Melanie Knetsch

Melanie Knetsch is the Deputy Director of Innovation and Impact at the UK’s Economic and Social
Research Council (ESRC) which is part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).

She leads on social science strategic knowledge exchange and innovation activities to ensure that
the portfolio of ESRC funded activities is visible to potential users as well as creating opportunities
for researchers to undertake impact-led activities. This includes supporting the social science
community to respond to impact opportunities in more flexible, responsive and creative ways via
ESRC’s Impact Acceleration Accounts. She is overseeing the development of a social
science/business engagement vision, ensuring the social sciences are able to respond to business
challenges via the Innovation Caucus, Knowledge Transfer Partnerships and the Industrial
Strategy Challenge Fund. Melanie is also scoping potential opportunities and support needed for
the social sciences to sustain and scale up their impacts, including the potential to commercialise
their research.

Melanie joined the ESRC in 2008 and has worked in a variety of roles including communications,
public engagement, the Newton Fund and Deputy Director of the Office in India. She holds a
Masters Degree in Medical Social Anthropology from Keele University, and a Masters in Science
Communication from the University of West of England.