Research Community

Dr Steve Rolfe's research in relation to the Armed Forces Community has primarily been about Veterans' housing issues following transition, and the types of services which can assist Veterans to secure and maintain appropriate housing. This reflects his wider research interests in the importance of secure housing for well-being, and the ways in which public, private and third-sector actors can support positive housing outcomes.

Dr Tamlyn Watermeyer is a neuropsychology Researcher, interested in brain and behaviour relationships, who seeks to understand biological and psycho-social determinants of brain health in later life, such as why some people develop cognitive decline and why others do not, and what we can do to prevent this. Her work in female Veteran health aims to understand possible biological, social and psychological factors that might contribute to their poorer brain health outcomes.   

Dr Victoria Williamson is a Researcher at King's College London and the University of Oxford. Her research focuses on the psychological impact of trauma exposure, including exposure to moral injury. She has led the first UK feasibility study to develop and pilot a treatment for moral injury related mental health difficulties with Combat Stress, which will be trialed in an RCT in 2023. 

Dr Walter Busuttil is a Consultant Psychiatrist (Lifetime Member of the Association of Psychiatry Malta) and Director of Research and Clinical Training at Combat Stress (previously Director of Medical Services). He was an Honorary Senior Lecturer in Psychiatry at Kent Institute for Medical Studies and is now Visiting Professor at King’s College London, KCMHR. Walter is a founder of the Combat Stress research department collaboration with KCMHR and a founder member of the UK Psychological Trauma Society and Five Eyes Mental Health Research Collaborative. He is past Chair of the UK Trauma Group and sits on the mental health subcommittee and Armed Forces Clinical Reference Group for NHS England. He served as a General Duties Medical in the RAF and was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award for Soldiering.

Dr Sally-Anne Barnes is an Associate Professor in Human Resource Management at the University of Leicester School of Business. With over two decades of experience, she has led and contributed to a range of international research projects in the field of career development, shaping both policy and practice. Her research examines the evolving nature of careers and the labour market, with a particular focus on how individuals engage with career development, lifelong guidance and learning across the life course.  A significant strand of her work focuses on ex-Service personnel and the wider armed forces community, exploring their transitions to the civilian labour market, engagement with transition support, civilian careers,  and employment transitions, particularly over the longer term.  Her work is widely recognised for its contribution to understanding labour market transitions and supporting inclusive, evidence-based approaches to career development.

Emily is a PhD researcher, undertaking research with the Veterans & Families Institute at Anglia Ruskin University. Emily has a background in Forensic Psychology, and is a qualified Independent Mental Health Advocate, having previously worked in male forensic psychiatric services prior to joining ARU. Currently, she is working on research examining servicemen's experiences of sexualised behaviour whilst serving in the UK Armed Forces, focusing on male Veteran narratives and support service provision. Having previously conducted research on sexual harassment and deviant sexual preferences within civilian populations, Emily is excited to expand her interests with different populations and hopes to better understanding of sexualised behaviour in the UK Armed Forces and of how servicemen can be better supported with formal reporting and help-seeking.  

Ffion Hildred is a PhD Candidate in the Centre for Multidisciplinary and Intercultural Inquiry (CMII) at University College London; her research is funded by the London Arts and Humanities Partnership (LAHP). Ffion's research spans critical military, gender, and feminist studies. Her PhD project investigates how personnel in the British Army feel and experience belonging through their bodies. She is developing embodied corporeality as an analytical framework through which to examine the relationship between bodies, space, and belonging within institutions. As a framework it seeks to highlight the importance of centring bodily experiences in our analyses of institutions to address gender and race inequalities and inequities.

Gabi's current research aims to look at military migration in the UK through a decolonial lens, suggesting practical tools to generate change. Her research interests include migration, decoloniality, gender, narrative and the politics of place.

Gavin Campbell is a Research Co-Ordinator at the Combat Stress Centre for Applied Military Health Research.  His recent research focus is on women veterans and military sexual trauma, and the translation of research into evidence-based applied practice and impact.  More widely his research interests are in individual responses to trauma, recovery, and comparative experiences of surviving and thriving in extremis.  He is a board member of the UK Psychological Trauma Society (UKPTS).  Gavin previously worked in the media, deploying to remote, hostile and austere environments across the world.

Glen is a 4th year doctoral student, researching the effects of impostor phenomenon on military Veterans. His thesis looks at the impact of impostor phenomenon in veterans and their transition into civilian life. Glen has extensive experience working with Veterans, having served 16 years as a commissioned officer. He has worked with minoritised groups, in industries such as defence, transport and logistics, energy, the arts and the space sector. His research interests include: The effects of impostor phenomenon on performance in the workplace, future defence issues and planning for future conflicts, sustainability in the space sector.

Grace is completing a mixed-methods PhD with the ADVANCE study at King's College London. Her project explores sleep health after sustaining serious physical combat injuries and the impact on mental and physical health in the ADVANCE cohort. Grace is interested in sleep health, military mental health, forensic psychology, and adolescent mental health.

Hilary Currin is interested in exploring the lived experiences of criminalised ex-Servicewomen and men who have engaged with the justice sector, with an emphasis on using participatory and creative methods. Her current research focus is qualitative research exploring how ex-Servicewomen interact with the justice sector and how the justice sector understands and reacts to their unique needs. Previous research includes life course work with ex-Servicemen who committed violent and/or sexual offenses, as well as service evaluations focusing on Veteran well-being.