I am a final year PhD researcher in the School of Psychology, Queen’s University Belfast. My research interests are primarily in the field of health psychology with particular focus on improving health-related quality of life outcomes in vulnerable and marginalised populations. My PhD explores the process of psychological adjustment to advanced oesophago-gastric cancer, using mixed-methods research. 

I graduated with a BSc in Criminology and Criminal Justice in 2012, where my dissertation focused on societal perceptions of female offenders. I then spent a number of years working and volunteering in cancer services, before returning to university in 2019 to commence my PhD in Health Psychology. 

I am particularly interested in research that seeks to challenge inequalities within the healthcare system. In recent years, I have worked as a member of the workforce responsible for developing the NI Cancer Strategy 2022-2032, as well as an advisor on Marie Curie’s Death and Dying in the UK research programme which seeks to deliver change to policy and service-provision across the UK.  

I am supervised by Dr Lisa Graham-Wisener and Professor Martin Dempster.

Research Experience:

PhD Thesis: Improving Health-Related Quality of Life in Individuals with Advanced Oesophago-Gastric Cancer (2019-present, thesis to be submitted March 2023)

• • As part of my research, I have conducted the following individual research projects:
    • a JBI convergent-segregated systematic review,
    • a cross-sectional qualitative interview study using IPA analysis
    • a longitudinal qualitative interview study using IPA analysis
    • a cross-sectional quantitative survey study

Research assistant on project MusiCARER: Building capacity for high-quality research on the role of music therapy in supporting informal carers of people at end of life (July-Sept 2021)

• • • This role saw me working as part of a collaborative team on a systematic review whilst adhering to tight timelines.
    • My duties included conducting full-text screening of articles against eligibility criteria, undertaking citation and reference list harvesting of included articles and assessing the quality appraisal of included articles

• Postgraduate Representative of Northern Ireland British Psychological Society (NIBPS)
• Committee member of OGCancerNI
• Member of the Cancer Strategy Palliative and End of Life Care subgroup
• Certified JBI systematic reviewer

As a PGTA, I have prided myself on creating an environment that accommodates the needs of students while still promoting a high level of critical thought and academic writing skills. I enjoy adopting a student-centred approach to learning by encouraging active engagement that enables students to develop a deeper understanding of the topic through self-discovery and problem-solving.

Teaching Experience

• Lab Demonstrator and Assignment Marker (undergraduate and postgraduate level) (Oct 2019-present)
  • Supporting the delivery of high-quality psychology teaching during laboratory-based teaching sessions/lectures and promoting a high-quality student learning experience
  • Assisting students with research activities in support of the core curriculum
  • Marking student assignments, and providing constructive, timely and appropriate feedback
• Summer School Lecturer (July-August 2022)
  • Delivering teaching and assessment activities, with a specific emphasis on health psychology, psychological models of health and adjustment to chronic illness
  • Designing and developing taught course materials including presentations, worksheets and interactive activities using Socrative, Padlet and Vevox
  • Designing and delivering assessments based on lecture materials