There cannot be many themes that exemplify the aspirations of a research-led higher education institution better than Saving Humans.
Ensuring lifelong health and wellbeing for individuals and broader social groups is a key challenge nationally and internationally, and one which underpins much of the world-leading research taking place at Birmingham.
Our work spans the spectrum of threat to mankind’s survival: from poverty and communicable disease through climate change and catastrophic environmental damage to political instability or terrorism, whether conventional or cyber.
At Birmingham we are exploring how risk to human life is constructed and measured, how interventions are decided and carried out, and what can be learned from the experience of survivors.
Saving Humans is an early theme of the University’s newly-launched Institute of Advanced Studies; providing prime opportunities for creating novel global partnerships, transcending artistic and scientific divides and, most importantly, addressing broader issues of social, political and moral concern for our future.
This issue of Original provides an insight into some of the diverse and exciting work that is helping to protect and enhance the lives of people all over the world. I hope you enjoy reading it.
Professor David Eastwood
Vice-Chancellor