Valuing impact beyond academic publishing: communicating cryospheric change

As researchers we are well-versed at communicating with the scientific community and assessing the “impact” of our work within the context of academic publishing, but generating impact with non-academic groups is something that is becoming increasingly important, especially under continued global heating. Before and after images of the cryosphere, particularly glaciers, is something the public are now used to seeing, but does this imagery produce the response required to affect a response, or even behavioural or policy change? This contribution reflects on the ways in which cryospheric researchers engage with the public and stakeholder groups and the value of that engagement for researchers, participants, and audiences alike. From citizen science to different forms of art-science dissemination, we draw upon examples from our own work and assess the range of possible impacts of those activities. We focus on understanding and communicating glacier retreat and associated water security issues in the rapidly changing Cordillera Blanca of the Peruvian Andes, and critically examine the benefits and challenges of pursuing participatory research and outreach for the generation of impact beyond academia. We also provide insights from our own experiences to encourage researchers to step beyond the norms of communicating cryospheric science.