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Research and Academic Forum

SOM commissions leading researchers at universities and research institutes to improve understanding of key issues. Reports include “The Value of Occupational Health Research: History, Evolution and Way Forward”, supported by the HSE, here and a synthesis of the value of occupational health in the UK and globally, supported by ISOS here. SOM’s publications catalogue is here.

Through our journal, Occupational Medicine, SOM supports potential authors and trains journal article reviewers.

SOM Members can access funding for international research-based visits through the Golden Jubilee award. The Professor Tar-Ching Aw research memorial fund grant supports research in occupational health in the UK and globally. Open to all. Success criteria include being linked to SOM ‘s strategic focus of leadership, wellbeing, and the value of OH. Test and learn approaches welcomed. Up to £3,100 is available. To be decided by a sub-group of SOM Trustees. Please complete the attached form. Closing date 1st October 2024.

Academic Forum

This is a nonaligned and multidisciplinary forum for academic organisations. Established in 2000, its Chair is Professor Ewan Macdonald. The Forum is calling for an independent Academic Centre for Work and Health to promote, protect and improve the health of the UK’s working people or those wanting to get into work - a presentation on this centre is here. The Centre would deliver real, practical and applied outputs to help keep workers healthy, offer a non-Governmental voice that will support to develop more efficient and effective workplace health strategies and help change the way we think and act in terms of health in the workplace.  

The Forum offers Buddy Support to fellow researchers who are moving into Academic Research in this area or wish to progress their Academic Career. Buddy support includes information and signposting and can occur over the phone, via Skype or face to face etc (this is for each party to decide together). No cost support is provided and buddies are offering their time freely. The frequency of support is also for each party to decide together, and the process is of a voluntary nature and can be stopped at any time by either party. Contact details for buddies are:

  • Dr Gwenllian Wynne-Jones g.wynne-jones@keele.ac.uk University of Keele. Area of research focus - primary care, epidemiology, clinical trials, Musculoskeletal pain, nursing
  • Professor Ewan MacDonald ewan.macdonald@glasgow.ac.uk University of Glasgow. Area of research focus - Occupational Medicine Research generalist
  • Dr Sharon Stevelink sharon.stevelink@kcl.ac.uk (Lecturer in Epidemiology) Area of research focus: epidemiology, high risk occupations, mental health, well-being, quantitative methods, military
  • Dr Joanna Yarker j.yarker@bbk.ac.uk Area of research focus - organisational psychology, stress and mental health, organisational interventions, line managers, process/real-world evaluation

If you would like to attend the Forum or would like further details, please contact the SOM.

Colt Foundation

Each year, the Foundation offers awards in occupational or environmental health at a UK university such as for PhDs. See The Colt Foundation - Funding Environmental & Occupational Health Researc