YouTube video by AgeingBites

YouTube video by AgeingBites

Older people take on varied roles in their communities but frequently come up against barriers of ageism, digital exclusion and cutbacks in local amenities and services.

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What an exciting experience it was to finally attend my first international conference! Attending the British Society of Gerontology (BSG) Conference 2025 at the University of Surrey, UK was a defining moment in my early academic journey as a first-year PhD student at York University, Canada. I was honoured to present a poster from the findings of my Master’s in Gerontology dissertation from my University of Southampton, titled…

Dr Emily Bradfield Practitioner Research Associate: Collections and Wellbeing (Older Adults) at The Fitzwilliam Museum, University of Cambridge shares her experience of the ERA 2025 conference at Surrey as one of our ERA bursary recipients. Because my role is part-time and fixed-term contract, I have to be strategic about the conferences I attend, where I present, and the networks I invest in.

This year the BSG & ERA conferences were held at the University of Surrey. The theme of the ERA conference was Navigating Creativity, Connection & Change: A Future Vision for Emerging Researchers. During the conference we facilitated a range of ECR presentations encompassing different styles (traditional, Pecha Kucha and 3 minute thesis style), ECR poster presentations, workshops on creative non-fiction and narrative CVs and networking sessions.

YouTube video by AgeingBites

Perpetua Obi Attending the 54th British Society of Gerontology (BSG) Conference was an inspiring and rewarding experience that combined academic exchange, professional networking, and personal growth. I had the opportunity to present my poster titled “A Scoping Review of Sexual Health and Experiences of Older Adults Aged 55 Years and Above Globally.” This work addresses a subject that remains under-discussed in both research and practice, yet is central to the overall well-being and dignity of older adults.

Professor Emerita Lesley Millar MBE My Paper for the BSG Conference 2025 described the research project ‘Transparent Boundaries’, conducted between 2011 and 2014 for which I had been Principal Investigator. The project brought together organisations from Italy, Greece, Denmark and Poland together with my university: The University for the Creative Arts. Funded by the European Culture Programme it was a direct response to the Ex-Ante Evaluation of the European Parliament and Council’s decision to promote mental and physical well-being in the older age by increasing public sensitivity and stimulate active debate.

Patricia Donovan Taking those first steps in any career is often daunting. It's often stressful and demanding and full of unknowns and even self-doubt. Then come the milestone moments: the ones that loom before us bringing anticipation, excitement and a dose of anxiety; the ones that seem to take place at simultaneously a glacial and a lightning pace; the ones that finally bring a sense of accomplishment and affirmation that we are on the right track and making progress.

Thank you, Andrew King and team at Surrey, for putting on such a well-organised and inspiring conference this year. As an early-career health science researcher, attending the BSS 2025 has been both energising and a powerful reminder of the cross-disciplinary collaboration required to better supporting older people. Too offer, we work in silos, using different terminology, frameworks and priorities. What stood out from this conference was the intentional creation of creative spaces that facilitate meaningful dialogue between disciplines.

Reflections on BSG 2025 by Dr Lesley Boyd Firstly I would like to thank the BSG once more for my bursary to this year’s conference at the University of Surrey. Without it, I could not have attended and I have a firm belief that the networking, stimulating ideas, contacts and friends that it generated will be all absolutely invaluable to my future growth as a later-life researcher.