Briefly, tell us about your background and career up to this point?
I started my career with a BA in Psychology at Princeton University, followed up by a PhD in Health Psychology at King’s. I’m a behavioural scientist and my research focuses on behaviour change intervention design, grounded in evidence, to either create new interventions or improve existing healthcare services. I’m interested in applying our understanding of the influences on patients’ and healthcare professionals’ behaviours to design interventions which are both feasible to deliver and effective. Prior to joining King’s, I was a Senior Research Fellow in the Centre for Behaviour Change at UCL, where my work focused on classifying and understanding the active ingredients of behaviour change interventions.
What advice would you give to your 18-year-old self?
Having a broad range academic interests and not being able to pick just one is a strength, not a weakness.
Where do you see yourself in five years’ time?
Still here at King’s, working on a portfolio of research that applies behavioural science methods to create and refine interventions that support patients to optimise their medicines and empower pharmacists to enhance their practice. I also see myself teaching topics related to behaviour change to the next generation of pharmacists.
What do you do with your time outside academia/work?
Walking our rescue greyhound, trying out new vegetarian recipes and working on my rather wobbly headstands in yoga class.
What is your favourite thing about working at King’s?
The opportunities to collaborate and to use behavioural science to make a real difference to healthcare and patient wellbeing.
QUICK FIRE:
Favourite season:
Winter – for those bright, sunny mornings when the ground’s still crisp with frost.
Favourite book:
I’m not sure I can pick just one! However, recently I really enjoyed Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver.
Favourite cuisine:
South Indian vegetarian
Coffee order:
Flat white please!