Policy Events
P&SC Summer Luncheon - June 2026
In June 2026, AMI President, Jack Gilbert and CEO, Lucy Harper attended the Parliamentary and Scientific Committee Annual Luncheon at the House of Lords. AMI were the first organisation to sponsor this event, which provided the opportunity to speak about AMI's Research Networks as examples of the type of collaboration that are essential in addressing the increased complexity of the challenges facing society. The P&SC were thanked for bringing together parliamentarians, scientists, and learned societies and in doing so, fostering such collaboration, demonstrating its commitment to strengthening the relationship between science and Parliament. AMI have an article in the Summer Edition of Science in Parliament, describing the Soil Stars' Heligan Challenges.
You can read more about the P&SC here.
Members can access the article in the Summer edition of Science in Parliament here.
Parliamentary Links Day 2026
As a member of the Royal Society of Biology, AMI gets the chance to send participants to their annual Parliamentary Links Day event! In 2026, the event theme was: University financial sustainability: challenges and opportunities in higher education and research funding, and we got the chance to send six members to attend.
Read the Royal Society of Biology news story summarising the event. They highlight key takeaways from Dame Chi Onwurah's (MP) open address and the keynote address on public attitudes towards science in the UK.
You can read the full story here.
The Parliamentary Links Day was a great opportunity for me personally to interact with sector leaders and MPs to discuss how we protect discovery science while delivering real world impact. The message was clear: curiosity driven research and societal benefit must advance together due to the changing UK research landscape, with a shift toward applied, impact driven funding. It was great to see representation from some MPs but greater representation with dialogue with policymakers would benefit to close the gap between science and policy.
APPG D&I in STEM: Inclusion to Mitigate Risk: Risk, AI and Gendered Harms - May 2026
As part of their new project on AI equity, the APPG on Diversity and Inclusion in STEM organised a deep dive session titled 'Inclusion to Mitigate Risk: Risk, AI and Gendered Harms'. As a sponsor of the APPG, AMI was able to attend this session. The session, split in two, focused on the gendered harms of AI and on mechanisms for change.
You can read more about the session and key takeaways here. The APPG will be publishing a report on this session in the summer of 2026. You can learn more about the APPG's work on this topic here.
Microbiome Support Association Retreat - April 2026
In April 2026, the AMI Chief Executive, Lucy Harper attended the Microbiome Support Strategy Retreat in Bertinoro Italy. This two-day meeting focused on developing the MSA's future priorities. The group discussed the importance of industry engagement, the opportunity for policy engagement with the EU and the 2027 Food Systems Microbiomes Conference.
Read more about the MSA here.
Voice of the Future 2026
As a member of the Royal Society of Biology, AMI gets the chance to send participants to their annual Voice of the Future event in Parliament. In 2026, we sent six attendees and got the chance to ask science and technology related questions to leading parliamentarians.
"Taking part in the Voice of the Future event was a fantastic opportunity to speak directly with policymakers shaping the UK research landscape. As a researcher working on microbiology and animal disease models to explore treatments for rare diseases, it was encouraging to see the life sciences recognised as vital national infrastructure. The discussion also highlighted just how important it is for scientists to engage in policy, so that research is properly supported and discoveries can have real-world impact."
"It was an honour to represent AMI at Voice of the Future 2026 at the Houses of Parliament. The event provided a valuable opportunity to hear a range of perspectives on current issues, including the role of public institutions in preventing the spread of misinformation, research funding in the UK, and the importance of scientists’ voices in policymaking. I was particularly inspired by the discussion on government action to tackle misinformation. As scientists, our work has significant benefits for society, and it is vital that we engage beyond academia to maximise its impact. For me personally, this event helped strengthen my skills and confidence in communicating with policymakers."
P&SC Discussion Meeting - March 2026
As a sponsor of the Parliamentary & Scientific Committee (P&SC), AMI had the opportunity to lead one of their recent Discussion Sessions, which are held to address various topics in science and technology. AMI’s President Jack Gilbert presented on the topic “What you need to know about ... how microbes are a crucially overlooked part of environmental and biodiversity legislation”, addressing parliamentarians, policy professionals and researchers.
Parliamentary Links Day 2025
Over 100 scientists, MPs, and sector leaders gathered at Parliamentary Links Day 2025 to discuss the role of science in policy, with speeches highlighting the UK’s strengths in research and the importance of evidence-based decision-making. RSB News Story about the day!
Click the image to read the full RSB article or click here.
Voice of the Future 2025
As a member of the Royal Society of Biology, AMI gets the chance to send participants to their annual Voice of the Future event! In 2025, the event was virtual and we got the chance to ask parliamentarians about the use and development of antimicrobials across the One Health spectrum!
Read the Royal Society of Biology news story summarising the event. They highlight the importance of collaboration between scientists and government to address major challenges and strengthen the UK’s research landscape.
Click the image to read the full RSB article or click here.
Voice of the Future 2024
AMI had the opportunity to submitted three questions to the annual RSB Voice of the Future event! In 2024, we proposed the following questions:
Voice of the Future 2023
Read more about what our attendees thought in the articles below:
Parliamentary Links Day 2023
Scientists, policymakers, and MPs came together at Parliamentary Links Day 2023 to discuss the theme of science and economic development, highlighting how research and innovation can drive UK growth. The event emphasised stronger collaboration between science and government, with discussions on skills, investment, and translating research into real-world economic and societal benefits.
Click the image to read the full RSB article or click here.
