In February 2023, we collaborated with the Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE) to bring together our collective Fellows, emerging research leaders, and partners to discuss how to address health challenges in Scotland through evidence-based decision making and working across disciplines.
We worked closely with our Regional Champion for Scotland Professor Tim Aitman FRSE FMedSci, Professor of Molecular Pathology and Genetics, University of Edinburgh in developing the programme. We are grateful to all our Regional Champions for helping us deliver the commitment in our 10-year strategy, to establish networks across the English regions and devolved nations of the UK.
Connecting with journalists to diversify expert voices
We kicked off the Edinburgh events programme with a media showcase session introducing 7 Scotland-based women Fellows and programme participants with a group of Scotland-based journalists. Our experts had the opportunity to present their work directly to journalists from outlets including the BBC, the Daily Mail, STV, the Scotsman and Health & Care Scotland.
The session was part of our programme to improve the gender diversity of experts commenting in the media. It provided a fantastic opportunity for Scottish journalists to connect with experts from across medical and health sciences. Media follow-up is already in the pipeline, and we look forward to seeing more of our experts in Scottish news media soon.
Susie Forrest, Assistant News Editor at BBC Scotland News, who attended the showcase said:
“This event was fantastic with a format that was structured but not too formal. Each of the women experts brought their research to life, making it far more useful than any press release. I could have chatted to the contributors all day!”
Dr Jacqueline Maybin, participant in our FLIER programme, was one of the experts attending, she said:
“The support that the Academy's press office provided ahead of the event meant I was well equipped to get my key messages across about our research into problematic periods. I felt comfortable with the journalists and really enjoyed the sense of comradery between my peers.”
Supporting researchers to work across disciplines and sectors
We are committed to supporting the next generation of researchers to reach their full potential. The afternoon saw participants from across career stages engaging in panel sessions, rich discussions and networking opportunities jointly organised with The Royal Society of Edinburgh.The ‘Health of the public approach: Working across disciplines & sectors’ panel focussed on careers provided thought-provoking discussions on transdisciplinary work, digital health and influencing policy effectively.
A facilitated networking session followed the panel.
