The Academy 2022 Cohort

Cameron Wilson graduated from the University of St Andrews after spending 5 years doing an undergraduate and master's in computer science. Here with the ACRC, Cameron will be focussing on using his computer science background specifically to tackle Cerebral Visual Impairments in respect to the older population.

Supervisors: Professor Ian Underwood (School of Engineering), Prof Baljean Dhillon (School of Neurological and Cardiovascular Sciences), Dr Andrew Blaikie (University of St Andrews School of Medicine), Dr Philip Hands (School of Engineering)

Workpackage: Integrated Technologies of Care
 

Clare Halpenny has a BA in European Studies, BSc in Occupational Therapy and an MSc in Health Inequalities and Public Policy from the University of Edinburgh. She has worked as a clinical occupational therapist with the NHS since 2008, and hopes her clinical background will help inform her PhD study.

Supervisors: Dr Sarah Rhynas (School of Health in Social Science), Dr Jackie Gulland (School of Social and Political Science) and Dr Susan Shenkin (School of Population Health Sciences), Dr Leah Macaden (School of Health in Social Science)

Workpackage: Understanding the Person in Context, New Models of Care
 

David Vaca-Benavides is originally from Ecuador and has an undergraduate degree in Electronics and Telecommunications Engineering from ESPOL Polytechnic University and an MSc in Engineering from the University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland. David was a full-time lecturer and researcher at ESPOL Polytechnic University for 6 years. His research interests include medical data processing on embedded systems and mixed-signal electronic design for power converters and medical applications.

Supervisors: Dr Srinjoy Mitra (School of Engineering), Professor Susan Shenkin (School of Population Health Sciences), Dr Stewart Smith (School of Engineering)

Workpackage: Integrated Technologies of Care

Godfrey Wanok has a BSc in Optometry from Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda and MSc in Primary Care Ophthalmology from The University of Edinburgh. He also has a Fellowship in Low Vision Rehabilitation from LV Prasad Eye Institute, India. He will use his knowledge and experience in optometry and low vision to explore the feasibility of using reading performance to monitor trends in visual and other physiological functionalities related to ageing.

Supervisors: Prof Baljean Dhillon (School of Neurological and Cardiovascular Sciences), Prof Ian Underwood (School of Engineering), Dr Sarah Rhynas (School of Health in Social Science).

Workpackage: New Models of Care
 

Ki Tong is a chartered landscape architect with design and construction experience for projects in the UK and internationally. Prior to a career in landscape architecture, she completed a research degree in psychology exploring the relationship between emotion regulation and executive control. She is keen on identifying requirements for enhancing the restorative effect of external environments. She hopes to make use of evidence-based design research to inform design requirements for promoting mental and physical well-being.

Supervisors: Prof Gillian Mead (School of Population Health Sciences), Prof Catharine Ward Thompson (Edinburgh College of Art), Dr Sarah Morton (Moray House School of Education and Sport), Dr Jennifer Liddle (Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University), Dr Gail Carin-Levy (Occupational Therapy & Arts Therapies Division, Queen Margaret University), Dr Claire Fitzsimmons (Moray House School of Education and Sport)

Workpackage: Understanding the Person in Context
 

Laurence Rowley-Abel has an MSc in Social Research from the University of Edinburgh and a BA in French and Arabic from the University of Cambridge. He has spent several years working as a researcher both inside and outside of academia, focusing on the quantitative modelling of social inequalities and health outcomes.

Supervisors: Dr Alan Marshall (School of Social and Political Science), Prof Jamie Pearce (School of Geosciences), Prof Catharine Ward Thompson (Edinburgh College of Art), Dr Stella Arakelyan (School of Population Health Sciences), Prof Bruce Guthrie (School of Population Health Sciences)

Workpackage: Data-Driven Insight and Prediction
 

Noah Hurton studied geography at university before working as part of a clinical trials team investigating the clinical and cost effectiveness of treatments for hip fractures in older people.
His project combines interests in rural areas and ageing. For it, he is adopting a comparative ethnographic approach to better understand care transition decisions and alternatives in two remote communities, one in Scotland and one in the North East of England.

Supervisors: Dr Sue Lewis (School of Health in Social Science), Prof Eric Laurier (School of Geosciences), Dr Rachel Hunt (School of Geosciences)

Workpackage: Understanding the Person in Context

Sasha Lewis-Jackson has a BSc (Hons) in Anthropology from Bournemouth University and an MSc in Medical Anthropology from University College London (UCL). Prior to starting at the ACRC, Sasha held the Ann McPherson pre-doctoral fellowship at the University of Oxford. Her research interests include the use of qualitative methodologies to capture patient narratives to improve patient experiences. She intends to use her research experience to explore the impact of restrictive practices on those with dementia and delirium.

Supervisors: Prof Heather Wilkinson (School of Health in Social Science), Dr Tom Russ (School of Neurological and Cardiovascular Sciences), Dr Susan Shenkin (School of Population Health Sciences), Dr Lucy Stirland (School of Population Health Sciences)

Workpackage: Understanding the Person in Context

Sumetha Uthayakumar has a BSc in Biomedical Science and an MSc in Biomedical Engineering. Prior to starting with the ACRC Academy Sumetha worked as an Early Career Researcher at the University of Warwick using the motion capture system and smart shoes, which had sensors embedded in the soles of the shoes.

 
Supervisors: Dr Stewart Smith (School of Engineering), Dr Kasia Banas (School of Population Health Sciences), Dr Liesbeth Tip (School of Health in Social Science), Dr Maria Wolters (School of Informatics), Dr Jean Stafford (School of Population Health Sciences)

Workpackage: Integrated Technologies of Care
 

Vasilis Raptis completed his undergraduate degree in Biological Science at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece (2020) and his MSc in Quantitative Genetics at the University of Edinburgh (2021). His previous research experience in human complex traits genetic analysis will help inform his PhD project, aiming to understand how the risk of developing delirium is affected by our genome.

Supervisors: Prof. Albert Tenesa (The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies), Prof. Alasdair MacLullich (School of Population Health Sciences), Dr. Timothy Cannings (School of Mathematics), Dr Simon Cox (School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences).

Workpackage: Data-Driven Insight and Prediction

Victoria Barber-Fleming's background is in clinical medicine, having worked latterly as a palliative medicine doctor. She is changing paths and plans to focus on academia with a view to using her clinical experience to ensure relevance of the project.

Supervisors: Prof Gillian Mead (School of Population Health Sciences), Prof Heather Wilkinson (School of Health in Social Science), Dr Atul Anand (School of Neurological and Cardiovascular Sciences), Dr Eddie Donaghy (School of Population Health Sciences)

Workpackage: Understanding the Person in Context