Research Community

Katherine Lawrence is Head of Operations at the Service Children's Progression (SCiP) Alliance, bringing together researchers, policy-makers and funders. Katherine runs a UK-wide network of research-practice hubs focused on knowledge exchange around evidence-based practice supporting the educational progression of children and young people in Armed Forces families. In addition to supporting, disseminating and commissioning research in this space and translating it into impact, Katherine has an interest in international comparative research.

Katie is a third-year Trainee Clinical Psychologist at Coventry University/University of Warwick. She currently works clinically in the NHS alongside completing her thesis. Her thesis aims to explore the experiences of problematic eating and exercise behaviours in United Kingdom (UK) male veterans. These behaviours may include but are not restricted to, fasting (not for religious or cultural reasons), binge-eating/over-eating, laxative use, purging and excessive exercise.

The King’s Centre for Military Health Research (KCMHR) is the leading civilian UK centre of excellence for military health research providing much-needed evidence on the health and well-being of Serving and ex-Serving personnel and their families. KCMHR’s research relates to conflict and health, occupational psychiatry, personnel issues and social policy. Their research is conducted in four key areas, Serving personnel, ex-Serving personnel, military families (including those of ex-Serving personnel) and interventions.

Kirsty Davies is a second year Doctorate of Education (EdD) student at the University of Winchester with a background in Primary Teaching and Teacher Training. Her husband serves in the British Army and she is currently based in Germany. At the moment, Kirsty is working on her pilot study; due to personal experiences, as a spouse of a serving soldier and mother of three Service children, as well as her professional roles, Kirsty’s research focuses on teachers’ knowledge, understanding and confidence in supporting the needs of Service children in a primary school setting.

Laura Grover is undertaking a mixed-methods PhD as part of the ADVANCE study at King's College London. Her project is centred around social support in the ADVANCE cohort: a longitudinal study investigating psychosocial outcomes of military personnel who obtained a combat injury during the Iraq/Afghanistan conflicts. She is interested in exploring the prevalence of social support among injured and uninjured personnel, the role of different sources of support and the relationship between social support and mental health outcomes. 

Laura Waddams is currently a second year Doctorate in Clinical Psychology student at the University of Essex. Laura has research interests in male and Veteran mental health, anxiety disorders, and the connection between mental health and physical health. Laura’s prior research has included a systematic review on the experience of depression in older men, and a narrative analysis on recovery memoirs. Laura is currently working on her thesis project, which is a qualitative exploration of body modification practices in UK male military Veterans who have an injury, disability, illness, and/or mental health condition.