Nicola was a wonderful colleague, popular with all, who I will remember as self-effacing, kind and a great supporter of early career researchers. She will be deeply missed by so many, and leaves an outstanding legacy.
Professor Matthew Hotopf, IoPPN Executive Dean
16 March 2026
Professor Nicola Fear CBE (1969-2026)
Tribute to Professor Nicola Fear CBE, who died in February 2026 after a short illness.
Nicola Fear was Professor of Military Epidemiology and Director of the King’s Centre for Military Health Research (KCMHR). She was also co-director of the Centre for Evidence for the Armed Forces Community and Research Co-Chair of the Service Children's Progression Alliance Impact Centre.
Her research explored the mental health and wellbeing of the British Armed Forces personnel, as well as the impact of military service on the families of service people. She was an international authority in this field, and her work had a real-life impact for military personnel, veterans, and families and for which she was awarded a CBE in 2025.
Professor Fear obtained a BSc(Hons) in Pharmacology from King’s College London before training as an epidemiologist the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (University of London) and the University of Oxford.
She worked as an epidemiologist at the Ministry of Defence, before joining King's College London in 2004. She was awarded a Chair in Epidemiology at King's in 2014.
She was one of the Principal Investigators on the KCMHR military cohort study, which has remained the key longitudinal source of data informing the UK Government and voluntary sector policies and service provision along with leading the way in academic research regarding the health of military personnel and veterans. She also led several studies looking at the impact of military service on families and was seminal in driving development of military family research and impact nationally and internationally.
In 2025, she was also recognised as the first International Canadian Institute for Military and Veteran Health Research (CIMVHR) Fellow.
Nicola loved her work with a passion. She had a never-ending amount of kindness, patience and encouragement and an eagle eye for numbers and robust research. She supported many of us at KCMHR and beyond, through our careers as early career researchers and PhD students, making a huge contribution to the wider research community nationally as well as internationally. She also collaborated closely with many charitable organisations and policy teams to ensure that the work of KCMHR had real-life impact for military personnel, veterans, and their families.
Professor Sir Simon Wessely, Dr Rachael Gribble & Professor Sharon Stevelink on behalf of King's Centre for Military Health Research (KCMHR)
Professor Fear's colleague Professor Sir Simon Wessely recently shared his memories of her life, career and legacy on BBC's Last Word which you can listen to here (from 14min 09sec).
The deepest sympathies of the IoPPN community are with Professor Fear's family, and her many friends, colleagues and collaborators.