School of Health & Wellbeing

Centre stage this month is MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit's Professor Petra Meier, sharing with us the nature and aims of her systems- and inequalities-focused research, the importance of "waiting-for-the-kettle-to-boil" workplace chats and of learning from uncertainty and mistakes.

Tell us a bit about what you do in IHW

I joined SPHSU in July 2020 as a Professor of Public Health and Programme Lead for the Unit’s new Systems Science in Public Health programme. A main focus of my work for another three years will be as Director of the SIPHER Consortium, a collaboration of some 60 researchers and people working in policy organisations. SIPHER’s vision is to provide evidence that supports a shift to healthy public policy, where all government sectors work together to improve wellbeing and tackle inequalities. We apply systems science methods that are able to better reflect the complexity of cross-sectoral decision making, and show mutual dependencies in terms of co-benefits and trade-offs – so for example we are looking at how more inclusive economic policies can benefit health and how a healthier population may benefit the economy. I am now looking to expand on this kind of systems- and inequalities-focused work, and have started with some of our other unit programmes and in large cross-college collaborations which is very exciting.

However, outside IHW, what I am maybe best known for is alcohol research. I am president of the Kettil Bruun Society for Social and Epidemiological Research on Alcohol, a senior editor of Addiction and involved in various projects on alcohol policy and on drinking culture. Finally, I see the climate emergency as one of the biggest challenges facing us today, and so I have just joined as an Associate Director of the Centre for Sustainable Solutions, bringing with me my health, wellbeing and equity focus as well as systems perspectives.

What do you enjoy about your role?

As you can see my role is hugely varied with lots and lots of opportunities to do interesting things!

I like being involved in science that makes a difference to the way researchers, decision makers, other stakeholders or the broader public think, learn, decide and act. And just generally trying to do my bit to make the world a better place.

What are the challenges?

As you can see my role is hugely varied with lots and lots of opportunities to do interesting things!

No, honestly, joking aside. When you start a job like this, it can take a little while to figure out new collaborations and networks, and where you can make the greatest impact. Covid isn’t really helping – zoom meetings are not terribly good for first getting to know people and I think I have still only met five of my new colleagues in real life! It’ll be nice to get back into the office, bump into people and have "waiting-for-the-kettle to boil" chats in the kitchen. Assuming there is a kitchen – I have not been in yet =)

I like being involved in science that makes a difference to the way researchers, decision makers, other stakeholders or the broader public think.

What is the best thing about working in IHW?

I like that it is very multi-disciplinary and working across two colleges. Public health as a discipline sits between health and social science so I think that is very fitting.

Tell us something we might not know about you, or would surprise us

No surprises I think – what you see is what you get! What my old colleagues all knew is that I can get a tiny bit grumpy when I am hungry and that I am very easily bribed with nice food or a cup of coffee! My son learnt how to make coffee very early, and will – occasionally – bring me a mug of coffee up to bed. Inevitably followed by a "mummy, you’re probably going to say no, but I wondered if I could…"

When or where are you happiest?

Travelling! My love of travelling and my environmental values are not perfectly aligned… I just love exploring new places. I have a particularly soft spot for Italy where I spent my childhood holidays and many since – love the people, food, markets, picturesque old towns, late night strolls along the promenade and of course sun and sea!

Do you have a favourite quote or saying, or mantra by which you try to live your life?

Maybe Maya Angelou’s "Do the best you can until you know better, and when you know better, do better". I like this because it accepts that uncertainty and mistakes are just facts of life, and that we can, and should, refine how we act in line with our understanding of what "do the best" actually means. Easier said than done, but a good mantra nevertheless. 

If you would like to appear in "Five minutes with...", do please get in touch (jane.goodfellow@glasgow.ac.uk)! We aim to alternate professional services and research/teaching staff profiles, and feature colleagues from across a wide range of roles and grades within our institute. 

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First published: 21 September 2020