Research Community

Dr Moira Bailey is a part time Lecturer, freelance Consultant and Researcher at the Robert Gordon University. Her interest in Veteran research came about as a result of her being a member of the Veteran family - her late husband was a Royal Navy Veteran who had mental helath issues arising from his service. Her son also is a Navy Veteran. She was recently a member of the team which produced an independent report commissioned in 2022 by the Office of Veterans’ Affairs to explore the potential of improving female Veterans' access to support services. She is currently working on two projects for different Veteran charities to produce in depth evaluation reports. Moira is also interested in pursing further research in the female Veteran space as well as exploring the experiences of Veterans' carers. 

Dr Robert Allen is an Associate Professor of Organisational Behaviour and Neurodiversity. 
He came to academia in 2013 after 24 years working in the UK Ministry of Defence. Dr Allen has a PhD in the field of Organisational Behaviour and an MSc in Procurement. He also holds a qualification in anxiety and phobia counselling, a PG Diploma in Neurophysiology, and is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. He is academic lead for neurodiversity at Cranfield University and chairs the neurodiversity community. He is Director for the Cranfield University Defence and Security Leadership MSc programme. His research interests centre on OB and neurodiversity, the nature of expertise and mental health/welfare.

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.

Jemma Lakmaker is a PhD student at Manchester Metropolitan University exploring the experiences of ex-servicemen who became deaf in the First World War and how they were treated upon their return to society. Jemma aims to uncover the experiences of deaf ex-servicemen as a group whose voice is missing from the historical narrative. She is interested in the perceptions of deafness and how this continues to impact the deaf community today. Jemma is proficient in British Sign Language. Jemma is also a trustee for a charity working to ensure disabled people and people from disadvantaged backgrounds are given an equal voice in society and a platform on which to be heard.

John Goulding is a PhD student at Liverpool John Moores University.  His current ongoing work explores the educational experiences of ex-Service personnel with prior justice system involvement. John’s overall research interests include the use of sports to increase educational attainment and achievement, the effect of government policy on social mobility, Veterans’ health and well-being and the causation of Veteran incarceration in the justice system.

Katherine Lawrence is Head of Operations at the Service Children's Progression (SCiP) Alliance, bringing together researchers, policy-makers and funders. Katherine runs a UK-wide network of research-practice hubs focused on knowledge exchange around evidence-based practice supporting the educational progression of children and young people in Armed Forces families. In addition to supporting, disseminating and commissioning research in this space and translating it into impact, Katherine has an interest in international comparative research.