Event highlights
Redefining alcohol in academic and public health events: the “Sober Science” experience at an alcohol research conference in Scotland
In 2023, WHO/Europe and the European Union launched the Early Career Researcher (ECR) Network under the Evidence into Action Alcohol Project (EVID-Action) to foster a new generation of researchers engaged in alcohol policy. As discussions among the 26 young professionals evolved, the group began questioning cultural and professional norms regarding alcohol consumption. “If we promote public health and evidence-based alcohol policies, why do our professional spaces still centre around alcohol?” recalls Jelena Dunaiceva, an ECR Network member from Latvia.
These reflections led the group to launch Sober Science, a side event at the 50th Kettil Bruun Society (KBS) Symposium, the world’s largest gathering of alcohol policy researchers. The event offered ECRs a chance to reflect on and rethink alcohol’s role in academic and public health settings.
“Why do we normalize alcohol consumption at public health events?”
Alcohol is still the default at many academic and public health events, from networking receptions to conference dinners. Yet more professionals are uncomfortable with this norm and see it as contradictory to public health values.
“It started with a quiet discomfort many of us had felt for years – noticing how often professional spaces, even in public health, default to alcohol. We wanted to offer something different. KBS, with its reputation for being open and friendly, felt like the perfect place to try,” explains Francisca Pulido Valente, an ECR Network member from Portugal.
6 co-organizers, inspired by WHO/Europe’s Redefine Alcohol campaign, created Sober Science as an inclusive, alcohol-free space to demonstrate that meaningful professional and personal connections could be forged without alcohol.
Planning with evidence and intention
As the idea of Sober Science began to take shape, the organizers realized their aim wasn’t simply to respond to personal discomfort, but to design a session grounded in evidence-informed principles for inclusive, safe and health-aligned professional spaces and events.
Alcohol is often seen as a harmless way to connect. In reality, it can reinforce informal hierarchies and make some people feel excluded – particularly early career researchers, women, people in recovery or those from cultures or religions that discourage drinking. Surveys reflect this tension: Many scientists report feeling uncomfortable with alcohol consumption at professional events or unsure where to draw the line between work and social time, and others feel compelled to drink given external pressure and a fear of stigma. While a few call for a complete ban, many express a desire for change.
Institutions are also beginning to question whether alcohol needs to be a fixture at every gathering. These discussions, for example, were already unfolding within the broader EVID-Action ECR Network.
With support from WHO/Europe and the KBS25 Organizing Committee, the team planned the session using the WHO Guide to Healthy Meetings, choosing a well-lit, welcoming venue at the University of Glasgow. The drinks menu featured a full range of non-alcoholic options – not just water – and the food catered to both vegan and non-vegan diets. The format was intentionally designed to encourage movement and interaction, creating a more dynamic environment. Importantly, the event wasn’t framed as a rejection of alcohol, but as an invitation to connect differently.
Reflecting on the approach, co-organizer Anastasia Månsson from Sweden explained, “There was an initial temptation to over-intellectualize it, but we reminded ourselves that inclusion isn’t abstract. It’s about what’s on the table, who’s in the room and how that room feels. This wasn’t about prohibition – it was about creating an alternative that could inspire new norms, especially for younger researchers.”
What “Sober Science” looked like in practice
Held the evening before KBS25 began, Sober Science welcomed around 50 participants – mostly ECRs, joined by 11 senior colleagues acting as mentors.
The session opened informally. Participants were introduced to the ECR EVID-Action Network and facilitators while enjoying food and a range of non-alcoholic beverages. To spark conversation, attendees were given a “networking passport” – a bingo-style game with prompts such as “has published on alcohol policy” or “first time attending KBS”. A short presentation then framed the session’s purpose and its connection to broader discussions on inclusion and cultural change in professional spaces. Many participants later shared that this context helped them understand how the event was part of a larger shift in thinking.
To encourage open dialogue, the group participated in an interactive “human survey”. Instead of answering anonymously via phones, participants responded physically. When a statement such as “Just because I research alcohol doesn’t mean I shouldn’t drink at conferences” was read aloud, people moved around the room to indicate their position on a spectrum from “totally agree” to “totally disagree”, leaving space for more nuanced in-between views.
Reflecting on the atmosphere, Martins Zvackis from Latvia noted, “It was refreshing to see early career and senior colleagues connecting without performance. Just people listening and learning from each other – and it worked, without needing a single drop of alcohol.”
Shifting the norm by showing what’s possible
Feedback from Sober Science was overwhelmingly positive. In the closing circle, participants described how much pressure they had felt, often without realizing it, in alcohol-centred spaces and how that pressure lifted in an inclusive, alcohol-free environment. For many, it was the first time they had spoken openly about these tensions in academic settings.
What stood out was that the benefits weren’t limited to ECRs; the experience felt refreshing for all participants. Sober Science demonstrated that alcohol in professional spaces is not neutral and that alcohol-free alternatives can still foster meaningful connections.
“Changing culture starts with doing things differently – even just once,” reflected Elena Torrell from Spain.
Matt Lesch from Canada added, “Sober Science was our way of saying: another way is possible in public health events.”
Event notice
From 8–13 June 2025, WHO/Europe will join researchers, policy-makers, advocates and practitioners at the 50th Annual Symposium of the Kettil Bruun Society (KBS) in Glasgow – a landmark international event dedicated to advancing alcohol research and policy. Known for its collaborative and welcoming atmosphere, KBS brings together a diverse and global community committed to addressing alcohol-related harm through open dialogue and evidence-informed action. The Symposium emphasizes the discussion of pre-circulated papers, fostering in-depth discussions and feedback among the research community.
WHO/Europe will contribute with several sessions and presentations across the programme, with a strong focus on strengthening alcohol policy research and implementation in the WHO European Region. As part of the Evidence into Action Alcohol Project (EVID-ACTION), WHO/Europe will also prioritize capacity-building for early career researchers and the advancement of a coordinated regional research agenda to support evidence-informed alcohol policies.
Workshop: Evaluating multicomponent alcohol policies as natural experiments for health impact
8 June 2025, 09:00–16:45
This interactive workshop focuses on evaluating alcohol control policies through natural experiment designs. Using countries of the Baltic region as a central case study and comparing recent policies in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, participants will explore a range of real-world evaluation approaches.
Through thematic modules combining presentations and group work, participants will strengthen their capacity to assess the impact of multicomponent policy interventions, using qualitative, quantitative and mixed-method designs. The session is especially tailored for early career researchers interested in evaluating multicomponent public health interventions.
Side event: Sober science – Welcome, mentoring and networking for early career researchers
8 June 2025, 18:00–19:00
This informal, alcohol-free networking session invites early career and established researchers to connect, share mentorship experiences, and reflect on how alcohol norms shape academic and public health settings. With interactive activities and discussions, the event supports the Redefine Alcohol campaign by fostering open, critical dialogue on the presence and role of alcohol in scientific culture. The event is open to participants at all career stages.
Workshop: Alcohol labelling – research, policy and practice
9 June 2025, 12:50–13:50
This lunchtime workshop presents WHO/Europe’s ongoing work on developing evidence on the impact of alcohol health warning labels. Highlights include findings from the new report, “Alcohol health warning labels: a public health perspective for Europe”, and international perspectives on implementation challenges. Speakers will explore case studies from Australia and Ireland, and invite participants to share their own research, plans and questions. A closing discussion will focus on how labelling research can better support real-world policy development and implementation.
A continued commitment to public health
WHO/Europe’s presence at KBS 2025 underscores its commitment to advancing evidence-based policy-making and capacity-building, equipping researchers with practical tools and supporting the next generation of public health professionals. The KBS Symposium offers a unique space to connect science with practice, exchange experiences across contexts and strengthen the public health response to alcohol-related harm, across the European Region and globally.