Policy engagement beyond traditional networking | Interview with Kathryn Oliver
"In this interview, Kathryn Oliver, Professor of Evidence and Policy at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, examines the evolving landscape of policy engagement beyond traditional networking. She explores innovative approaches to building meaningful connections with policymakers, emphasizing the significance of understanding diverse policy contexts. Oliver discusses the benefits of leveraging non-traditional channels and collaborative partnerships to enhance the influence and reach of research, highlighting the critical role of adaptive strategies in navigating the complex policy environment.
0:00 - Intro
1:34 - Practical policy engagement
2:53 - Networking and building relationships
4:30 - Networking is not for everyone
5:12 - Challenges in engagement
Kathryn Oliver is a social scientist focusing on evidence creation, mobilization, and application in policy and practice. She co-directs Transforming Evidence, a research collaboration uniting funders, decision-makers, practitioners, and researchers to improve evidence use.
Originally a molecular biologist, Kathryn transitioned to social sciences and public health, conducting systematic reviews for policymakers at the EPPI Centre. Her PhD explored social structures in evidence use within local government, leading to the formation of Transforming Evidence. She has held academic positions at Manchester, Oxford, UCL, and LSHTM. As a Fellow at the UK Government Office for Science, Kathryn explores how the central government addresses evidence needs. She also evaluates academic-policy engagement initiatives and collaborates internationally to understand science-policy systems. Her work includes evaluating unintended policy effects.
This video is part of the ‘Policy Engagement’ training programme delivered by the Institute for Methods Innovation, Fast Track Impact and Walcott Communications Limited on behalf of the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) and Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC)."