Fredrik Norström, Umeå University, visits Usher Institute
[10 Feb 2016] Fredrik Norström, from Umeå University, Sweden, joined Professor Raj Bhopal as a visiting researcher. He gives an account of his visit last summer.
During the time period 13th of April to 4th of June I was invited as a guest researcher by professor Raj Bhopal at the Centre for Population Health Sciences at University of Edinburgh. The purpose with the visit was to discuss collaboration with professor Raj Bhopal but also to evaluate other potential collaborations within and outside the Centre.
During the stay I had regular meetings with professor Bhopal. Together we investigated the possibilities of a joint project related to development of better guidelines for scientific publications. We identified potential contributors for such work and contact was taken with potential contributors during the time I spent at the University. Professor Bhopal and I share an interest in identifying better ways of presenting true causality in epidemiological and statistical analyses so that research results can be used in daily practice by decision makers. Our joint project idea was as well targeting this.
I shared an office with seven other researchers and it was a very nice working environment. Our research priorities was pretty different but we still had some very useful scientific talks during the days. During my stay I was invited to many interesting lectures and despite eight weeks being a short time period I felt as a part of the Centre and its activities.
Besides my meetings with professor Bhopal, I also had the opportunity to meet with other researchers who shares the same research interests as myself. I met with researchers, both affiliated to and not affiliated to the Centre, at the Scottish Collaboration for Public Health Research & Policy. I see a potential in a future collaboration with these researchers as they share an interest in research related to unemployment and health.
My research visit at Edinburgh University was very enriching in many ways. It will be very valuable for my future academic career. I had a very nice stay at the Centre, enjoyed Edinburgh much, and the staff at the Centre was very welcoming. I would very much like to come back to the Centre again in the near future.
Find out more about Fredrik on his Umeå University profile page