In my role as a Research Officer at the School of Health Sciences at Bangor University, I have significantly contributed to advancing population health research and fostering international collaborations. As a co-founder of CORDS (Co-production of Research Direction and Strategy) and an executive member of the Centre, I have played a pivotal role in developing and managing the Centre’s strategic direction.

In addition to my primary role, I am an Honorary Research Officer at Swansea University's Medical School, where I lead patient and public involvement activities, developing strategies to incorporate these crucial perspectives into grant applications.

I am also an Honorary Research Fellow at the Faculty of Health Sciences and Sport, University of Stirling, where I collaborate with colleagues in children’s chronic pain research.

Moreover, I am an intern with Cochrane's Qualitative and Implementation Methods Group, where I work alongside leading experts in qualitative methodologies.

  • Arall: Specialisation Degree in Physical Activity and Nutrition, a clinical and academic perspective – NUTRAFIS
    Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo, 2021–2023
  • PhD: Sport and Exercise Science
    Swansea University, 2016–2021
  • MSc: Interdisciplinary Health Sciences
    Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo, 2013–2015
  • BA: Physiotherapy
    Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo, 2009–2012

I have extensive experience in teaching and supervision, which has been developed through a variety of academic roles. I have mentored junior research staff, guiding them through the complexities of both qualitative and quantitative research methodologies. My experience extends to supervising PhD and MSc students, particularly in areas related to health and wellbeing, physical activity, exercise, and clinical population.

At ADR Wales Training Development (2024), I was responsible for the development and delivery of training in co-production in data science for researchers, professionals, and PhD students. This included creating training modules, delivering sessions, and providing coursework marking and feedback.

As a Guest Lecturer at both Bangor University and Swansea University (2023 - 2024), I delivered lectures on children's chronic pain to Population Health students at Swansea and to nursing students at Bangor, ensuring that these complex topics were accessible and engaging.

My supervision experience includes overseeing a PhD student in collaboration with the School of Psychology at Cardiff University (2024 - 2026) and supervising MSc students in health research at the University of Stirling (2020 - 2022). At Swansea University (2016 - 2020), I demonstrated practical courses, marked assignments, and assisted with presentations across various modules, including Foundations in Exercise Science, Research Methods and Ethics, and Health-related Exercise.

Additionally, I led lectures at the Federal University of Sao Paulo (2010 - 2012), where I developed and delivered content for modules on human physiology and anatomy, such as Anatomy and Physiology of the Cardiovascular System, Heart Rate Variability, and The Skeleton System Anatomy. My role as a demonstrator at the same institution (2009 - 2012) involved assisting with practical courses in Clinical Cardiology, Clinical Neurology, Women's Health, Anatomy, and Molecular Biology.

My research primarily focuses on health and wellbeing, with a strong emphasis on clinical populations. I have expertise in conducting research with individuals affected by various conditions, including children's chronic pain, cystic fibrosis, heart failure, epilepsy, and Parkinson's disease.

Additionally, I have extensive experience in research related to physical activity, exercise, and health, both within clinical settings and among healthy populations. I also have experience evaluating services and providing recommendations for large-scale service implementation using realist methodologies.

I have expertise leading patient and public involvement in research and promoting co-production methodologies to ensure the inclusion of diverse perspectives.

As a mixed methods researcher, I am proficient in both qualitative and quantitative research, allowing me to approach research questions from multiple angles and provide comprehensive insights. I am also skilled in developing systematic reviews and conducting qualitative evidence synthesis, which further supports my research endeavours and contributes to evidence-based practice and policy recommendations.

’Rydwyf yn fodlon goruchwylio cwrs PhD

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I have been honoured with several prestigious awards and research grants that highlight my commitment to innovation, collaboration, and excellence in research.

Awards and Academic Honours

  • Most Innovative Project Award: Recognised for my role in ADR Wales training and capacity building through the development and delivery of a course on co-production in data linkage research (2024).
  • Bevan Commission Intensive Training Week: Secured a place in this highly competitive programme (2023).
  • Best Poster Award (Second Place): Presented at the Health and Care Research Wales conference for my work on the Co-production of Research Direction and Strategy (CORDS) (2023).
  • Thomas C Chalmers Award: Received at the Cochrane Colloquium for my work co-producing a meta-ethnography with children and young people on experiences of chronic pain, treatments, and services ($350) (2023).
  • Outstanding Collaborator Nomination: Nominated for a Research Culture award at the University of Stirling (2023).
  • International Travel Awards: Granted for the Society of Pediatric Psychology Annual Conference, USA (£1000) (2022).
  • Best Early Career Researcher Presentation (Runner-up): At the Paediatric Work Physiology Conference, Swansea University (2021).
  • Top Presentation Award: For my work on compositional analysis of physical activity, sedentary time, and sleep in individuals with cystic fibrosis at the European Cystic Fibrosis Society (ECFS) Online Meeting (2021).
  • 3MT Competition Winner: For the College of Engineering, Swansea University (2021).
  • Ede and Ravenscroft Anniversary Student Prize: For Outstanding Contribution, Swansea University (2017).
  • EMH Postgraduate Student Award: Swansea University (£500) (2017).
  • Top Poster Award: For my research on short-term heart rate variability at the Tenth International Catecholamine Symposium, California, US (2012).
  • CF Trust PhD Studentship Award: (£42,000) (2016-2019).
  • Sao Paulo Research Foundation MSc Studentship Award: (£7,000) (2013-2015).
  • Sao Paulo Research Foundation BA Studentship Award: (£9,000) (2009-2012).

Research Grants Awarded

  • NIHR Grant: Co-applicant on a grant investigating risk factors for children in care (£625,000) (2023).
  • MRC Better Methods Better Research Grant: Co-applicant on a grant to develop a new PRISMA for Qualitative Evidence Synthesis (£625,000) (2024).

These accolades and funding opportunities have been instrumental in advancing my research agenda and facilitating impactful contributions to the field of health and wellbeing.

Research Fellow, Faculty of Health Sciences and Sport, University of Stirling (2020 – 2022)

In my role as a Research Fellow at the University of Stirling, I worked on a NIHR-funded research project investigating the lived experiences of children living with chronic pain and their chronic pain management. My responsibilities included:

  • Leading project management and delivery, ensuring the timely completion of project milestones.
  • Supervising and co-leading data analysis.
  • Writing manuscripts and disseminating findings through high-quality peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations and lectures.
  • Planning and delivering patient and public involvement activities to ensure the research was inclusive and representative of the target population.

Research Assistant, Swansea University (2017 - 2019)

As a Research Assistant at Swansea University, I contributed to several impactful projects through consultancy and direct research efforts, including:

  • Hydromon Consultancy: Produced a systematic review to support the launch of a hydration tracking device, ensuring the product was backed by robust scientific evidence.
  • Sports England Consultancy: Developed a comprehensive report on physical activity and physical wellbeing, providing valuable insights for policy and practice.
  • Lookahead Academic Project: Collected and analysed data on head impacts during professional rugby training, contributing to the understanding of sports-related injuries.
  • Circus Eruption Partnership: Managed a research project in collaboration with the NGO ‘Circus Eruption’ to involve young people from deprived areas in research, promoting inclusivity and engagement in academic studies.