Soapbox Science returned for a second event this year, and HSRU researchers braved the rain to discuss their research with the public in Aberdeen city centre.
2019’s second Soapbox Science Aberdeen event took place over the weekend as part of the University’s European Researcher’s Night Explorathon activities. This event is led by HSRU researcher Dr Heidi Gardner and included two of HSRU’s PhD students; Mrs Shazia Yousuf, and Miss Jade Howard.
Shazia’s research looks at optimising the responsible use of antibiotics, and is supervised by Professor Craig Ramsay, Dr Eilidh Duncan, Dr Magdalena Rzewuska, and Professor Louise Locock. Her talk ‘#StopSuperBugs’ encouraged the public to think twice about their use of antibiotics and use them only when necessary, as well as how her research aims to improve the way that antibiotics are used by healthcare professionals.
Jade’s research looks at patients and family experiences of being diagnosed with, and living with inherited forms of Motor Neurone Disease (MND). She uses primarily qualitative methods to explore how MND impacts self-identity and family relationships, as well as how families navigate decisions around issues including genetic testing, reproductive choices, communicating around inherited MND, and caring roles. Jade’s talk ‘A (very short) introduction to qualitative research’ allowed her to engage the public with the concept of using words as data to gain an understanding of an experience.
Alongside Shazia and Jade, Soapbox Science speakers involved researchers from various departments across the University of Aberdeen, including the Rowett Institute, the Institute of Medical Sciences, Research Governance, and the wider Institute of Applied Health Sciences.