Wednesday 8 October 2025
On Wednesday 8 October, PPS hosted the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) at Highfield Campus for an Areas of Research Interest (ARI) Workshop, bringing together DWP colleagues and University of Southampton researchers to explore solutions to key policy challenges.
The event opened with remarks from Professor Jane Falkingham, Vice President (Engagement and International), followed by Mike Jones, DWP Deputy Chief Scientific Adviser, who provided an overview of the Government’s ARI initiative. This was followed by a presentation from PhD student Cindy Brooks on her social research secondment with DWP.
Throughout the day, the DWP delegation engaged and presented alongside leading Southampton academics across themes including Pensions and Later Life from Professor Maria Evandrou, Professor Athina Vlachanthoni, and Professor Traute Meyer; Work, Health and AI from Dr Jane Parry, Dr Christina Saville, Dr Rebecca Taylor and Dr Joe Atkinson; Methods - including Working Age Modelling and Forecasting from Dave Pankhurst, Government Statistics from Professor Paul Smith, an introduction to CORMSIS from Professor Christine Currie, and Creative Methods from Professor Dan Ashton. The day culminated in collaborative breakout sessions that fostered new research partnerships and cross-disciplinary dialogue.