Hannah Lewis

Could you tell us a bit about your current research? What made you want to go into this field?

I am currently researching culturally inclusive prevention strategies, as my PhD project is closely aligned with health policy proposals that commit to rolling out body image and eating disorder prevention interventions.

I’ve always been interested in the field of body image and eating disorder research, and strongly believe that prevention and early intervention initiatives are critical. I was motivated to enter this field due to my own lived experiences of body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) and bulimia nervosa (BN), both of which started to emerge when I was at school myself and around 9 years old.

Why did you choose to study at Queen Mary?

I chose to study my MSc in Cultural and Global Perspectives in Mental Health Care at Queen Mary in 2016. Coming from a politics undergraduate degree, I was really interested in both national and international mental health policy, and how to make this inclusive for all communities. My MSc degree was coordinated by notable academics who were all experts in the field, and I was excited to learn from the best!

What were you doing before?

Before my MSc at Queen Mary, I studied European Politics and French at the University of Leeds. A lot of people think that politics and psychology are two completely separate fields, but there is actually a lot of overlap. For my final year project, I conducted a policy analysis on the European Union’s green paper on mental health and included case studies from both the UK and France. This was the start of my research in global mental health policy and was a perfect segue into my MSc.

Tell us about the time you spent studying and travelling abroad?

Whilst I was at the University of Leeds, I studied abroad for a year in the southern city of Montpellier. As well as attending university there, I also conducted a small-scale project where I explored the mental health provision for students at both my home and international university. This was the beginning of my interest in transcultural mental health care.

Why do you think the new MSc in Mental Health Economics is so important?

Whilst mental health awareness campaigns tackling social attitudes, stigma and discrimination have been successful, we now need to service provision to match that. From a policy perspective, the new MSc in Mental Health Economics is important because it will develop a cohort of professionals that understand the nuances driving the funding and commissioning of mental health services – which is crucial at a time where statutory services are so overstretched.

What advice would you give a current student or recent graduate considering undertaking a PhD?

For anyone considering a PhD, I would say there are three key pillars you need in place before going ahead:

• Topic: I feel like I’ve had an unwavering passion and motivation for my topic for a very long time, and so I’m confident that I’m not going to wake up one morning and have a change of heart! Do remember that PhDs take at least 3 years, and so if your heart isn’t really in it, you might get fed up and bored!
• Supervisory team: Knowing who is going to supervise you throughout your PhD journey is a crucial step in deciding where to study. I’m super lucky in that half of my supervisory team is made up of Queen Mary academics who taught me on my MSc programme, and so I already knew their areas of expertise and ways of working which has built a strong, professional relationship for us.
• Peer support: Lastly, finding other PhD students who are in the same boat as you is absolutely crucial. Doing a PhD is such a weird and wonderful experience, you definitely need like-minded people to have a moan over a coffee and a celebratory drink in the pub.  

What are your plans for after your PhD?

After my PhD, I’d really like to travel or even live abroad for a short while again. I would like to further my understanding of how body image is experienced in different cultures by seeing it first-hand. I would also like to explore doing a Post-Doc to build upon my PhD findings, and continue to bridge the gap between research, policy and practice by working closely with Arms-Length Bodies (ALBs) and third sector colleagues.

What drives you to get up in the morning? What are your motivating factors in life?

I guess my motivating factors for getting up in the morning and conducting my research are linked to my own experiences of body dissatisfaction. I spent my adolescence and early twenties quite unwell, and I really don’t want other young people to feel the same way as I did. I’m really keen to turn my negative mental health experiences into something positive and create change for other people. A strong coffee always helps to get me up too!

This profile was conducted by Alumni Engagement Officer, Sara. If you would like to get in touch with Sara or engage her in your work, please contact Sara Gazi.