Adam Williams, a KESS 2 participant from Cardiff University, recently won the ‘Researching the Rainbow: LGBTQ+ thesis of the Year’ award at National Student Pride 2022. It is the UK’s biggest LGBTQ+ student event, committed to improving the queer student experience across the UK. The award acknowledges a researcher who demonstrates a passion for bringing novel issues affecting the LGBTQ+ community to the forefront at an early stage in their academic pursuit.
Adam’s PhD research, supervised by Dr David Gillespie, Dr Fiona Wood, Dr Kathryn Hughes and Professor Kerry Hood, works in collaboration with Public Health Wales focusing on the impact of HIV prevention medications on behaviours and additional sexually transmitted infections (STI) and antibiotic resistance across Wales. Using qualitative components, combined with interrupted time series models, the research explores the relationship between the variables and the impact of the provision of HIV prevention medications on subsequent STI rates and growth of antibiotic resistance.
Adam Williams
Adam said,
“It is a great privilege and honour to have my research acknowledged for its contribution to improving lives in the LGBTQ+ community. I will continue to do my hardest to contribute where possible to ending HIV transmission which has plagued my community since its discovery. My PhD research and collaboration with Public Health Wales allows us to work towards the United Nations goal of ending HIV transmission by 2030.”
Adam was also shortlisted for the Forbes 30 Under 30 Europe (Science and Healthcare) award, has been nominated for ‘PhD Student of the Year’ in Cardiff University’s upcoming Postgrad Awards 2022 and has also successfully secured a job in his current department as a Trial Manager, which will commence following his PhD.
Adam’s research is funded through Knowledge Economy Skills Scholarships (KESS 2), a pan-Wales higher level skills initiative led by Bangor University on behalf of the HE sector in Wales. It is part funded by the Welsh Government’s European Social Fund (ESF) convergence programme for West Wales and the Valleys.
