At ARC NWC, we’re committed to developing meaningful public involvement in applied research, co-authorship of academic research with public advisors is one way we do this and the addition of a public advisor tag to our PUMA (Publications Metadata Augmentation) tool makes this searchable. While PUMA has been operational for some time, this new update means we can demonstrate the importance of lived experience to our research.

PUMA, developed by Dr Olly Butters and Dr Becca Wilson, leverages sophisticated metadata to allow users to explore our body of work more effectively. The online tool goes beyond simple keyword searches, enabling users to explore a range of related publications by interacting with relevant keywords.

“By integrating metadata, PUMA ensures that users can navigate our research with precision,” says Data researcher Dr Olly Butters, from the ARC NWC Care and Health Informatics theme. “The new public advisor tag enhances this experience, providing direct access to content that is most relevant to those involved in shaping our research.”

Dr Selina Wallis, Public Engagement Manager, explains: “The introduction of the public advisor tag reinforces our ongoing commitment to transparency and accessibility, co-authorship is one way we demonstrate our commitment to coproduction and meaningfully share the process of knowledge creation with communities.

In addition to these search enhancements, PUMA provides insights into the impact of our publications. It tracks citations and Altmetric scores, giving a broader view of how our research resonates beyond academic circles.

In addition to its enhanced search functionality, PUMA also tracks the reach and impact of our publications. For instance, the paper “The Mental Health and Wellbeing Impact of a Community Wealth Building Programme in England: A Difference-in-Differences Study” led Improving Population Health Theme Lead, Professor Ben Barr has been:
• Featured in 6 news outlets
• Discussed in 3 blogs
• Referenced in 2 policy reports
•Shared by 215 users on X (formerly Twitter)
•Saved by 40 readers on Mendeley

This capability provides a real-time view of how our research influences both the academic community and broader public discourse.

Explore PUMA on our website to see for yourself how this powerful online tool is evolving.