My name is Shelina Visram and I have been an academic researcher since 2004. I currently work as a senior lecturer in public health in the Population Health Sciences Institute (PHSI) at Newcastle University. Over the past 20 years I have been involved in a diverse range of health-related research and evaluation activities, generally involving qualitative or mixed methods. My research interests include: the wider determinants of health and health inequalities; understanding the needs of under-represented populations; and place-based, community-centred approaches to improving health and wellbeing. Recent projects include:

• Evaluation of the Better Mental Health Fund in South Tyneside
• Understanding local health and wellbeing needs in South Tyneside (read the report here: Community insights report – South Tyneside Council)
• An evaluability assessment of the BoroManCan campaign to improve men’s health and wellbeing and reduce male suicide risk in South Tees (check out the YouTube channel for EveryManCan (was BoroManCan))

I am the deputy degree programme director for the suite of public health MPH/MSc programmes at Newcastle University, as well as leading a Masters module on public policy, health and health inequalities. I supervise student research projects on programmes that include public health, biomedical sciences, nutrition, pharmacy and psychology.

I am a longstanding member of Fuse (UK Centre for Translational Research in Public Health), which is part of the NIHR School for Public Health Research. I co-lead the Fuse Health Inequalities Research Cluster. I am also a member of the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration North East & North Cumbria (ARC NENC), the Society for Social Medicine and Population Health (SSM) and the European Public Health Association (EUPHA).