Jacqueline Sin, Professor of Mental Health Nursing and Steve Gillard, Professor of Mental Health Research, deliver their Inaugural Lectures at City, as part of the School of Health & Psychological Sciences Dean's Lecture Series.
By Mr Shamim Quadir (Senior Communications Officer), Published
Last week, Jacqueline Sin, Professor of Mental Health Nursing and Steve Gillard, Professor of Mental Health Research, delivered their Inaugural Lectures at City, University of London at a joint, in-person event hosted on campus.
As both professors joined the School of Health & Psychological Sciences during the COVID-19 pandemic, it was an especially rewarding experience for everyone for them to be engaged in-person with colleagues, students and other guests who have a keen interest in their work.
Professor Sin joined the School in June 2020, having previously held the role of Associate Professor of Clinical Health, at the University of Reading.
In her inaugural lecture, she provided a deep insight into her early career as a psychiatric nurse in Hong Kong and how the mental healthcare system influenced her decision to get into research
Jacqueline Sin, Professor of Mental Health Nursing at City
Professor Sin shared how undertaking her MSc in Nursing and research at King’s College London helped inform and motivate her in her career. She cited the strong influence of Florence Nightingale’s work in the Crimean War, using statistics to help identify and address the key causes of soldier deaths, and which always reminds her of how nurses can effect significant change in healthcare.
She concluded her lecture by outlining how her work to date has helped her with the development of the ‘COPe-support’ (Carers fOr People with Psychosis e-support resource) online tool, which she continues to research at City. COPe-support is built on the knowledge that caring for a loved one affected by psychosis can be a daunting experience, but that research has shown that information on the illness, coping strategies and opportunities to share experiences and support with other carers may help.
Professor Steve Gillard joined City in 2020, having previously been Professor of Social and Community Mental Health at St George’s, University of London.
In his inaugural lecture, he shared his journey into mental health research, starting with his early work in the former Yugoslavia, bringing youth from Bosniak, Bosnian Croat and Serb communities together to help overcome wider conflict between the groups at the time.
Steve Gillard, Professor of Mental Health Research at City
On returning to the UK, he conducted research for the charity, MIND, and later joined St George’s to study the effects of peer-support in mental health services. A key concept that cuts through his research is that of ‘liminality’ - translating from a known space to a new one - which is evident in the body of work he has built over the years, as peer-support in mental health services has become more widely acknowledged and entered into mainstream care within national health systems.
After the delivery of the lectures, both professors took time to answer questions from the audience, in a lively session chaired by School of Health & Psychological Sciences Dean, Professor Debra Salmon.
Professor Gillard and Professor Sin take questions from the audience, chaired by Professor Debra Salmon.
Reflecting on the event, Professor Debra Salmon, Dean of the School of Health & Psychological Sciences, said:
The lectures were held as part of the School of Health & Psychological Sciences Dean's Lecture Series.
Find out more
Visit the Centre of Mental Health Research at City, University of London