Usher Institute Inaugural Lecture Showcase | May 2026 The College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine welcomes you to an inaugural lecture showcase event showcasing the work of three Usher Institute professors, as they share their career and research journey so far. Kathrin Cresswell | Professor of Digital Innovations in Health and Care Kathrin Cresswell is a social scientist and Professor of Digital Innovations in Health and Care. She specialses in conducting formative evaluations of digital change and improvement programs across health and care settings. A core focus of her research is understanding why digital initiatives succeed or fail by examining the organisational, political, and social issues surrounding technologies like Electronic Health Records, AI, and robotics.Her talk will frame the push for digital transformation in the NHS as an epic quest, fraught with the conflicts and trade-offs of Homer's Iliad. It will explore the perennial tension between pursuing digital "glory" (like cutting-edge AI or genomics) and the daily "struggle" of fixing fundamental infrastructure (like Wi-Fi, basic integration, and legacy IT). Using the Iliad's heroes and feuds—from Achilles' rage (clinician frustration over clunky systems) to Agamemnon's command (central policy mandates)—the talk will argue that achieving a truly "future-ready" health service requires balancing heroic ambition with deep, patient, and long-term organizational change. View Kathrin's University profile Nazir Lone | Personal Chair of Critical Care and Epidemiology Nazir Lone is Professor of Critical Care and Epidemiology and a Consultant in Critical Care. His research focuses on improving the quality and outcomes of acute and critical care, using epidemiological methods, linked data and AI-driven approaches. He leads work to understand multimorbidity in acute settings and long-term recovery after critical illness.His talk will explore how better use of health data can improve care for people who become seriously ill. View Nazir's University profile Susan Shenkin | Personal Chair of Healthcare for Older People Susan Shenkin is a clinical academic geriatrician who leads a portfolio of interdisciplinary research in healthcare for older people, particularly those living with the geriatric syndromes of delirium, dementia, frailty, and other multiple long-term conditions. Her focus is considering the whole person rather than a single condition, and working across health and social care (particularly care homes). She uses a range of methods, including data-driven innovation, systematic reviews, and observational and interventional studies. She has mostly worked less than full-time and is a strong advocate for balancing academic aspirations with wider/caring responsibilities.Her talk will explore how to improve health and care for older people, travelling the bridges between and within health and social care. View Susan's University profile Register via Eventbrite May 27 2026 17.00 - 19.30 Usher Institute Inaugural Lecture Showcase | May 2026 Inaugural lectures delivered by Kathrin Cresswell, Nazir Lone & Susan Shenkin. Usher Building, The University of Edinburgh 5-7 Little France Road Edinburgh BioQuarter - Gate 3 EDINBURGH EH16 4UX Usher Building Registation via Eventbrite
Usher Institute Inaugural Lecture Showcase | May 2026 The College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine welcomes you to an inaugural lecture showcase event showcasing the work of three Usher Institute professors, as they share their career and research journey so far. Kathrin Cresswell | Professor of Digital Innovations in Health and Care Kathrin Cresswell is a social scientist and Professor of Digital Innovations in Health and Care. She specialses in conducting formative evaluations of digital change and improvement programs across health and care settings. A core focus of her research is understanding why digital initiatives succeed or fail by examining the organisational, political, and social issues surrounding technologies like Electronic Health Records, AI, and robotics.Her talk will frame the push for digital transformation in the NHS as an epic quest, fraught with the conflicts and trade-offs of Homer's Iliad. It will explore the perennial tension between pursuing digital "glory" (like cutting-edge AI or genomics) and the daily "struggle" of fixing fundamental infrastructure (like Wi-Fi, basic integration, and legacy IT). Using the Iliad's heroes and feuds—from Achilles' rage (clinician frustration over clunky systems) to Agamemnon's command (central policy mandates)—the talk will argue that achieving a truly "future-ready" health service requires balancing heroic ambition with deep, patient, and long-term organizational change. View Kathrin's University profile Nazir Lone | Personal Chair of Critical Care and Epidemiology Nazir Lone is Professor of Critical Care and Epidemiology and a Consultant in Critical Care. His research focuses on improving the quality and outcomes of acute and critical care, using epidemiological methods, linked data and AI-driven approaches. He leads work to understand multimorbidity in acute settings and long-term recovery after critical illness.His talk will explore how better use of health data can improve care for people who become seriously ill. View Nazir's University profile Susan Shenkin | Personal Chair of Healthcare for Older People Susan Shenkin is a clinical academic geriatrician who leads a portfolio of interdisciplinary research in healthcare for older people, particularly those living with the geriatric syndromes of delirium, dementia, frailty, and other multiple long-term conditions. Her focus is considering the whole person rather than a single condition, and working across health and social care (particularly care homes). She uses a range of methods, including data-driven innovation, systematic reviews, and observational and interventional studies. She has mostly worked less than full-time and is a strong advocate for balancing academic aspirations with wider/caring responsibilities.Her talk will explore how to improve health and care for older people, travelling the bridges between and within health and social care. View Susan's University profile Register via Eventbrite May 27 2026 17.00 - 19.30 Usher Institute Inaugural Lecture Showcase | May 2026 Inaugural lectures delivered by Kathrin Cresswell, Nazir Lone & Susan Shenkin. Usher Building, The University of Edinburgh 5-7 Little France Road Edinburgh BioQuarter - Gate 3 EDINBURGH EH16 4UX Usher Building Registation via Eventbrite
May 27 2026 17.00 - 19.30 Usher Institute Inaugural Lecture Showcase | May 2026 Inaugural lectures delivered by Kathrin Cresswell, Nazir Lone & Susan Shenkin.
