When people think about health research, they often picture laboratories and clinical trails. However, for the Sunshine Coast Research Showcase’s keynote speaker, Professor Alex Broom, answers often lie well beyond physiology or biology factors, and are social, economic and political in origin.
Professor Alex Broom is a Professor of Sociology and Founding Director of the Sydney Centre for Healthy Societies at The University of Sydney. Prof. Broom explains, “take an infectious diseases or chronic illness issue, we would look at not only individual situations, but the contexts and systems which led to the problem in the first instance. We then seek to design solutions which address upstream issues, rather than placing the pressure on those at the frontline (patients and clinicians often!).”
Looking ahead in research we are currently in an era of proliferation of LLM generated ideas and growing misinformation. Beyond adapting to this new world of AI in research, a core critical challenge for research is trust. Professor Broom notes, “Whether social science or biomedical science more broadly, we need to bring along our communities and renew trust in the power of research and knowledge creation. If we rekindle trust, issues such as working together to reduce antimicrobial resistance, mental health or chronic illnesses, and different political decisions which can enable that, become possible.”
The Australian research landscape is quickly evolving, with greater emphasis now being placed on impact and translational effect rather than solely traditional academic metrics of success like journals and H-indexes. Professor Broom highlights the growing importance of transdisciplinary approach in research, where experts from different fields work together to solve complex problems. Collaborations can address challenges that cannot be solved through a single discipline alone.
Prof. Broom advises early researchers that, “a great program or project starts with a mutual concern and a dose of good will, which each of the parties are deeply committed to.” Cross-disciplinarily work goes beyond familiar professional circles. Attending events, seminars and discussions outside your own research field can lead to positive and unexpected connections. In Prof. Broom’s experience it has led to “surprising and creative knowledge production and social transformation, in the longer term.
The importance of community should remain central when thinking of the future of local research on the Sunshine Coast. “All healthcare should and is about serving local communities. Trust is multilayered, with its core being the local community. Priorities should be set by the needs of the local community, in concert with gold standard nationally and globally. That is the bliss point between context and quality.” Prof. Broom explains.
We are excited to hear a different research perspective from a sociologist within a healthcare setting at the Sunshine Coast Research Showcase. By broadening how we think about healthcare challenges, and strengthening trust and fostering collaboration, research can create meaningful lasting impact.