This year, our topic aims to draw connections between health, wellbeing and sustainability and so far, we have explored where we live and work, and the food we eat.

Forum meetings

So far this year, researchers from 23 University of Cambridge departments, institutes and centres have joined a rich mixture of policy- and decision-makers from governments and businesses, and technical experts to explore these two themes. 

Most of the witnesses came from outside Cambridge and so far, they have included technical experts from the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) in Austria and the Joint Research Centre (JRC) of the European Union, sustainability leaders from Arup, the National Trust, Friends of the Earth and the EAT Foundation in Stockholm, and academics from Oxford University and the University of Edinburgh. 

Each month, a panel of three of them provided their perspective on the gaps in our knowledge and burning questions for future research.  These introductions acted as a springboard for the discussion during the rest of the meeting and over an informal working dinner. Between 20 and 30 people take part and Forum members formed the ‘core’ of each meeting. Internal and external guests and early career researchers who work in the area under discussion also provided specialised input. 

Outputs

Two reports explore key ideas related to our theme this year and explore connections between health, wellbeing and sustainability in the context of where we live and the food we eat.

Public events

More than 300 people came to three events at the Science Festival in 2016 and 2017 brought together panels of experts to explore questions related to the food we eat and the role that policy could - and should - play in shaping our diets.

If you would like more information about Forum meetings or these themes, please contact Dr Rosamunde Almond (r.almond@damtp.cam.ac.uk)