Hannah Kenway - Applying systems thinking methodologies to improve one health approach outcomes and impact
Joint studentship with the School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Surrey and the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA).
What do you enjoy most about your PhD?
I love the fact that my research problem is relevant and applicable to real world problems. Working in a transdisciplinary field has opened my eyes to a diverse range of research methods and world views and has led me to question my own assumed objectivity. I have already collaborated with people from many different disciplines and am consistently challenged and inspired to think differently, to hold space for diverse perspectives and notice the hidden connections that drive many of the outcomes in One Health and beyond.
Having worked in the countryside for my whole career and delivered projects for government and industry, I was very aware of the unintended consequences of many policy decisions and the complexity of the global systems in which I was operating.Hannah Kenway
Could you share details of the journey that led to your PhD, including any experiences (professional, personal or educational) that have helped shape that path?
I have been a vet in farm animal practice since 1993 - alongside a role as a lecturer at Surrey University Vet School and a consultant in sustainability within the veterinary sector. A PhD was not something I'd really considered - I have a large family and went straight from university into practice- working in the UK and abroad. Having worked in the countryside for my whole career and delivered projects for government and industry, I was very aware of the unintended consequences of many policy decisions and the complexity of the global systems in which I was operating.
I authored two training courses for vets, around sustainability in agriculture and livestock emissions and during that process was asked to contribute a chapter on leadership and behaviour change. Through that process I began to realise that imparting knowledge "onto" farmers was unlikely to deliver long term meaningful change in practices and started to explore some of the hidden drivers that may be driving poor outcomes at a farm and a policy level.
A PhD was not something I'd considered at this stage in my career, but a discussion with fellow academics around the coffee table inspired me to apply for this project and I was very happy to be offered the studentship. Many of my professional and personal roles and interests are directly applicable to this exciting project and I am very much looking forward to working with groups of stakeholders to deliver a project that I believe will have the potential for real positive impact in One Health.
Supervisors
- Dr Elizabeth Mumford (University of Surrey)
- Emma Snary (APHA)
Microbial evolution and drug resistance Wessex One Health Doctoral Landscape Programme
