Research Methods Centre

DRMC Fellows

Our Fellows are research methods experts that contribute to the Centre's interdisciplinary training and research activities.

If you would like to become a DRMC Fellow please email your interest here.

Name	Position	Research Interests
Dr Nasima Akhter	Fellow Assistant Professor (Research) in the Department of Anthropology Fellow of the Wolfson Research Institute for Health and Wellbeing	Health inequality Nutritional assessment, Obesity Evaluation of intervention Bangladeshi Diaspora in the UK Food security and livelihood
Professor Helen L. Ball	Fellow Professor in the Department of Anthropology Member of the Sleep Lab	Integration of evolutionary and socio-cultural perspectives on anthropology of infant sleep How parents cope with infant-related sleep distruption Development of sleep patterns and circadian rhythms Human behaviour: parenting, infant care, infant mortality, SIDS, infanticide Behaviour and physiology of infant sleep Midwifery and postnatal care Evolutionary medicine
Dr Ulrik Beierholm	Fellow Department Representative, Durham Research Methods Centre Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology Programme Director of MSc in Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychology Member of the Centre for Vision and Visual Cognition	Computational Neuroscience, Perception, Decision Making, Neuroeconomics, Machine Learning
Professor Lynda Boothroyd	Fellow Professor in the Department of Psychology Director of Research (psychology.dor@durham.ac.uk), Department of Psychology Member of the Centre for Developmental Psychology Member of the Durham Cultural Evolution Research Centre Fellow of the Wolfson Research Institute for Health and Wellbeing	Attraction Body size preferences Evolutionary Social and Developmental Psychology Facial masculinity Father absence theory Body image
Dr Alex Brown	Fellow Department Representative, Durham Research Methods Centre Assistant Professor (Late Medieval and Early Modern British History) in the Department of History, Member in the Institute of Medieval and Early Modern Studies	The economic and social history of pre-industrial England The development of agrarian capitalism Social structure and social mobility Rural and agricultural history
Professor Chris Brown	Fellow Professor in the School of Education	Area Based Reform Educational change Educational leadership Evidence informed policy and practice Reducing social disadvantage School system improvement Teacher Professional Development
Professor David S. Byrne	Fellow Emeritus Professor in the Department of Sociology	Case based methods Complexity theory Postindustrial social structures Privatization of welfare systems Quantitative methods Urban systems
Professor Camila Caiado	Professor Statistics in the Department of Mathematical Sciences Management Board Member in the Institute of Hazard, Risk and Resilience Fellow of Wolfson Research Institute for Health and Wellbeing	Bayesian Statistics Parametric Inference Information Theory Stochastic Processes
Professor Frank Coolen	Fellow Director of Postgraduate Studies, Professor, Statistics in the Department of Mathematical Sciences, Fellow of the Wolfson Research Institute for Health and Wellbeing	Decision Theory Imprecise Probability Nonparametric Predictive Inference Operations Research Reliability Theory Statistics
Tahani Coolen-Maturi	Fellow Associate Professor, Statistics in the Department of Mathematical Sciences, Fellow of the Wolfson Research Institute for Health and Wellbeing	Nonparametric predictive inference Nonparametric statistics Modeling dependence Diagnostic accuracy including ROC analysis Reliability and survival analysis Uncertainty quantification including imprecise probability
Dr Helen Cramman	Fellow Department Representative, Durham Research Methods Centre Assistant Professor (Research) in the School of Education Fellow of the Wolfson Research Institute for Health and Wellbeing	Understanding and improving teaching and learning in STEM education from the early years to higher education Development of number skills in the early years Educational assessment Education Evaluation
Professor Richard Crisp	Fellow Head of Department in the Department of Psychology Chair of Board of Studies (psychology.hod@durham.ac.uk), Department of Psychology Head of Department (richard.j.crisp@durham.ac.uk), Department of Psychology Fellow of the Wolfson Research Institute for Health and Wellbeing
Mr Paul Finley	Fellow Department Representative, Durham Research Methods Centre IT Trainer in the Durham Centre for Academic Development (DCAD) Member of the Foundation Centre College Mentor of St Mary's College
Professor John Paul Gosling	Fellow Professor in the Department of Mathematical Sciences Affiliate of the Durham Biostatistics Unit	John Paul is an applied statistician who has experience of developing and applying novel statistical methods over a number of disparate areas including the reduction of animal testing, climate change, and criminal sentencing. As an applied statistician, his research work is often done in interdisciplinary teams, and he has collaborated with criminologists, engineers, environmental scientists amongst others. He has also worked outside of academia in both the civil service and the flood risk industry. His two principal areas of research are: expert knowledge elicitation, which aims at capturing knowledge in a repeatable and robust manner for use in quantitative models, uncertainty quantification for complex models, which aims at understanding the uncertainty in results coming from computer-based models that are expensive to run.
Dr Helen Gray	Fellow Research Associate in the School of Education Fellow of the Wolfson Research Institute for Health and Wellbeing
Professor Rosalie Hall	Fellow Department Representative, Durham Research Methods Centre Professor of Management in the Business School	Leadership perceptions Work socialisation Applications of structural equation modelling and related techniques in quantitative management
Professor Steve Higgins	Fellow Professor in the School of Education Fellow of the Wolfson Research Institute for Health and Wellbeing	Classroom Interaction and Discourse in Primary Schools Digital technologies and Learning Meta-analysis and Research Evidence in Education
Karen Jones	Fellow Assistant Professor (Research) in the School of Education Fellow of the Wolfson Research Institute for Health and Wellbeing	Assessment School inspections and accountability Value added and school effectiveness Quasi-experimental designs Secondary data analysis
Dr Ehsan Kharatikoopaei	Fellow Research Associate in the Department of Anthropology
Dr Dimitra Kokotsaki	Fellow Department Representative, Durham Research Methods Centre Associate Professor in the School of Education	Creativity Music Education Teacher Education Pupil Engagement
Dr Patrick M Kuhn	Fellow Department Representative, Durham Research Methods Centre Associate Professor in Comparative Politics in the School of Government and International Affairs Member of the Centre for Institutions and Political Behaviour	Comparative Politics Comparative Political Economy of Development and Conflict Econometrics Formal Theory
Dr Zhiyu Li	Fellow Department Representative, Durham Research Methods Centre Assistant Professor in Chinese Law in the Durham Law School	Chinese Law and Society Comparative Law Legislation and Statutory Interpretation Administrative Law Law and Policy
Victoria Menzies	Fellow Assistant Professor (Research) in the School of Education Fellow of the Wolfson Research Institute for Health and Wellbeing	The projects I lead use randomised controlled trial methodology with an associated implementation and process evaluation (IPE) for the programme. The IPE often integrates qualitative and quantitative research methods using interviews, focus groups and surveys to gather stakeholder feedback and data on how well the programme has been implemented. I also have some experience in conducting systematic reviews, and intervention programme development for implementation at scale. I have a background in psychology and psychology research methods and have developed many different survey instruments as part of different projects as well as conducting research in many different educational settings. Research Interests: Educational Evaluation Experimental Methodology Pilot Trials Development and Evaluation of Mathematical Interventions
Dr Andrew R Millard	Fellow Department Representative, Durham Research Methods Centre Associate Professor in the Department of Archaeology Member of The Institute of Medieval and Early Modern Studies	Bayesian statistical methods in archaeology, including dating, isotope analysis and predictive modelling Developing new approaches to Bayesian chronology building for application to any dating methods Statistics in human osteology, including age estimation Chemical and biochemical methods in archaeology Elemental and isotopic analysis of bones and teeth to investigate diet and migration, including weaning Bone diagenesis Chronology of hominid evolution
Dr Adrian Millican	Fellow Assistant Professor (Teaching) in Comparative Quantitative Politics in the School of Government and International Affairs	British Politics Comparative Political Participation Electoral Participation Quantitative Methods Social Media
Professor Catherine Montgomery	Fellow Professor in the School of Education Deputy Executive Dean (Global) for the Faculty of Social Sciences and Health	Catherine’s research focuses on internationalisation of higher education and she has a particular interest in transnational higher education in China and East Asia. Catherine’s recent work focuses particularly on mobilities and immobilities in international higher education and the internationalisation of curriculum and knowledge. Catherine is also interested in flows of international students and what these can tell us about the changing landscapes of global higher education.
Dr Philip Nathan	Fellow Associate Professor (Teaching), Head of MA Programmes in the Durham Centre for Academic Development (DCAD)	Research Writing Genre Studies Corpus Linguistics Teaching and Learning Research (especially in relation to the teaching of writing and 1:1 consultations and conferences) Student Writing Across the Disciplines
Dr Thuy-vy Nguyen	Fellow Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology	Solitude Self-regulation Motivation Well-being
Dr Andrew Orton	Fellow Department Representative, Durham Research Methods Centre Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology	Andrew's research interests focus on issues of faith, dialogue and diversity in professional practice, with a particular interest in how practitioners and others decide what is 'good practice' within related work. His work is often interdisciplinary in nature, including particular collaborations with practical theology to explore forms of Christian community and youth work. He is also interested in a range of related issues, including professional community work practice, community and voluntary organisation management, and social exclusion, especially in relation to public policy and faith-based social action in these field Whether working with practitioners, policy-makers, or others, Andrew's research builds in impact from the outset by actively involving people within the research process.
Professor Marcus Power	Fellow Department Representative, Durham Research Methods Centre Professor in the Department of Geography Fellow in the Durham Energy Institute Professor of Economy and Culture Professor of Politics-State-Space Professor of Urban Worlds	Critical geographies and genealogies of (post)development Energy geographies and low carbon transitions Post-colonialism, Portugal and Lusophone Africa Post-socialist transformations in Southern Africa China-Africa engagement Vision, visuality and 'popular' geopolitics
Professor Deborah Riby	Fellow NINE DTP Representative, Durham Research Methods Centre Professor in the Department of Psychology DTP Director in the Faculty of Social Sciences and Health Fellow of the Wolfson Research Institute for Health and Wellbeing	I am a developmental psychologist interested in typical development and developmental disorders. My research predominantly focuses on syndrome-specific signatures of typical / atypical development in neurodevelopmental disorders. My primary research area is social perception and social cognition in Williams syndrome (WS) and Autism (ASD). Within this area I have used a variety of eye tracking and innovative experimental tasks to explore areas of relative proficiency or deficit (exploring syndrome-specific signatures or cross-syndrome overlaps and having theoretical implications). I have used face perception and the interpretion of social cues from faces as a method of exploring communication strategies and social behaviours / tendancies associated with these disorders. I have more recently become interested in issues of social vulnerability associated with Williams syndrome - such as increased approach to unfamiliar people and awareness of stranger danger. Therefore the work that I conduct has both theoretical and applied relevance. Linking to the above area of interest I am focusing on the links between social behaviours and other facets of these neurodevelopmental disorders, such as anxiety, sensory processing and executive functions. A large focus of my recent research has also been on supporting families of individuals with WS, especially in relation to anxiety. Linking the two aforementioned areas of research activity I am particularly interested in understanding the needs of the 'whole' individual and how we need to encompass areas of cognition, behaviour and psychopathology in developing theory, but also in providing support and interventions for individuals with these disorders of development. Understanding the 'whole' also extends to understanding the family system.
Dr Akansha Singh	Fellow Assistant Professor (Research) in the Department of Anthropology	Mathematical Demography Public Health Statistics Social Statistics Survey and RCT Data Analysis
Professor Brett Smith	Fellow Director of Research, Professor of Disability and Physical Activity in the Department of Sport and Exercise Sciences	Brett’s extensively funded research focuses on disability, physical activity, sport, and health. It combines thinking from psychology, sociology, public health, and critical disability studies. Brett is also internationally recognised as a methodologist in qualitative research. He has a particular interest in narrative inquiry, rigor, and arts-based research. Brett is the co-founder and President of the International Society of Qualitative Research in Sport and Exercise. He is also the founder and former Editor of Qualitative Research in Sport, Exercise and Health.
Dr Edward (Jed) Stevenson	Fellow Assistant Professor in the Department of Anthropology	Child development Hunger and thirst Mixed methods and epistemologies Socio-ecological change Social inequality Ethiopia Horn of Africa
Dr Sally Street	Fellow Department Representative, Durham Research Methods Centre Assistant Professor in the Department of Anthropology Director in the Durham Cultural Evolution Research Centre	Macro-evolutionary anthropology Phylogenetic comparative methods Technical skill: music, tool use, construction Human/animal interactions
Professor Carolyn Summerbell	Fellow Professor of Nutrition in the Department of Sport and Exercise Sciences, Fellow of the Durham University Wolfson Research Institute for Health and Wellbeing Member of the Durham University Evidence Centre for Education (DECE) Theme 3 (improved food consumption and health) Lead for Durham University for the N8 AgriFood research programme. Durham University Lead for 2 of the 7 research programmes (Prevention; Children) of the NIHR (National Institute for Health Research) funded ARC NENC (Applied Research Collaboration for the North East and North Cumbria) Deputy Director of Fuse, the NIHR funded Centre for Translational Research in Public Health which is a member of the School for Public Health Research (SPHR) Member of the Cochrane Collaboration.	Systematic reviewing and meta-analysis Randomised controlled trials Evaluation of complex interventions Natural experiments System science Implementation science Public involvement and engagement in research Ethical issues associated with the use of secondary data Food, physical activity, obesity, inequalities and public health.
Mr Nicholas Syrotiuk	Fellow Research Data Manager in the University Library and Collections	Data management Data citation Indexing Bibliographic control Authority control
Professor Peter Tymms	Fellow Emeritus Professor in the School of Education Fellow of the Wolfson Research Institute for Health and Wellbeing	Monitoring Assessment & testing Educational standards Primary schools ADHD
Mrs Germaine Uwimpuhwe	Fellow Research Assistant in the Department of Anthropology
Professor Nick Vivyan	Fellow Professor in the School of Government and International Affairs Member of the Centre for Institutions and Political Behaviour	British Politics Legislative Politics Political Economy Public Opinion and Elections Quantitative Methods
Dr Janelle Wagnild	Fellow PDRA in the Department of Anthropology	Advanced quantitative methods Sedentary time Physical activity Pregnancy Gestational diabetes Medical anthropology Evolutionary medicine Human reproductive ecology Evolutionary biology
Dr Mario Weick	Fellow Professor in the Department of Psychology C803 Programme Director (Student Experience) Department of Psychology Academic Lead: Student-Staff Consultative Committee (C803) Department of Psychology Member of the Centre for Vision and Visual Cognition	Much of my basic research focuses on social hiearchies - how hierarchical relations are formed, and how being at the top or at the bottom of a hierarchy impacts people's thoughts, feelings and actions. On the more applied end, I help organisations and stakeholders make use of behavioural insights to tackle the challenges that they face. The word cloud below illustrates some of the topics I have been working on. I welcome expressions of interest from prospective students, researchers, and organisations wishing to work with me on these and related topics.
Dr Sarah Wieten	Fellow Assistant Professor / CSSS Advisor and Exam Board Rep / Delta Co-ordinator in the Department of Philosophy Steering Group Member in the Centre for Humanities Engaging Science and Society (CHESS) Fellow of the Wolfson Research Institute for Health and Wellbeing	Philosophy of Medicine Philosophy of Epidemiology Philosophy of Economics Philosophy of Science History of Science Meta-Research Bioethics Clinical Bioethics
Dr Jonathan Wistow	Fellow Assistant Professor in the Department of Sociology Fellow of the Wolfson Research Institute for Health and Wellbeing	My research has developed in three fields: health inequalities; climate change adaptation; and post-industrialism and class. In each of these areas I have a strong interest in the application of complexity theory to policy and governance systems and how the political economy functions relative to these. For example, my interest in health inequalities centres on the implications of both methodological and ideological framings for how this issue is understood and addressed. I have been involved in developing approaches to study place-based health inequalities through the application of qualitative comparative analysis. I recently completed a book called Social Policy, Political Economy and the Social Contract that ties together a range of diverse but related research interests that I have developed throughout my academic career, through employing complexity and social contract theory to understand the trajectory of the political economy and its interrelationship with policy. My research interests are: Health inequalities Place-based policy and governance systems Complexity theory Political economy Social contract theory Climate change adaptation and resilience Qualitative comparative analysis I am particularly interested in Theme 1 (focus 1 & 2), Theme 2 (focus 3 & 4) and Theme 3 (Focus 2) in the Methods Centre.

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