What did you study at A-level (or equivalent) and why did you select those subjects?
Biology, Chemistry, Psychology, and Spanish. I chose Biology, Psychology, and Spanish because I enjoyed them, and Chemistry as it was required to study Veterinary Science (which I originally wanted to do!)
What degree/PhD did you study?
BSc (Hons) in Psychology, MSc in Research Methods in Psychology, PhD in Psychology
What inspired you to choose and study your degree subject?
Honestly, I was a bit sad when I got my AS results back and hadn’t done particularly well in Chemistry. This made me reconsider studying Veterinary Science at University – I reflected and decided that I really enjoyed Psychology, and perhaps this was a better fit!
During my degree, I found that I was really interested in a final-year module about appetite regulation and obesity – particularly how food marketing can influence eating behaviour. I felt that there was a gap in the research when it came to more niche sources of food marketing, such as videogame livestreaming platforms (e.g., Twitch). After chatting with my younger brother who was 10 at the time, and often on the receiving end of this marketing, I felt inspired to pursue the topic as a PhD.
What jobs have you had during your career?
I have previously worked at a cattery, various veterinary practices, an urban farm, and as a Trussell Trust food bank volunteer. During my BSc I worked at Next, and during my MSc I worked as a Research Assistant on a couple of food-related projects – one exploring the role of psychological distress in the relationship between food insecurity and diet quality, and the other examining the energy and nutritional content of snack foods sold at supermarkets and coffee chops in the UK.
During my PhD, I worked as a Consultant for the World Health Organisation for a couple of months to write a report on food marketing in digital gaming.
Do you have an area of expertise / research?
My research predominantly focuses on public health, specifically environmental factors influencing eating behaviour. For example, I’ve explored the effects of food marketing on various aspects of eating and evaluated behaviour change strategies such as food labelling to promote healthier diets. My doctoral thesis explored the extent and nature of digital food marketing via videogame livestreaming platforms and its impact on eating behaviour and health among young people.
Alongside my work in public health, I’ve also explored human-animal relationships, including how the interplay between owner and cat personalities influences the quality of their bond.
More resources:
Article: Food marketing - How are we being influenced?
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