Skip to main content
Adam Williams  AFHEA PhD (Medicine) MSc (Health Psychology) BSc (Psychology)

Adam Williams

(he/him)

AFHEA PhD (Medicine) MSc (Health Psychology) BSc (Psychology)

Research Associate - Trial Manager

School of Medicine

Users
Available for postgraduate supervision

Overview

Welcome to my profile! I am a passionate researcher dedicated to unravelling the complexities of sexual health and behaviour. With a keen eye for detail and a commitment to innovation, my work revolves around prevention, health behaviour and intervention development aiming to ensure positive and equitable access to sexual health for all in Wales. I conduct various research and evaluation projects where I blend quantitative and qualitative methodologies to push the boundaries of knowledge.

I thrive on collaborative exploration, working in close partnership with Public Health Wales, the NHS, the Welsh Government, and academia, alongside volunteering with Fast Track Cardiff and Vale. My commitment to making a meaningful impact is reflected in my various projects supporting the business case to secure funding for Wales' National STI postal testing service and the creation of the Wales HIV Action Plan. Join me in the journey of discovery as we navigate the intriguing landscapes of health behaviour, unlocking new insights that pave the way for a brighter, more informed future.

Publication

2023

2022

2021

Articles

Monographs

Thesis

Research

My background is in psychology and health behaviours. In 2019 I started my PhD in medicine, examinng HIV prevention and behaviour change from a public health perspective. I am particularly interested in working towards bringing an end to the transmission of HIV.

Clinically, I am interested in exploring behaviours related to the spread of infectious diseases and how to combat the spread. My other focus is reducing the impact antimicrobial resistance among sexually transmitted infections.

Methodologically, I am a mixed methods researcher with interest in using both quantitative and qualitative methodologies to triangulating results.

Collaborations

Teaching

  • Developing learning materials relating to using NVIVO for research purposes for the GW4
  • Intercalated Population Medicine: developing and teaching a module relating to sexual health and research
  • Cardiff Step-Up: developing and teaching a 6-week health and wellbeing course delivered to college students from deprived areas
  • Cardiff Sexpression (since 2020): training coordinator and present workshops
  • Just Like Us (2019-2021): delivering diversity workshops

Biography

I am an ambitious and creative multi-award-winning researcher with experience in grant writing, an international network of collaborators, and dedicated to improving EDI at Cardiff University. Being a queer man and coming from a socioeconomically deprived background I understand the difficulties faced by trying to break through class and tradition barriers that exist in academia. Having made my way in I have a passion for supporting and developing others from a similar position, providing a role model for others to follow and to alter the views and expectations when thinking of an “academic”.

As a trial manager, I have honed my skills in managing complex studies, collaborating with diverse teams, and aim to make trials run efficiently while being prepared to adapt to difficult situations that may arise. I have a track record of fostering strong working relationships with colleagues across universities, the health and criminal justice system, and wider stakeholders to ensure the delivery of high-quality trials.

Reflecting on my experience, I have gone through all my education in quick succession, completing my PhD by 27. In this time I have cultivated myself and my abilities to the point where I am now an established researcher in sexual health, with institutions such as PHW and the Welsh Government inviting me to contribute to their policies and research. I engaged in a lot of training throughout my PhD to develop skills and now I am working to increase my standing within the field of sexual health promoting my work on an international stage. I am committed to generating new funding and publishing outputs to improve the unit, School, University, and health of people nationally and internationally. 

My long-term goal is to establish Wales as a world leader in sexual health, developing a comprehensive research network across Wales producing quality research centred around our world-leading sexual health services.

Honours and awards

Honours
2023 Prof Lesley Jones PGR Excellence Award, Student of the Year, Cardiff University
  Celebrating Excellence Awards, Excellence in Voluntary Contribution, Cardiff University
  Art of Health (Europe Winner), STI & HIV World Congress Chicago
  Research Image Award, KESS 2 Awards Ceremony
2022 LGBTQ+ Thesis of the Year Award, National Student Pride
  Best Academic Poster, PRIME Conference
  Forbes 30 under 30 Europe (shortlisted)
2021 Art Lab Winner, Creative Cardiff 
2019 Best Presenter, Cardiff Medical Research Symposium, Cardiff University
  Images of Research Winner, Cardiff University
Research Awards
2023 Learned Society of Wales Grant, Lead applicant
2022 Scholarship, International Pathogenic Neisseria Conference Cape Town
  Scholarship, AIDS 2022 Montreal
2021 Public Health Wales Scoping and Feasibility Grant, Co-investigator 
2019 KESS 2 East PhD Studentship, Candidate

Professional memberships

 2023 Diploma in Professional Development in Leadership
 2022 Associate Fellow in Advance Higher Education
  Graduate Member of the British Psychological Society
  Member of the International AIDS Society
 2020 Member of the British Association for Sexual Health and HIV

Academic positions

2022 - ongoing Research Associate - Trial Manager, Centre for Trials Research, Cardiff University 
2021 - 2022 Research Assistant, Centre for Trials Research, Cardiff University 
2021 - 2022 Research Assistant, Cascade, Cardiff University 
2019 - ongoing Research Assistant (Honorary Contract), Public Health Wales

Speaking engagements

2023 LGBTQ+ STEM Day conference (CARDIFF) [Organiser]
  Fast-Track Cities 2023 conference (AMSTERDAM)
  GW4 EDI STEMM conference (CARDIFF) 
  STI & HIV World Congress (CHICAGO) [Scholarship and Award] 
  Society of Academic Primary Care National Conference (BRIGHTON)
2022 AIDS 2022 conference (MONTREAL) [Scholarship]
  BASHH conference (LEEDS) 
  Fast-Track Cities 2022 conference (VIRTUAL) 
  HIV Stigma, Research seminar (VIRTUAL) [Organiser]
  PRIME 2022 conference (SWANSEA) [Award] 
  Cardiff University Images of Research (CARDIFF) 
  National Student PRIDE (LONDON) [Award]
2021 Fast-Track Cities 2021 conference (VIRTUAL) 
  HIV in Cardiff & Vale, community event (CARDIFF) 
  Science in Health Live, Cardiff University (VIRTUAL)
  Cardiff University Images of Research (VIRTUAL)
2020 34th Annual Cardiff Medical Research Symposium (CARDIFF) 
  European testing week, research seminar (VIRTUAL) 
  Science in Health Live, Cardiff University (VIRTUAL)
  Cardiff University Images of Research (VIRTUAL) 
  Researching the Rainbow, National Student PRIDE (LONDON)
2019 33rd Annual Cardiff Medical Research Symposium (CARDIFF)
  HIV PrEP Seminar (GLASGOW)
  Cardiff University Images of Research (CARDIFF)

 

  

Committees and reviewing

 2023 HIV Outcomes UK, National AIDS Trust 
  HIV Action Plan Task and Finish Group, Welsh Government
  Sexual Health Research and Evaluation Network, Organiser
  Pride in STEM, Organising Committee
  Research & Evaluation Lead, Fast Track Cardiff and Vale
  Cardiff Science Festival, Organising Committee
 2022 Cardiff University EDI Committee
  Chair of Enfys, Staff LGBTQ+ Network, Cardiff University 
  Steering committee member, Fast Track Cardiff and Vale
 2021 Life Sciences Challenge, Cardiff University, Organising Committee
 2020 GW4 Antimicrobial Resistance Symposium, Organising Committee
  Centre for Trials Research EDI Committee, Cardiff University 
  Life Sciences Challenge, Cardiff University, Organising Committee

Contact Details

Email WilliamsAD7@cardiff.ac.uk
Telephone +44 29208 79989
Campuses Neuadd Meirionnydd, Room Room 507, 5th Floor, University Hospital of Wales, Heath Park, Cardiff, CF14 4YS

Specialisms

  • Sexualities
  • Preventative health care
  • Sexual Health
  • Antimicrobial resistance
  • Mixed-methodologies