Dementia Researcher Blogs

Dr Yvonne Couch - Frazzled Brains, Academic Burnout

Dr Yvonne Couch, narrates her blog written for the Dementia Researcher website.
In her blog, Yvonne tackles the issue of academic burnout, drawing from her personal experiences and insights from the podcast 'No Stupid Questions'. She discusses her own misconceptions about burnout, initially viewing it as extreme exhaustion, and discovers her potential vulnerability to it through self-assessment and the Maslach Burnout Inventory. Her exploration reveals that burnout in academia often stems from institutional deficits rather than personal circumstances, highlighting the importance of organisational support and recognition in combating this growing issue among academics.
Find the original text, and narration here on our website.
https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-frazzled-brains-academic-burnout/
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Dr Yvonne Couch is an Alzheimer's Research UK Fellow and Associate Professor at the University of Oxford. Yvonne studies the role of extracellular vesicles and their role in changing the function of the vasculature after stroke, aiming to discover why the prevalence of dementia after stroke is three times higher than the average. It is her passion for problem solving and love of science that drives her, in advancing our knowledge of disease. Yvonne writes about her work, academic life, and careers as she takes a new road into independent research @dr_yvonne_couch
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Enjoy listening? We're always looking for new bloggers, drop us a line. http://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk
This podcast is brought to you in association with Alzheimer's Association, Alzheimer's Research UK, Alzheimer's Society and Race Against Dementia, who we thank for their ongoing support.

Rebecca Williams - Unfrazzled Brains, 10-4 to stop Burnout

Rebecca Williams, narrates her blog written for the Dementia Researcher website.
In her blog, Rebecca delves into the challenges of academic burnout, recounting her personal experiences of exhaustion and lack of motivation in her research role. She reflects on the irony of academic flexibility, highlighting how this often translates to extended working hours rather than genuine work-life balance. Through her journey, Rebecca shares her realisation of being in the throes of burnout, underscoring the importance of recognising early warning signs. Her narrative emphasises the need for structured work schedules and the importance of taking regular breaks, offering valuable insights for academics struggling to maintain mental health amidst demanding careers.
Find the original text, and narration here on our website.
https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-unfrazzled-brains-10-4-to-stop-burnout/
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Rebecca Williams is PhD student at the University of Cambridge. Though originally from ‘up North’ in a small town called Leigh, she did her undergraduate and masters at the University of Oxford before defecting to Cambridge for her doctorate researching Frontotemporal dementia and Apathy. She now spends her days collecting data from wonderful volunteers, and coding. Outside work, she plays board games, and is very crafty. @beccasue99
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Enjoy listening? We're always looking for new bloggers, drop us a line. http://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk
This podcast is brought to you in association with Alzheimer's Association, Alzheimer's Research UK, Alzheimer's Society and Race Against Dementia, who we thank for their ongoing support.

Dr Anna Volkmer - The (core) academic skill of receiving feedback

Dr Anna Volkmer, narrates her blog written for Dementia Researcher.
Anna's blog explores the vital role of feedback in academic growth. Reflecting on her personal experiences with learning challenges, Volkmer underscores the importance of embracing feedback, despite its potential difficulty. She categorises feedback types and emphasises the necessity of using constructive criticism for personal and academic development, highlighting the emotional resilience needed to effectively process and apply feedback.
Find the original text, and narration here on our website.
https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-the-core-academic-skill-of-receiving-feedback/
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Dr Anna Volkmer is a Speech and Language Therapist and researcher in Language and Cognition, Department of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London. Anna is researching Speech and language therapy interventions in language led dementia and was once voted scariest speech and language therapist (even her children agree).
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If you would like to write your own blog drop us a line, we're always on the look out for new contributors to write about their research, careers + more dementiaresearcher@ucl.ac.uk
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This podcast is brought to you in association with Alzheimer's Association, Alzheimer's Research UK, Alzheimer's Society and Race Against Dementia, who we thank for their ongoing support.

Dr Sam Moxon - Why the Link Between Obesity and Dementia is Good News

Dr Sam Moxon, narrates his blog written for Dementia Researcher.
In this insightful blog, Sam Moxon discusses the surprising silver lining in the link between obesity and dementia. While highlighting the concerning rise in dementia cases due to lifestyle factors, Sam offers a message of empowerment. He argues that understanding the role of obesity in dementia is not just alarming, but also an opportunity for positive change. Through personal anecdotes and scientific insights, he demonstrates how making healthier life choices can significantly reduce dementia risk, turning a daunting prediction into a call for actionable, hopeful change.
Find the original text, and narration here on our website.
https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-why-the-link-between-obesity-dementia-is-good-news/
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Dr Sam Moxon is a biomaterials Research Fellow at University of Birmingham. His expertise falls on the interface between biology and engineering. His PhD focussed on regenerative medicine and he now works on trying to develop 3D bioprinting techniques with human stem cells, so that we better understand and treat degenerative diseases. Outside of the lab he hikes through the Lake District and is an expert on all things Disney.
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Enjoy listening and reading our blogs? We're always on the look out for new contributors, drop us a line and share your own research and careers advice dementiaresearcher@ucl.ac.uk
This podcast is brought to you in association with the NIHR, Alzheimer's Association, Alzheimer's Research UK, Alzheimer's Society and Race Against Dementia, who we thank for their ongoing support.

Emily Spencer - The Path Less Travelled

Emily Spencer, narrating her blog written for the Dementia Researcher website.
Emily is a second-year PhD student at University College London (and our newest staff blogger), in this blog she provide an intorudction, sharing her unconventional academic journey and experiences as a researcher and soon-to-be parent.
Growing up as the 'academic' one in a large family, Emily's route to academia was not straightforward. She casually chose to study Psychology at Bath, which led to valuable research experience and a publication. After various jobs ranging from a research administrator to working in a psychiatric hospital and as a musician, Emily returned to research during the pandemic. Now at UCL, she's working on a PhD about communication in advance care planning for people with dementia, documenting her experiences in research and her personal life, including her pregnancy, in real time in her future blogs.
Find the original text, and narration here on our website.
https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-the-path-less-travelled/
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Emily Spencer is a PhD Student at University College London looking at improving how GPs communicate with people with dementia and their family carers about their future care. Emily previous had a 5 year career break to pursue a career as a muscian, and has previously undertaken research on improving the care people with dementia receive from their GP practice, as well as end-of-life and palliative care provision in the community. Emily is also a new mum and will be writing about her experiences navigating motherhood and a research career.
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Enjoy listening? We're always looking for new bloggers, drop us a line. http://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk
This podcast is brought to you in association with Alzheimer's Association, Alzheimer's Research UK, Alzheimer's Society and Race Against Dementia, who we thank for their ongoing support.

Dr Clarissa Giebel - The importance of good mentorship

Dr Clarissa Giebel narrates her blog written for Dementia Researcher.
Clarissa's blog emphasises the crucial role of mentors throughout various stages of a research career, from PhD students to senior leaders. Clarissa highlights the benefits of mentorship in offering career guidance, new ideas, and a chance to reflect on one's path with the insight of experienced academics. She suggests seeking mentors both within and outside one's field and underscores the importance of having a good rapport. The blog also touches on the unique challenges faced by female academics, advocating for mentorship as a way to navigate these challenges and encouraging researchers to actively seek mentorship opportunities.
Find the original text, and narration here on our website.
https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-the-importance-of-good-mentorship/
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Dr Clarissa Giebel is a Senior Research Fellow at the University of Liverpool and NIHR ARC North West Coast. Clarissa has been working in dementia care research for over 10 years focusing her research on helping people with dementia to live at home independently and well for longer, addressing inequalities that people with dementia and carers can face. Outside of her day work, Clarissa has also organised a local dementia network - the Liverpool Dementia & Ageing Research Forum, and has recently started her own podcast called the Ageing Scientist.
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If you would like to write your own blog drop us a line, we're always on the look out for new contributors to write about their research, careers + more dementiaresearcher@ucl.ac.uk 
This podcast is brought to you in association with Alzheimer's Association, Alzheimer's Research UK, Alzheimer's Society and Race Against Dementia, who we thank for their ongoing support.

Dr Jodi Watt - Tokenism and the challenges of diverse recruitment

Dr Jodi Watt, narrating a new blog they wrote for the Dementia Researcher website.
Jodi's blog critically examines tokenism in academia, highlighting its impact on individuals with intersectional identities. She argues that showcasing underrepresented groups as a facade of inclusivity fails to bring about real systemic change, placing undue mental burden on those treated as tokens. This practice not only affects individual experiences and career progression but also undermines the quality and inclusivity of academic research, particularly in fields like dementia research. What needs to change? Jodi advocates for genuine inclusivity over symbolic diversity.
Find the original text, and narration here on our website.
https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-tokenism-and-the-challenges-of-diverse-recruitment/
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Dr Jodi Watt is a Postdoctoral Researcher at University of Glasgow. Jodi's academic interests are in both healthy ageing and neurodegenerative diseases of older age, and they are currently working on drug repurposing for dementia. Previously they worked on understanding structural, metabolic and physiological brain changes with age, as measured using magnetic resonance imaging. As a queer and neurodiverse person, Jodi is also incredibly interested in improving diversity and inclusion practices both within and outside of the academic context.
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Enjoy listening? We're always looking for new bloggers, drop us a line. http://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk
This podcast is brought to you in association with Alzheimer's Association, Alzheimer's Research UK, Alzheimer's Society and Race Against Dementia, who we thank for their ongoing support.

Hannah Hussain - What is statistical mapping?

Hannah Hussain narrates her blog written for Dementia Researcher.
Hannah's blog addresses the intricacies of statistical mapping, a technique essential to her work investigating the differences in quality of life assessments for people living with dementia as reported by themselves and their proxies. She discusses her approach to quantitative analysis and the challenges she faced in understanding and applying statistical mapping. The blog aims to clarify this complex technique and provide guidance to those who are beginning to explore this area of research.
Find the original text, and narration here on our website.
https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-what-is-statistical-mapping/
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Hannah Hussain is a PhD Student in Health Economics at The University of Sheffield. As a proud third generation  migrant and British-Asian, her career path has been linear and ever evolving, originally qualifying as a Pharmacist in Nottingham, then Health Economics in Birmingham. Her studies have opened a world into Psychology, Mental Health and other areas of health, and with that and personal influences she found her passion for dementia.
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This podcast is brought to you in association with Alzheimer's Association, Alzheimer's Research UK, Alzheimer's Society and Race Against Dementia, who we thank for their ongoing support.
Enjoy listening? We're always looking for new bloggers, drop us a line dementiaresearcher@ucl.ac.uk  

Dr Anna Volkmer - Building blocks and PhD supervision skills

Dr Anna Volkmer, narrates her blog written for Dementia Researcher.
Anna details her evolution from a Speech and Language Therapist to a PhD supervisor, highlighting her unique approach to supervising students. With a background rich in clinical experience, she applies strategies akin to coaching, emphasising reflective questioning and empathic listening. This helps supervisees develop their own conclusions and coping strategies. Drawing on her experiences as a PhD student and early career researcher, Anna emphasises a collaborative and supportive supervisory style. She focuses on refining students' research, presentation, and writing skills, while encouraging independence and responsibility. Her blog reflects on the challenges and joys of supervising, her commitment to supporting students financially, and her efforts in building a research team with a goal to aid people with dementia and their families.
Find the original text, and narration here on our website.
https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/blog-building-blocks-and-supervision-skills/
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Dr Anna Volkmer is a Speech and Language Therapist and researcher in Language and Cognition, Department of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London. Anna is researching Speech and language therapy interventions in language led dementia and was once voted scariest speech and language therapist (even her children agree).
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If you would like to write your own blog drop us a line, we're always on the look out for new contributors to write about their research, careers + more dementiaresearcher@ucl.ac.uk
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This podcast is brought to you in association with Alzheimer's Association, Alzheimer's Research UK, Alzheimer's Society and Race Against Dementia, who we thank for their ongoing support.