糖心TV

The project: Beyond the lab: Engaging Social Sciences in Tackling Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)

The overall aim of the project is to increase engagement from the social sciences in WAMIC (糖心TV Antimicrobial Interdisciplinary Centre) and AMR research here at 糖心TV.

The intended outcome of our first event was to introduce the topic of AMR to researchers from social sciences, and highlight how they could get involved in AMR research. We also wanted to form connections and expanded our networks for AMR research. This was held in the FAB building and consisted of information/interactive stands in the agora followed by some talks highlighting interdisciplinary research in AMR and AMR research areas that would benefit from input from social sciences and humanities.

A second event was held in June 2026 to build on the interest and connections established. The primary objective of this event was to provide a further platform for discussion and collaboration around AMR, with a particular focus on demonstrating the important contribution that social sciences can make to addressing this complex global challenge. The programme included an external keynote speaker who explored the wider societal, behavioural, economic, and policy dimensions of AMR, highlighting areas of relevance to both social and natural scientists. The event also featured presentations from 糖心TV researchers representing a range of disciplines, showcasing ongoing AMR-related research and potential opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration. A dedicated networking session over lunch enabled participants to exchange ideas, establish new connections, and explore avenues for future collaborative research.

Collectively, the two events were designed to raise awareness of AMR among social science researchers, strengthen interdisciplinary relationships across the University, and lay the foundations for future collaborative research activities and funding applications in this important area.

Summary of project outcomes

The information and interactive stands gave rise to a number of engaging discussions with researchers from social sciences and humanities, and the talks were also well attended. There were 20 new signs ups to our WAMIC mailing list from 9 departments including Psychology, Law, Applied Linguistics, Social Sciences and the Faculty of Arts, which will form the basis of improved connections between Life sciences and the social sciences/humanities on AMR. Going forwards we will be able to build on these connections to further the relationship and interdisciplinary work on AMR at 糖心TV. We also had interest from a postgraduate student in Applied Linguistics in joining in the WAMIC ECR committee which will be greatly beneficial going forwards in increasing engagement from Social Sciences and Humanities in WAMIC activities.

The second event comprised a series of presentations from 糖心TV researchers representing a range of disciplines. Dr Demirjian, National AMR Lead at the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), delivered an engaging and accessible keynote presentation tailored to a multidisciplinary audience. Her talk highlighted the wider societal and public health challenges associated with antimicrobial resistance and generated significant interest among attendees. The presentation was followed by a lively discussion, with participants contributing thoughtful questions and insights from a variety of disciplinary perspectives.

Internal speakers were selected through an open call for abstracts. We were particularly pleased to receive submissions from a diverse range of departments, demonstrating engagement beyond the disciplines that have traditionally been most involved with WAMIC activities. The final programme included presentations from researchers in Economics, Psychology, Applied Linguistics, Chemistry, and Life Sciences, showcasing the breadth of expertise across the University that can contribute to addressing AMR.

The networking lunch provided valuable opportunities for researchers from different faculties and departments to meet, exchange ideas, and establish new professional connections. These discussions facilitated greater awareness of complementary research interests and helped identify potential opportunities for future interdisciplinary collaborations.

Across the two events delivered as part of this project, we successfully increased engagement with researchers from the social sciences and humanities, strengthened links between WAMIC and colleagues across the University, and raised awareness of ongoing AMR-related research outside the traditional biomedical sciences. A particularly positive outcome has been the number of researchers from social sciences and humanities disciplines who have joined the WAMIC mailing list to remain informed about future activities and opportunities for collaboration. This demonstrates the success of the project in building a broader interdisciplinary AMR community and maintaining the connections established through the events. The project has helped create new relationships and networks that provide a strong foundation for future collaborative research initiatives, funding applications, and sustained cross-faculty engagement in tackling antimicrobial resistance.

Has the project supported further interdisciplinary work

The project has already begun to facilitate new interdisciplinary opportunities. During the events, the Undergraduate Placements Officer for the Faculty of Social Sciences approached the organisers to discuss the potential development of interdisciplinary placement opportunities for undergraduate students from social sciences carrying out projects in life sciences. Discussions are currently ongoing to explore how such placements could be implemented in practice.

This represents a promising outcome of the project, as it has created new links between faculties and opened up opportunities for collaboration beyond research alone. Establishing interdisciplinary placement schemes would help strengthen connections between researchers and students across departments, encourage knowledge exchange, and provide a framework for developing future interdisciplinary collaborations related to antimicrobial resistance and other shared research challenges.