Porous media research is central to many of today’s most pressing global challenges, from ensuring clean water supplies to tackling climate change. Studies by InterPore members have already been cited in policy documents from organizations such as UNESCO and the United Nations. However, as a community, InterPore has not yet engaged in science–policy dialogue in a structured way.

In the coming months, the International Science Council (ISC) — of which InterPore is a member — will be developing resources to help societies build capacity in science policy and diplomacy. We encourage you to stay tuned as more details become available.

For now, we invite you to take a first step by reflecting on your own research:
🔹 How does your work connect to policy development?
🔹 Could your findings be made more visible to policymakers?
🔹 Has your research already been cited in policy? You can explore this through Overton, the world’s largest database of policy documents referencing academic research.

Stay tuned for more updates — and if you already have examples of your research being used in policy contexts, we would love to hear from you! Have you seen your research referenced in a policy document, or do you have examples of how your work connects to policymaking? Please share your experiences by responding to our short survey: https://forms.microsoft.com/e/TGLhX0xz3A

In the survey, we also ask whether you would be interested in resources, training, or activities from InterPore to support science–policy engagement. Your input will help us shape InterPore’s future efforts in this space and showcase the broader impact of porous media research.

If you have any questions or comments, please contact Tannaz Pak at T.Pak@tees.ac.uk