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Staff Profile

Professor Emily Oliver

Professor of Behavioural Sciences

  • Email: emily.oliver@ncl.ac.uk
  • Address: Population Health Sciences Institute
    Faculty of Medical Sciences
    Newcastle University
    Baddiley-Clark Building
    Richardson Road
    Newcastle upon Tyne
    NE2 4AX
Background

I joined Newcastle University's Population Health Sciences Institute in August 2022. I am a Chartered Psychologist and Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society, a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, and a Fellow of Fuse, the Centre for Translational Research in Public Health. I am currently the lead for Fuse's Public Mental Health Programme, and serve on the Editorial Board of the International Review of Sport and Exercise Psychology. 

My research takes the form of two inter-related strands:

First, how motivation is sustained and strengthened during crises. This includes understanding how and why people cope differently, with a focus on mental health outcomes. 

Second, translating these ideas to design equitable interventions and policies to support health and wellbeing. Here I focus on physical activity and broader community-led approaches to engage those excluded from standard services. 

I have a particular interest in research development and training, serving in my previous role at Durham University as Director of Research and Director of Postgraduates. I hold an Honorary Chair at Durham, and supervise a number of postgraduate students across both institutions. I am keen to hear from potential postgraduate applicants wishing to work in the areas above.  

You can find out more by following me on Twitter or via GoogleScholar. 

Research

I am a member of the Population Health Sciences Institute and contribute to the Behavioural Sciences, Public Health and Health Inequalities, and Human Nutrition and Exercise research themes. 

My funded work spans conceptual considerations of motivation to their application in a range of complex interventions promoting physical activity and mental health, often to underserved groups. I am particularly interested in referral-based interventions and policy approaches to supporting community-based providers.  

Examples of funded projects include:

Oliver EJ, Walters K, Henderson E, Pinfold V, Walker T, & Osborn D (2021). WHOLE-SMI: Wellbeing and holistic health promotion for individuals with severe mental illness. Funder: National Institute for Health and Care Research. 

Oliver EJ, Gnani S, (2020). Evaluating community-based co-location models for supporting public mental health. Funder: National Institute for Health Research. 

Osborn D, Walters K, Oliver EJ et al. (2019). Interventions supporting individuals experiencing acute psychosocial crises. Funder: National Institute of Health Research.

Oliver EJ. (2019). Inclusion and engagement in elite talent development systems. Funder: Sport England,

Lafortune L, Buckner S, Lee C, Oliver EJ et al. (2018). Developing age-friendly rural communities: the contribution of local planning processes. Funder: National Institute of Health Research.

Oliver EJ. (2017). Physical activity, rurality and health in Sri Lanka: Building sustainable health promotion systems. Funder: Newton Fund. 

Teaching

I am strongly committed to providing challenging and supportive pedagogical experiences, and have over 12years experience of teaching in Higher Education. This includes the delivery and leadership (e.g., Programme Directorship) of both undergraduate and postgraduate teaching, across multiple programmes. I am a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, hold a postgraduate certificate in Teaching in Higher Education, and have published learning and teaching-related work (see publications).

At Newcastle University, I contribute to teaching and project supervision across the School of Psychology and the School of Biomedical, Nutritional, and Sport Sciences. 

Publications