From Research to Impact: The Art of Academic Storytelling

Conducting high-quality research is only the first step for any academic who wishes to advance knowledge and make an impact in his or her field.

The ability to effectively communicate your research findings is a critical skill. It can mean the difference between producing research that just sits on a shelf and research that drives real-world change.

Journal editors and conference audiences alike expect researchers to be able to explain their work in a clear, concise manner. The best way to do that is to develop a storyline that ties the research together.

Successful papers in the modern era usually always tell an interesting story. Being able to present your research clearly through a story helps you convey its impact to audiences that likely do not have the same understanding of the topic as you do.

Every presentation is an opportunity to hone your storytelling skills.

Learn the art of academic storytelling at our Feb. 13 CARISCA Training. In this session, experienced researchers from Ghana, the U.S. and the U.K. will discuss how storytelling is more than a nice-to-have. It’s an essential skill for researchers committed to making a tangible impact with their work.

The presentation will cover how to present your research story as well as tactical elements such as what to put on PowerPoint slides or on the whiteboard in a classroom. Attendees will take away strategies and tactics to ensure your research not only informs but also leaves a lasting impression and drives meaningful change.

This free online session is open to all, but researchers who will present papers at the 2025 Supply Chain Research Summit are especially urged to attend.

About the speakers:

Felicity Asiedu-Appiah is an associate professor of management and human resource management at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. She has over 19 years of academic experience and specializes in teaching and coaching students and professionals to deliver impactful presentations with clarity and confidence.

She has presented her research on topics like work-life intersections and leadership both locally and internationally. Beyond academia, she provides training and consulting on emotional intelligence, career planning and work-life intersections. She also is technical consultant for the KNUST School of Business Career Services Office.

Dominic Essuman is a lecturer in sustainable management at the University of Sheffield, United Kingdom. His research interests revolve around supply chain strategy, resilience and sustainability.

His research has been published in top-tier academic journals, including the International Journal of Production Economics, Journal of International Business Studies and Journal of Business Logistics. In December 2023, Essuman co-led a popular CARISCA Training on “Defending Your Thesis at Viva,” during which he outlined how to design and deliver an effective research presentation.

Dale Rogers is CARISCA’s executive director and principal investigator and the ON Semiconductor Professor of Business at Arizona State University. A member of the Supply Chain Hall of Fame, he is a leading researcher in the fields of reverse logistics, sustainable supply chain management, supply chain finance and secondary markets.

Rogers has published in the field’s leading journals and made more than 400 presentations to professional organizations. An internationally known storyteller, he is a frequent keynote speaker at academic and industry conferences and interview subject for major media outlets around the globe.