CEGIST Researcher Snapshot: Meet Our Team
6 de fevereiro, 2026
Boa Prática Reconhecida | Impacto Societal | 2025
CEGIST; Tânia Rodrigues Pereira Ramos; Mariana Bettencourt Medeiros Oliveira
Implementação da Prática
In 2023, CEGIST began the “CEGIST Researcher Snapshot: Meet Our Team” innitiave to introduce our researchers and staff to the public through a series of LinkedIn posts. This practice highlights each researcher’s interests, publications, contributions to social impact through the Sustainable Development Goals, and personal interests. Staff are also included in the snapshots, as they are a vital component in the success of our center, with adapted highlighted fields. The process is conducted as follows. A new CEGIST Researcher Snapshot is posted every Wednesday at 9:00 Portugal time on LinkedIn. Posts are scheduled to skip during holidays and the vacation month of August. The initiative aims to feature all researchers at CEGIST, alternating between PhD students and established researchers, and staff. The initiative was proposed and is coordinated by PhD student Mariana Oliveira. She is responsible for contacting members, gathering information, and creating the content for each post, through a standardized email. Mariana prepares a draft of the post, which is then reviewed and validated by the featured person before publication. Standard design tools such as Canva are used to create visually appealing posts, to ensure a professional and consistent aesthetic across all snapshots. LinkedIn is the platform used for these posts due to its professional networking capabilities. The impact of this initiative is monitored using LinkedIn’s analytics tools. Metrics such as post reach, engagement (likes, comments, shares), and follower growth are tracked to assess the initiative’s success. This structured approach ensures that the initiative runs smoothly, effectively highlights the diverse talents and contributions of CEGIST members, and engages our audience by showcasing the human side of research.
Resultados alcançados
The “CEGIST Researcher Snapshot: Meet Our Team” initiative aimed to increase LinkedIn followers and engagement by highlighting the diverse and impactful work of CEGIST. The goal was to create a series of informative yet brief posts that not only showcased the researchers’ and staff’s professional achievements but also their personal interests, thereby adding a human touch. The results obtained have significantly exceeded our initial expectations. The number of LinkedIn followers has seen a substantial increase since the first post on May 31, 2023. At the time, CEGIST had 229 followers; one year later (May 31, 2024), this number has grown to 736. Over the year, CEGIST’s LinkedIn page has had 4,221 views with 1,458 unique visitors. The most engaging snapshot post (see https://www.linkedin.com/posts/cegist_cegist-research-snapshotseries-activity-7120317595022430209-01UM/) achieved 3,465 impressions and 107 reactions, indicating a high level of interest and engagement from our audience. The consistent posting schedule and engaging content have contributed to increased visibility and interaction on LinkedIn. This is reflected in the enhanced engagement on other CEGIST posts not directly related to the snapshots (award announcements, PhD theses completions, seminar announcements), showcasing the broader impact of this initiative. Although difficult to measure quantitatively, the initiative has fostered a greater sense of community within CEGIST. The initiative also helped CEGIST community members to grow closer by knowing each other better. Researchers have become more active and participative on LinkedIn, leading to stronger internal connections and collaboration, suggesting that the content resonates well with both the CEGIST community and the broader LinkedIn audience. As the initiative concludes, we will formally gather detailed qualitative feedback through questionnaires to both our members and followers. This feedback will aid in brainstorming and preparing future LinkedIn initiatives, ensuring our ongoing presence and growth. The implementation of this initiative has been smooth, with no significant changes needed. The steady increase in reactions and followers indicates that the approach and content strategy are effective. The initiative has exceeded our expectations, with a significant increase in followers and engagement beyond our initial goals. The target of 400 followers by the end of 2023 was surpassed, reaching instead 538 followers by the end of 2023, and continuing to grow steadily. This success highlights the effectiveness of the initiative in achieving its objectives.
Avaliação e Monitorização
The “CEGIST Researcher Snapshot: Meet Our Team” initiative undergoes regular evaluation and monitoring to ensure it meets its objectives and continuously improves. Each snapshot is evaluated after posting to assess reactions and engagement. This regular monitoring helps us stay aligned with our engagement goals. We track several key metrics to gauge the success of each post: the number of likes, comments, and shares each post receives, the total number of views per post, and the increase in the number of LinkedIn followers following each post. The evaluation and monitoring process is overseen by the Executive Board with the support of Administrative Staff and Mariana Oliveira. This team reviews the performance metrics and discusses potential improvements. While the evaluation process is currently informal, it involves regular internal discussions and reviews. The team assesses the metrics and feedback to identify areas for improvement. Early evaluations indicated a need for higher quality images. Consequently, we upgraded the tools and techniques used in image creation. To ensure consistency and better audience engagement, we shifted to a scheduled weekly post, always published at the same hour (Wednesday at 9:00 Portugal time). This change was made to establish a reliable routine that our followers could anticipate. The consistent posting schedule has helped maintain a steady growth in followers, reinforcing the reliability and professionalism of our LinkedIn presence.
Caráter Inovador e Transferibilidade
The “CEGIST Researcher Snapshot: Meet Our Team” initiative introduces innovative aspects within IST and the broader higher education sector. Within IST, this initiative, as far as we know, stands out as unique. Unlike most centers at IST, CEGIST has established a strong and consistent presence on LinkedIn, using the platform to regularly showcase its researchers. Showcasing the human side of research through personal interests adds a unique dimension to the professional achievements highlighted. While similar initiatives exist in other institutions, such as IMM’s video profiles, the practice of regular, detailed posts on LinkedIn is still rare among research centers in Portugal. CEGIST’s approach sets a precedent for how higher education institutions can effectively use social media to highlight their researchers’ work and build engagement. The combination of professional achievements with personal interests provides a more relatable and engaging narrative. This initiative can be easily replicated in other academic contexts. The formula of gathering information via standardized emails, creating visually appealing posts, and maintaining a consistent posting schedule is straightforward and adaptable. However, ensuring the entire community within the center is aware and committed is crucial. Encouraging members to engage with posts through comments and reactions helps extend the reach and impact of each snapshot. In addition, it is important to assign a dedicated individual to manage the initiative. This ensures consistency and quality in the content created. Funding support for this role can be crucial, as the time commitment required is not insignificant. Finally, regularly review analytics to understand what works best and adjust strategies accordingly.