Future research leaders selected to tackle health inequalities through radical interdisciplinarity

30 researchers from across GW4 (Bath, Bristol, Cardiff and Exeter universities) have been selected to take part in GW4 Crucible 2024.  

GW4 Crucible is a leadership development programme providing hands-on training and coaching to develop collaborative research leaders of the future. Researchers from radically different disciplines have the opportunity to come together with their peers to consider new interdisciplinary and collaborative approaches to research and its impacts. 

The theme for this year’s Crucible is ‘tackling health inequalities and driving social justice through radical interdisciplinarity’ which aligns with one of GW4’s strategic priority research areas of Health and Wellbeing.  

Health is impacted by a myriad of factors including access to opportunities emerging from where we are born or work, lived experiences and socio-economic factors including housing quality and access to care. Across the GW4 region there is coastal, rural and city poverty and socioeconomic inequality. 

This year’s successful researchers have a broad range of interests and expertise including psychology, law, engineering, architecture, economics, biological sciences, epidemiology, health policy and clinical practice. Working together provides a unique opportunity for the cohort to address health inequalities and drive social change through innovative interdisciplinary approaches.  

Starting next month, participants will take part in a hybrid programme consisting of two in-person residential labs and four online masterclasses with expert speakers. They will benefit from career development, networking opportunities, and enhanced visibility with sector leaders across GW4 and beyond. At the end of the programme, they also have an opportunity to compete for seed funding to kick start collaborative interdisciplinary project ideas that have emerged from their participation in the programme. 

To date, GW4 Crucible has supported over 200 early career researchers, and provided over £100K of seed funding.  

GW4 Director, Dr Joanna Jenkinson MBE, said: “The GW4 Crucible programme has gone from strength to strength and continues to be instrumental in helping to enhance the careers of our future research leaders. It demonstrates the value of bringing together early career researchers from across radically different disciplines to develop new approaches to global challenges and research questions.  

“I would like to welcome our new cohort and look forward to hearing their innovative ideas and celebrating their future successes.” 

Meet the successful researchers taking part in Crucible 2024 and follow programme updates on GW4 LinkedIn.