Research Community

Professor Jonathan Bisson served in the British Army and is now a practising Psychiatrist and Clinical Professor in Psychiatry at Cardiff University. He is the Director of Traumatic Stress Wales and Health for Health Professionals, and Deputy Director of the National Centre for Mental Health. Jonathan was co-chair of the UK’s first PTSD NICE Guideline Development Group and chair of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies’ Treatment Guidelines Committee. He developed and continues to lead Cardiff University’s Traumatic Stress Research Group. He also developed and was the first director of NHS Veterans Wales and Health and Care Research Wales. Jonathan is particularly passionate about developing and evaluating effective new treatments to treat PTSD and/or following traumatic events that can be implemented into clinical practice.

Professor Lisa Scullion is Professor of Social Policy and Co-Director of the Centre for Research on Inclusive Society at the University of Salford. Lisa has delivered over 60 research projects, with a commitment to the importance of qualitative inquiry for shaping policy and practice. Lisa’s work focuses specifically on understanding the impact of UK welfare reforms. This includes leading a ground-breaking five-year FiMT funded study called Sanctions, Support & Service Leavers. This is the first in depth UK research to explore Veterans’ experiences of the social security system and has been supporting the Department for Work and Pensions in developing their work related to the Armed Forces community. Lisa is a member of the Ministry of Defence Recovery Expert Advisory Board and the Office for Veterans Affairs Academic Advisory Board, and the Centre for Evidence for the Armed Forces Community Advisory Board. 

Professor Matt Kiernan is the Director of The Northern Hub for Veterans and Military Families' Research at Northumbria University. Prior to this, he was the Head of Mental Health Nursing in the Royal Navy, the Specialist Nurse Advisor for Mental Health (Royal Navy) and the Defence Specialist Nurse Advisor (Mental Health). In his current role, he leads a range of research projects involving Veterans, Service personnel and their families, exploring health and social care, public health, psychology, social policy, human geography and nursing.

Professor Neil Greenberg is a clinical and academic Psychiatrist based at King’s College London, specialising in adult, occupational and forensic psychiatry. Neil served in the United Kingdom Armed Forces for more than 23 years deploying as a Psychiatrist and Researcher. At King’s College London, Neil is a senior member of the military mental health research team and a Principal Investigator within a nationally funded Health Protection Research Unit which investigates the psychological impacts of trauma on organisations. Neil also runs March on Stress and chairs the Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCP) Special Interest Group in Occupational Psychiatry, as well as leading on the World Psychiatric Association’s Position Statement on Mental Health in the Workplace. 

Professor Nicola Fear holds a Chair in Epidemiology at the Academic Department of Military Mental Health and is Director of the King's Centre for Military Health Research (KCMHR) at King’s College London and one of the Directors of the Centre for Evidence for the Armed Forces Community. Nicola has worked in the field of occupational health throughout her career, including within the UK Ministry of Defence as their Consultant Epidemiologist. She trained in epidemiology at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and the University of Oxford, from where she obtained her doctorate. Professor Fear is one of the Principal Investigators on the KCMHR military cohort study and leads several studies looking at the impact of military service on families. 

Professor Paul Farrand is Professor of Evidence Based Psychological Practice and Research, and Director of the Low-Intensity Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (LICBT) portfolio within Clinical Education, Development and Research (CEDAR), Psychology University of Exeter. He holds several Expert Advisor positions and at an international level acts as a Scientific Advisor regarding worldwide developments in Low-Intensity CBT. He is an internationally renowned expert in LICBT (CBT self-help) and has substantial expertise CBT self-help interventions, especially in a written and mobile phone app format and adapting the interventions for specific groups, such as Armed Forces Veterans, Muslims, Informal Carers and several physical health populations. Paul is currently working on an OVA-funded research project adapting an AI-driven mobile phone app (Iona) to ensure acceptability and effectiveness for ex-servicewomen.