Understanding how research fits into policy | Interview with Kathryn Oliver
"In this interview, Kathryn Oliver, Professor of Evidence and Policy at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, delves into the complexities of how research integrates with policy frameworks. She discusses the nuances of translating academic insights into actionable policy recommendations, underscoring the importance of aligning research objectives with policy needs. Oliver emphasizes the necessity of building strong relationships between researchers and policymakers to facilitate the effective use of evidence in decision-making processes, ensuring that research outcomes contribute meaningfully to policy development.
0:00 - Intro
1:34 - Importance of researcher/government engagement
2:47 - Significant policy influence examples
3:49 - Realistic objectives for impact
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)."