Stephen joins the group as an Honorary Senior Lecturer and will work with our team across a number of projects.
Tell us a bit about yourself
I am an experienced public health physician appointed to a joint role with Public Health Scotland (PHS) as clinical lead for MSK and injury, NHS Highland, and the University of Aberdeen. I have held an Honorary Senior Lecturer appointment in Aberdeen since 2017, with an interest in education, research and providing ad hoc public health advice in the Grampian NHS Region.
I have a long-held connection to the University of Aberdeen, having studied here as a medical undergraduate (holding an MRC studentship working on muscle physiology), and then an MD postgraduate researching cold physiology and acclimatisation in Antarctic divers.
I also have experience as a junior doctor working in trauma services in Grampian, Tayside and Glasgow, and trained in public health medicine in Merseyside.
I held a part-time Senior Lecturer post in the Department of Epidemiology at Keele for over a decade, working on musculoskeletal health and injury research (particularly orthopaedic surgical trials), while also working as an NHS consultant in public health medicine. I have held Director of Public Health service level appointments in three jurisdictions (England, Guernsey and New Zealand), with varied portfolios focussing on public health service delivery and impact.
I have always had a passion for the need for good research to inform services to increase the chances of the best outcomes for the populations we serve.
What will you be investigating while you are in Aberdeen?
I hope to add value to the team by providing an experienced public health lens to the teams’ existing and future projects around musculoskeletal disease and injury, and in particular adding a perspective on public health impact.
I also hope to be able take advantage of my national position in PHS for descriptive epidemiological studies using existing national datasets.
Why did you choose Aberdeen?
Aberdeen was attractive given its renowned epidemiology unit, which fitted with my experience and interests.
Are you involved in any other research?
I have a few papers on practical public health service health protection issues I hope to write up.
What do you enjoy doing outside of work?
Walking up mountains! I would very much like to increase my Munroe count from 7, if there are any volunteers in the group?! I also played tennis for University of Aberdeen as a student and still play veterans representative tennis, when I’m not injured!
I have had a long interest in nature conservation, was a volunteer warden at the Forvie National Nature Reserve as a student, and still contribute to population surveys of birds and plants.
I hold an RYA Coastal Skipper qualification and enjoy boating, especially on the West Coast.
I enjoy spending time with my family, including my wife Margaret, an Aberdeen and Glasgow trained trauma nurse (who has swum for Scotland!),my daughter who is currently training to be a GP, and my son who is an ex-sailing world champion and currently training to be an actuary.