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UCL Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care appoints new Director
23 February 2023
The Faculty of Population Health Sciences is pleased to announce the appointment of Professor Fiona Stevenson, a leading scholar in the field of medical sociology, as Director of the UCL Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care (IEHC).
Fiona will start the post of Director on 1 April 2023, taking over from Professor Andrew Hayward, who has led the Institute for 5 years. Andrew has been appointed to lead the UK Health Security Agency’s work on inclusion health and will continue as Professor of Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Inclusion Health Research within IEHC on a part-time basis.
Fiona Stevenson is a Professor of Medical Sociology. She joined the UCL Research Department of Primary Care and Population Health in 2001 before taking over as head of the department in 2019.
She has built her career as a medical sociologist while working in various departments of primary care. Her research interests span the construction of decision making about medical care, the impact of complex interventions, technology and treatment adherence on communication between health care professionals and patients, and the implementation of research into practice. She currently leads the eHealth Unit in Primary Care and Population Health.
She has expertise in a range of qualitative approaches, including conversation analysis, and has published extensively using sociological theory to inform applied research. She teaches medical sociology, social theory, and qualitative methods to undergraduate and postgraduate students and co-developed and co-facilitates the Qualitative Research Methods in Health short course which has been running since 2012. She has a particular interest in the reuse of qualitative data and is currently leading a project to develop a repository to provide safe storage and access to qualitative data sets.
Speaking about her appointment, Professor Fiona Stevenson said: “I am delighted to have the opportunity to lead the UCL Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care. I am keen to use my skills and experience in relation to research, education, and culture to consolidate the identity and further strengthen the Institute moving forward.”
UCL Faculty of Population Health Sciences Dean, Professor Ibrahim Abubakar said: “I am delighted to appoint Professor Fiona Stevenson to her new role as Director of the Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care. Fiona is a world leading educator and scholar in medical sociology who has led our Primary Care and Population Health Department within IEHC. I would also like to thank Professor Andrew Hayward for his dedication over the past 5 years leading the institute while delivering a high impact research programme."
The UCL Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care is a community of over 500 students and staff. Through its research and education, it seeks to understand the determinants of health and disease in populations and in patients in clinical settings, to evaluate strategies for the prevention and treatment of ill health, and to strengthen teaching and capacity in population health.