Biography
Siân is a Wellcome Trust doctoral student in the Centre for Global Studies at Sussex University.
Her doctoral research is exploring the use of participatory and socially engaged arts as a tool to engage biomedical research with local communities and publics. Her doctoral reserach focuses on enteric disease, water and women in Patan, Kathmandu where she is working with epidemiologists, contemporary artists, local community arts organisations and community participants.
Previously to this she worked for five years at the Wellcome Trust, a global foundation to support biomedical research, as the manager of the International Engagement Programme. This role saw her build and facilitate an international community of people and programmes interested in community and public engagement with scientific research through education, media and the arts. She has worked with medical research programmes in East Africa, South East Asia and Latin America.
With a first degree in Biology with Media, her career began within informal education at London's Science Museum and later, The Natural History Museum where she worked in the learning departments and as a host and producer of public science events. More recently she has hosted science related discussions at the Wellcome Collection and Latitude festivals. Siân, also has a Masters degree in Sustainable Development, her thesis explored the use of participatory video as a tool for empowerment with young women in Honduras with whom she retains a committed relationship. Sian is excited to support the arts to flourish and enrich local lives in her own local community and is a Trustee of the local Brighton and Hove Visual Arts organisation Fabrica.
Qualifications
8/2014- Post Graduate Certificate in Social Research Methods
2008-2013 Professional Training
Facilitation Skills Training- The Environment Council
Leadership Development-MaST Learning and Development
Coaching Skills for Developing Others- Wellcome Trust
Advanced Influencing Skills-Easconsult
Cultural Awareness Training-mARCUS Evans Linguarama
Project Management Training- GBS Corporate training
Acting with Confidence- Wellcome Trust
Personal Safety Awareness Training- International Travel- HIV AIDs Alliance
Getting Things Done- David Allen
How to get Better Results from your Email-Emailogic
Rapid Reading- Wellcome Trust
Report Writing-Words work
Chairing Successful Meetings- Claire Foster
2010- Postgrad Module- Basic Epidemiology
London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
2007- MSc:Practicing Sustainable Development:Human Geography
Royal Holloway University of London
2003 CTEFL
2001 BSc Biology with Media
Royal Holloway University of London
Activities
PhD and early career researchers in Arts, culture and health group: member
Freelance evaluator of engagement projects and programmes such as Brighton's SICK festival 2014
Illustrator