NHRP Academy: Meet our Community – Catherine Stafford

Catherine Stafford is a BSc Psychology student at Newcastle University. She is currently carrying out research for her undergraduate dissertation with the Newcastle Health Research Partnership Academy (NHRP Academy).

Here, Catherine discusses the project and her experience of working with the NHRP Academy.

Catherine Stafford, BSc Psychology student

What is your research?

My project is called ‘NHRP Academy members’ cognitions, emotions and behaviours’. The project seeks to better understand the behavioural mechanisms that enable NHRP Academy members to successfully secure next stage funding awards. More specifically, the study aims to understand how the involvement of the NHRP Academy in pre-submission and pre-interview preparation of fellowship applications affects the training experience and/or trainee capacity, as well as the fellowship funding income. The participants will be members of the NHRP Academy mailing list and will be recruited via an un-intrusive email containing a link to a cross-sectional questionnaire that uses the Theoretical Domains Framework. Overall, the study is considered low risk, and the findings will be valuable to the NHRP Academy as the results can lead to the implementation of evidence-based interventions that target specific behaviours and are successful in behavioural change which can ultimately increase the likelihood of securing funding awards.

The hypothesis is if the NHRP Academy are involved in pre-submission and pre-interview preparation of fellowship applications, then the training experience and/or trainee capacity are improved and there is an increase in the fellowship funding income.

Professor Niina Kolehmainen, Deputy Director NHIP Academy, said, “This project is a key piece to evaluate and continue to develop our support for the Academy members. Collaborating with the local undergraduate programmes is also very important to us, and a key part of our pipeline to growing the future leaders.”

What does the survey involve?

The survey will collect data from approximately 300 participants via a cross-sectional questionnaire to produce quantitative data on participants’ cognitions, emotions, and behavioural regulation.

What has your experience of working with the Academy been like?

It’s been a really positive experience, everyone in the Academy has been so welcoming. I’ve had the opportunity not to only work with Niina, my dissertation supervisor, but a broad spectrum of other people in the Academy as well. I think this learning environment has definitely enhanced the project, as whilst it’s an individual project, it’s meant that I haven’t felt alone and still feel like I’ve had a good support network throughout the entire process.