Research to Relevance: Reflections From Marine PhD Candidates Seeking Impact on Policy and Practice

Many Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) candidates in marine science are driven by a desire to create impact through their research in the form of meaningful, real-world change. However, the journey from “research to relevance” is often complex and uncertain, especially within inter and transdisciplinary contexts where traditional academic pathways and training may not provide adequate preparation or support. In this commentary, we bring together a series of personal vignettes from PhD candidates (i.e., the authors) working across diverse marine systems and contexts, reflecting on our efforts to embed policy engagement and impact into our research during doctoral training. These vignettes focus on personal and lived experiences, drawing on our experiential knowledge gained through navigating the challenges of stakeholder engagement, policy influence, and institutional constraints. Rather than abstract theorising, we offer grounded insights into the emotional, relational, and practical dimensions of striving for impact during doctoral training. Building on these reflections, we collaboratively synthesised our insights and outlined concrete strategies for embedding policy impact into research training and highlighted how doctoral supervisors, academic institutions, research partners, and funding bodies can better support PhD students in their pursuits. By sharing our experiences and lessons learned, we aim to empower the next generation of marine researchers to more confidently pursue research that is both academically rigorous and socially relevant.