MRC Epidemiology UnitResearch Associate
Population Health Interventions
Left the Unit in 2022
Current work and interests
Emma worked as a Research Associate within the Population Health Interventions research programme from November 2019 until August 2022. Her research focused on evaluating population level built environment and policy interventions in relation to physical activity.
Emma’s research focused on the policy processes involved in planning and implementing built environment interventions to promote walking and cycling. In collaboration with Durham University, she conducted a process evaluation of environmental and policy interventions around schools to increase active travel using ethnographic methods. She also assisted with the evaluation of ICAN-Northstowe, a feasibility study of delivering financial incentives to promote walking, cycling and public transport use in a new housing development. She has also recently had the opportunity to be involved in the Soft Drinks Industry Levy evaluation. Throughout her time at the unit, Emma led and contributed to numerous systematic reviews and evidence syntheses.
Background and experience
Emma joined the unit in 2017 as a Research Associate in the Prevention of Diabetes and Related Metabolic Disorders in High Risk Groups research programme. She conducted the qualitative 5-year follow-up of the WRAP study, a trial of referrals from primary care to open-group behavioural weight loss programmes. She also co-led the process evaluation of the GLOW study, an e-health weight management intervention for people with a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes. Emma also contributed to the development of SWiM, a digital intervention to support people with long-term weight loss maintenance. She has also assisted with the qualitative evaluation of GoActive, a school-based physical activity intervention for children.
Prior to joining the unit, Emma was awarded a BSc (Hons) in Occupational Therapy from the University of Ulster and an MSc in Public Health from Queen’s University Belfast. Emma completed her PhD in 2018 at the Centre for Public Health, Queen’s University Belfast. Her PhD project focused on the development and evaluation of a community-based intervention promoting physical activity among older women living in disadvantaged areas.