Could you tell us about your contribution, Catherine?

My application to be an Associate Professor of Obesity and Public Health was focussed on my specialist interest in obesity research and developing multidisciplinary applied research programmes that impact on population health and reduce inequalities.

I have developed a role as a ‘boundary spanner’ operating across academia through contributing to the generation of knowledge and in practice influencing public health decision and policy makers. By drawing on my roles in both public health practice and research at Sheffield Hallam I was able to demonstrate an outstanding contribution to Research and Innovation (R&I) and Academic Citizenship and Leadership (AC&L) and a significant contribution to External and Professional Engagement (E&PE). This was demonstrated through a track record of income generation, leadership, academic publications, and collaborative working.

A few highlights include:

• As Principal Investigator in excess of £1.2m of income to Hallam on projects worth more than £6.5m with a large portfolio of National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) projects including ‘A coproduced mixed method evaluation of the NHS England Low Calorie Diet (LCD) implementation pilot (Re:Mission)’ and ‘Pathways to research excellence: developing a Health Determinants Research Collaboration (HDRC) for sustainable and applied research in Doncaster’
• Leadership roles within and beyond my own collegial academic community – co-leading the Healthy and Active 100 theme (HA100) at the Advanced Wellbeing Research Centre (AWRC);
• Director of Studies / Supervisor on five PhD studies (hosted at Hallam, Leeds Beckett and LA Trobe Universities) and career mentor on a NIHR Pre-Doctoral Local Authority Academic Fellowship.

What does it mean personally to you to be an associate professor at Hallam?

It’s amazing! Seeing it in black and white, now it’s finally sinking in! I have been privileged to work with superb colleagues within and beyond Hallam who have inspired me with their genuine passion for R&I making a difference to people, policy and practice. As Associate Professor I hope to be able to do the same!

Tell us a bit about your career story so far.

I have 20 years of applied experience in local authorities and the NHS in Public Health and Sport / Physical Activity Development. I worked in a local public health team where I strategically led and influenced the direction of children and young people, obesity, and fuel poverty policy, where I completed my master’s in public health, regularly citing the research of Sheffield Hallam academics who I now have the privilege to call my friends.

My introduction into research was on a NIHR funded Research for Patient Benefit study – Keeping Warm In Later Life – this allowed me to wear two hats as researcher and in implementing the research findings, locally regionally and nationally. The principal investigator for this study offered me a career changing opportunity as a research assistant on obesity related projects which brought together my newfound interest in research and my public health experience. I worked part time in both roles in the local authority and at Hallam for ten years, whilst undertaking my PhD which I completed it in 2020. Since starting as a Research Assistant here in 2011, I have worked up to Research Fellow, Senior Research Fellow and now as Associate Professor I hope to continue to work with colleagues and friends within and beyond the University to contribute to public health.

If you could go back in time and give yourself some career advice, what would it be?

Going well back in time to undergrad… take time to think about the degree (not just what the city and being a student has to offer from a social perspective!) and where it may take you employment wise. As your career is developing seek opportunities that interest you, asking yourself a simple question – ‘would you get up at 5am on a Saturday to work on the project?’ if no it isn’t the one for you! Finally, aim to work with people you respect and enjoy being around, make work fun!

What’s next? How do you want to further develop your contribution?

• Continue my income trajectory through applications of all sizes, recognising that the impact of smaller funded work in a local authority or voluntary sector setting can lead to high impact gains and set a platform for future larger collaborative projects.
• Lead a case study in REF 2028.
• Add to high quality 3/4* peer reviewed articles. I take an inclusive and collaborative approach to publishing which will also contribute to widening my international networks and continuing my established links with non-academic partners.
• Build on and develop international networks within the field of obesity and public health.
• I have been afforded with excellent mentors throughout my careers, who have inspired me and given me the confidence to believe I am and will continue to be a research leader in my areas of expertise. I am committed to providing others with support to develop research careers through fellowship applications, PhD supervisors and producing high quality papers suitable for REF returns.