Dr Amrit Kaur Purba is a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Oxford Internet Institute. She is a registered nurse holding a Master’s and PhD in Public Health, with her doctoral studies supported by the Medical Research Council (MRC) /Chief Scientist Office (CSO).
Proficient in advanced statistical and epidemiological methods, her research background rests in causal inference methodologies as applied to observational evidence. Her doctoral studies explored the potential causal relationship between social media use and adolescent engagement in health-risk behaviours.
Embracing an open science approach, Amrit has authored several high-quality, peer-reviewed publications used to inform health policy, including within the prestigious BMJ, among others. She actively contributes to various public health initiatives, addressing social media’s impact on health, infectious disease management, organisational development and mental well-being, and health inequalities.
With experience in multi-disciplinary teams spanning philosophy, sociology, epidemiology, and policymaking, Amrit values leveraging diverse expertise to address societal challenges. Her previous non-academic experience includes considerable work in public health practice and policy. For example, in her role as Senior Health Protection Lead for Scotland’s COVID-19 Contact Tracing Programme, she successfully managed governmental bodies, health organisations, academics, and the wider population to ensure the prompt implementation of a high-quality contact tracing system. In this role she supported the innovative development of high-quality digital tools and applications, leveraging her expertise in digital technology, data science, and artificial intelligence to enhance data access, surveillance, and intelligence at both local and national levels.
Currently, Amrit acts as a lecturer on the Master’s in Public Health program at the University of Glasgow. Further, through fostering a collaborative relationship with the Nursing and Midwifery Council, she contributes to advancing postgraduate education within the nursing profession.
Amrit received her Master’s in Public Health and PhD in Public Health for the University of Glasgow and has received a range of awards and recognitions including the Sigma Theta Tau International Honour Society of Nursing Award and the Royal College of Nursing Foundation Trevor Clay Award. She has presented her research, commentary, and contributions at a range of UK-based and international conferences, as well as via media outlets including The Times, Independent, Evening Standard, and The Scotsman.
Adolescent health and wellbeing, digital well-being, digital inclusion, social media, health inequalities, social determinants of health, causal inference in observational evidence, online platform data donation, open research, and meta-science
Digital well-being, online platform data donation, adolescent health and wellbeing
