My area of research is 'knowledge mobilisation' – focusing on how groups of people (including practitioners, managers, decision makers and researchers) create and share knowledge with one another. I am particularly interested in the use of knowledge-related frameworks to guide action and thinking.

My research portfolio includes work on knowledge brokering in a range of settings and I have undertaken research on parliamentary research services, embedded researchers, research-policy partnerships, and interprofessional working. 

I am a Reader in Management in the Department of Management and Director of Impact and Innovation for the University of St Andrews Business School. I have a passion for bringing people working in knowledge mobilisation together and supporting people to make a difference with research. Outside the department I lead the RURU Network (Researching and Understanding Research Use) and chair the UK Knowledge Mobilisation Forum, an annual event for knowledge mobilisation researchers and practitioners.

Before branching out into knowledge mobilisation research, I had a career as a clarinet teacher and ran my own teaching practice. Find out how (and why) I made the move into knowledge mobilisation on my blog. Outside my academic life I am a qualified Summer Mountain Leader and spend as much time outside as possible.

REasonable adjustments to MAINstream diabetes and obesity care for adults with a learning disability (REMAIN), Bryant, L, Russell, A, House, A, Ward, V, Stones, C, Slowie, D, Hoghton, M, Browning, S. Health Foundation Evidence into Practice Award. £46,981; February 2017-February 2018

Mobilising knowledge across health and social care boundaries in community settings: understanding and developing the role of knowledge brokering, NIHR Knowledge Mobilisation Research Fellowship, £203,259, June 2014-May 2017

Developing interventions for gender equality in the School of Medicine, Bryant, L, Ward, V, House, A. School of Medicine, University of Leeds. £20,000; January- December 2014

Developing a sustainable evaluation framework for Integrated Health and Social Care Teams, Ward, V, House, A. NIHR CLAHRC for Leeds, York and Bradford (£78,000) and NHS Leeds South & East CCG (£40,448) January 2013-June 2014

Targeted and sustainable implementation of high impact clinical practice recommendations in general practice, Foy R, Lawton R, Glidewell L, Ward V, West R, McEachan R, Farrin A, Rathfelder M, Clamp S, McCabe C, Seymour C, Richardson J, Stokes T, Taylor-Whilde E, Watt I, Hartley S. NIHR Programme Grant. £1,995,432; 2012-17

The role of informal networks in spreading knowledge between healthcare managers, V Ward, J Keen, R Pawson, R West,  A House. NIHR Service Delivery & Organisation Programme (SDO). 2010–2012; £298,917

Review and synthesis of 'Knowledge to Action' frameworks and implementation strategies, Davies, H, Ward, V. NHS Education for Scotland. £26,040; June-December 2011

Evaluating collaborative processes in the vascular prevention theme of the NIHR CLAHRC for Leeds, York and Bradford. 2009–2013; internal funding

Antenatal mental health in a bi-ethnic population - understanding and responding to emotional and somatic distress in pregnancy. A House, J Horrocks, A Madill, S Ahmed, P Raynor, V Ward, R West, NIHR Research for Patient Benefit. 2009–2011; £240,109

• Knowledge mobilisation
• Inter-professional working
• Knowledge management
• Knowledge brokering
• Co-creation
• Creative research methods

• MN3202 Research Methods 2
• MN4241 Creating, managing and using knowledge in organisations
• MN4301 Management Project
• MN5499 Dissertation

MA Social & Public Policy, University of Leeds, 2010

PhD Music, University of Leeds, 2005

MA Music, Anglia Polytechnic University, 2000

BA Music, Anglia Polytechnic University, 1997

Knowledge creation; knowledge mobilisation; research utilisation