Professor Heather Wilkinson
Name:
Professor Heather Wilkinson
Job title:
Director of Edinburgh Centre for Research on the Experience of Dementia (ECRED); Deputy Director of the Advanced Care Research Centre (ACRC) Academy
Place of work / study:
University of Edinburgh
Area of Research:
Dementia research, qualitative, interdisciplinary, focused on the experience of living with dementia.
How is your work funded:
Varied including NIHR, UKRI, Alzheimer Society.
Tell us a little about yourself:
Heather recently retired from her role as Professor of Dementia Participation and Practice, and Director of the Edinburgh Centre for Research on the Experience of Dementia (ECRED), University of Edinburgh. She was also part of the leadership team of the Advanced Care Research Centre, University of Edinburgh, funded by Legal and General for a five year period (£20 million). Since 1998 her work has centred on increasing the involvement of people with dementia, with the aim of developing better understandings of methodological and personal perspectives. Her interests have developed from a focus on issues of coproduction, inclusion and quality of life for people living with dementia, and for people with learning disabilities and dementia. She remains actively involved in developing innovative and creative methods for including people living with dementia in research and policy.
Tell us a fun fact about yourself:
I have gone back to University and am studying Art History at the Courtauld
Why did you choose to work in dementia?
to make a difference
What single piece of advice would you give to an early-career researcher?
What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it?
Art history books for my course – loving it!
Favourite film of all time?
Some kind of wonderful
Favourite ways to unplug and unwind?
Yoga, growing veggies and knitting
What’s the best decision you ever made?
To have my son
What’s your favourite vacation spot?
Scotland
Do you collect anything?
Learning experiences!
Dr Chloe Fawns-Ritchie
Rahul Sidhu