Dr Stephen Fay
Biography
I am a Medical Humanities scholar who combines expertise in Hispanic literatures with innovative research into digital creative therapies for people with dementia in Latin America and the UK.
In 2019 (with support from the Global Challenges Research Fund) I established the UK’s first research collaboration with the world-leading Antioquia Neuroscience Group (GNA) in Colombia. I brought together a multi-centre (GNA, Aston University, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Columbia University) and interdisciplinary team (neurologists, psychologists, speech therapists, humanities scholars) to design and deliver research into the use of creative narratives to support the mental health and wellbeing of people with dementia and their families.
COVID-19 obliged us to adapt our in-person methodologies to virtual delivery, turning our original 10-week pilot study into an 8-month creativity and community lifeline for our participants and their families. On the basis of this success, we are now running a full feasibility and effectiveness study of the online provision of psychosocial interventions for people with dementia in Latin America, with future extension into the UK.
I joined the University of Surrey in February 2022. I previously taught Spanish and Latin American Studies at UCL, KCL, the University of Nottingham and Aston University.
I warmly welcome enquiries from potential PhD candidates in areas of specialism such as Hispanic Studies, Caribbean Literary and Cultural Studies, Medical Humanities and Dementia Studies.
Areas of specialism
My qualifications
In the media
Research
Research interests
My main research interests are in the fields of Medical Humanities, Dementia Studies and Latin American and Caribbean Literature and Film. I welcome applications from postgraduate students in any of these areas.
Research projects
In 2019 (with support from the Global Challenges Research Fund) I established the UK’s first research collaboration with the world-leading Antioquia Neuroscience Group (GNA) in Colombia. I brought together a multi-centre (GNA, Aston University, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Columbia University) and interdisciplinary team (neurologists, psychologists, speech therapists, humanities scholars) to design and deliver research into the use of creative narratives to support the mental health and wellbeing of people with dementia and their families.
COVID-19 obliged us to adapt our in-person methodologies to virtual delivery, turning our original 10-week pilot study into an 8-month creativity and community lifeline for our participants and their families. On the basis of this success, we are now running a full feasibility and effectiveness study of the online provision of psychosocial interventions for people with dementia in Latin America, with future extension into the UK
Research collaborations
My Proyecto Narrativas brought together Neurologists, Psychologists, Speech & Art Therapists, Social Workers and Medical Humanities scholars from the University of Antioquia, Aston University and Columbia University.
Supervision
Postgraduate research supervision
I was the principal supervisor of a doctoral candidate investigating criminological theories in Chilean detective novels from the 1960s to the 1990s. The candidate was awarded her PhD with no corrections required in December 2019.
I welcome approaches from PG students in the fields of Medical Humanities, Dementia Studies and Latin American and Caribbean Literature and Film.
My teaching
I have designed and delivered more than 20 UG and PG modules in Latin American Literary and Cultural Studies and Translation.