Back in October, Professor Kathryn Oliver delivered an insightful lecture on one of the big questions in our field. Individuals, organisations, and states spend significant time and money on research. But is it really worth it? Does it help those who need it most?

In the lecture, Kathryn Oliver reflects on a career spent in the ‘messy, but fertile’ space between research and policy. Having moved from molecular biology through public health, sociology, and engineering, she shares what she’s learned as a ‘permanent hitchhiker’ across disciplines and systems.

In particular, Kathryn shares her experiences working with governments and in different countries to explore what counts as evidence. What gets used? What makes research useful? And, in the end, is research really worth it?

If you’re interested in how evidence travels (or doesn’t) into real-world decisions – and who gets to decide what ‘useful’ research looks like – this is well worth a watch.

Watch the recording here.