Digital Resilience, Social Psychology, Mental Health, Use of Technology, Psychology

Dr Simon P Hammond joined the School of Education and Lifelong Learning in March 2019 as Lecturer in Education. He a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA) and holds a BA (Hons) in Psychology and Sport Studies (University of Northampton, 2004), an MSc in Psychology (Nottingham Trent University, 2006) and a PhD in Social Psychology (University of East Anglia, 2012). He is an accomplished academic with over 15 years’ experience of teaching with a track-record of delivering high-profile, complex multimillion-pound projects across the health (PERFECTED, ASCRIBED) social care (Digital Life Story Work, LIMITLESS) and education sectors (EXPRESS DRS, The EVEN Study).

As a subject matter expert, Dr Hammond is frequently invited to run workshops and deliver sessions on young people’s use of digital media, had his work cited by National Institute for health and Care Excellence (NICE) and contributed articles to the UK Safer Internet Centre ‘Research Highlight Series’. He has delivered a range of public seminars, written for The Conversation, and appeared in online, broadcast and print press on subjects akin to his research interests. Most recently Dr Hammond was commissioned by Internet Matters and South West Grid for Learning (SWGfL) to create and edit content for the Inclusive Digital Safety Hub, specifically around advising on needs of children and young people with care-experience.

For more information about Dr Simon P Hammond’s work you can follow him on Twitter @DrSiHammond

Get in touch if you would like to talk about working towards a PhD or would like to gain some research experience.

03/2019 - Present: Lecturer in Education, School of Education and Lifelong Learning, University of East Anglia, Norwich.

Previous positions:

11/2013 – 03/2019: Programme Manager and Research Fellow in Qualitative Methods. Norwich Medical School. University of East Anglia, Norwich.

09/2012 – 11/2013: Lecturer in Psychology and Employability Director. School of Psychology, University of East Anglia, Norwich.

10/2008 – 05/2012: PhD Researcher and Sessional Lecturer. School of Social Work and Psychology, University of East Anglia, Norwich.

04/2007- 10/2008: Lecturer and Course Manager. Sports Department, Moulton College, Northampton.

10/2006 – 04/2007: Lecturer. Sports Department, North Nottinghamshire College, Worksop.

03/2006 – 09/2006: Camp Manager. The Kings Trust, Sheffield.

02/2005 – 12/2005: Residential Social Care Worker, The Together Trust, Cheadle.

Dr Simon P Hammond is an experienced lecturer, seminar leader and tutor having taught at undergraduate and postgraduate levels in areas akin to his research interests. He is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA) and currently teachers across a range of undergradute and postgraduate courses, supervising a range of BA, MA, EdD and PhD students. 

Dr Hammond is interested in how digital technologies continue to reshape everyday social possibilities for action across the life course. Taking a critical perspective, he explores how concepts of digital inclusion, resilience, participation and equality are experienced by marginalised young and older people. In particular, how digital technologies are used (or not) to access the provision of goods and the delivery of, and information about, services and entitlements. Dr Hammond also works with colleagues to develop critical understandings of young people’s mental health and wellbeing difficulties and how best to support young people and families to build on their own strengths to overcome and manage their difficulties.

Dr Hammond collaboratively with a range of stakeholders using a range of traditional and innovative qualitative methods. His participatory approach and use of digital media throughout the research process, has seen him pioneer a number of methodological advances, including Participant Information Clips, Podwalking and Enhanced eBooks as a way to increase the analytical rigour and transparency of multimodal research.

Funding:

• August 2021 – December 2022: National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Research for Patient Benefit (RfPB) programme. Improving the mental health and mental health support available to adolescents looked-after via low-intensity life story work: A realist review [LIMITLESS]. £141,125 – Lead applicant

• July 2021 – January 2022. Internet Matters. “Exploring how the online lives of Vulnerable young people are supported by profEssioNals: The views of professionals, parents and young people: The EVEN Study” £30,000 – Lead applicant.

• November 2020 - July 2021: Social Sciences Faculty Innovation Fund, University of East Anglia. Researching with Schools and Colleges in Mind. £3,600 - Co-lead applicant

• October 2020 – September 2023: South Eastern Network for Social Sciences (SeNESS) Economic Social Research Council (ESRC) +3 fully-funded, full-time PhD studentship for Fred Inglis: “Exploring the transitions of young adults with SEND from education to work”. £59,076 – Primary Supervisor.

• June – September 2020: University of East Anglia’s Health and Social Care Partnership (UEAHSCP) “LIMITLESS” Research for Patient Benefit (RfPB) Scoping Review. £6,000 – Lead applicant.

• November 2019 - November 2020: The Nurture Network: Promoting Young People's Mental Health in a Digital World (UK Research and Innovation). Exploring understandings of digital resilience to inform the development of a Digital Resilience Scale (DRS) for ‘pre-teens’ (9-12 year olds) [EXPRESS DRS]. £24,853 - Lead applicant

• October 2017 – December 2019: Alzheimer’s Research UK (ARUK). ‘PAXgene blood for later transcriptomic analysis of patient samples. £9,930 –Co-applicant

• July 2016- December 2019: Alzheimer’s Research UK (ARUK). The impact of acute systemic inflammation upon cerebrospinal fluid and blood biomarkers of brain inflammation and injury in dementia: a study in acute hip fracture and memory clinic patients [ASCRIBED]. £307,708 – Co-applicant

• September 2018 – January 2019: Dementias National Institute for Health Research Portfolio Development Writing Group Support. £7,500 – Lead applicant

• November 2009 – October 2010: The AL Charitable Trust. The application of ICT for life story work with young people in residential care. £1,000 – Lead applicant

Doctoral supervision:

Dr Hammond is interested in supervising doctoral candidates researching questions of youth in the changing digital media space, informal learning of, and via digital and relationships between mental health and wellbeing, technology, resilience and identity.

Completed Research Students:

Alexandra Helen Russell 2016: Using Life Story Boards to Engage Clinical Support Workers in Person-Centred Care with People Living with Dementia in an NHS Inpatient Dementia Care Unit: A Thematic Analysis

Consultancy and training:

As a former residential social care professional, Dr Hammond is keen to ensure his research is taken up in practice. To this end, he has written a well-received practitioner focused book ‘Digital Life Story Work’ and offers bespoke consultancy input. He works extensively with a wide range of local authority, charitable and private care providers. His training offering ranges from half-day introductory workshops, comprehensive training days to weeklong intensive residential events. An example of a project we have been involved in is the Children’s Liver Disease Foundation’s “Talk, Tell Transform” residential.

More information about training and consultancy can be found here