight into how different people think.”
- Praveen: “I’ve started engaging with people more widely as a result of the programme. It has broadened my vision. Instead of just thinking locally, I’m thinking nationally – and even internationally!”
- Deb: “It was a real positive to be matched with others who share your interests. I’ve had some really interesting conversations.”
- Christian: “The pod sessions and individual meetings were safe spaces. I gained confidence and motivation from positive feedback. It was beneficial to hear stories of people outside my academic bubble, for whom working across different industries and projects is the norm.”
- Kjara: “It’s a really great network. Being surrounded by people who are all trying to change the planet for the better makes for an incredible community.”
Progressing with purpose
While the participants were all at different levels of completion of their projects when the programme ended, one thing was clear: they all left with much more focus.
- Laura: “It made me think of different ways to use my skills, such as being embedded in the care sector. I plan to apply for a sabbatical to spend time in care homes and show them what value I can bring.”
- Praveen: “I applied for the opportunity because I wanted to improve the impact of my work. My stroke rehabilitation exercise videos are now reaching more people, and I’m making contact with national charities and organisations.”
- Deb: “The programme really clarified my thoughts on what I want to do and the values that are important to me. It has changed the way I’m working and I’m now prioritising my own research into loneliness and social isolation more.”
- Christian: “Time has flown, and it’s been a really enjoyable journey. I initially sought a single umbrella term to merge my multiple identities as a researcher, entrepreneur and inventor. The programme provided a way to shape a better narrative around this.”
- Kjara: “It was inspiring to collaborate with people from different backgrounds on some of the core issues in healthtech and design solutions to tackle them. I now have a sharpened focus to ensure my work has high impact on people’s lives.”
Join the Academy
This funded opportunity is one of the many perks we offer Vivensa Academy members. If you aren’t yet a member, it is free to join. You’ll have access to our member directory, learning resources, networking and events, and members-only funding opportunities. Find out more and apply here.
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You can read more about Zinc’s Inflection Programme here.
