In this case study, Dr Sara Keller describes her public engagement activities to raise awareness of the topic of antimicrobial resistance and how engineers are working to address the problem. Key learning outcomes included an understanding of what engineering research comprises and why antimicrobial resistance is a wide-spread problem affecting us all.
Public engagement highlighting antimicrobial resistance with Dr Sara Keller
In April 2023, Dr. Keller gave a talk as part of the Department of Engineering Science’s “Spotlight on Engineering” lecture series. The goal of this event was to give an informative but understandable talk about her current research using focused ultrasound for treating bacterial infections. She gave a similar rendition of this talk as part of the Oxford Sparks “Big Questions” podcast in May 2023. https://www.oxfordsparks.ox.ac.uk/podcasts/how-can-we-use-sound-waves-to-eliminate-infections/
Why is this important?
Informing the public about antimicrobial resistance can raise awareness about this critical problem, which can hopefully lead to changes to lifestyles and practices (ie, an understanding of when and how antibiotics should be used) and hopefully policy changes down the line.
The case study
"Science communication is a critical aspect of research. Not only is it fun; I really enjoy the challenge of distilling complex topics into understandable language, but I also think that engagement between the scientific community and the general public is critical to developing and implementing effective new technologies. Furthermore, open and clear communication from researchers minimizes the spread of misinformation about new discoveries or technologies. I’d like to think that this is especially relevant for AMR, as educating the public may play a critical role in solving this crisis.
I was really excited to participate in these two science communication events. Beyond informing the community about the AMR crisis, these types of events also shine a light on what engineering research actually is. Engineering has the reputation of being especially intangible; I certainly had no idea what a career in engineering would look like when I was in school and so it’s great to show off what it is that we actually do! It’s also always interesting to hear from people who are learning about my research for the first time. I often get innovative questions and suggestions that may not have occurred to me when I get too tunnel-visioned about my research. Opportunities to connect with non-scientists and non-engineers is always useful both for both listeners and researchers." - Dr Sara Keller