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Staff Profile

Dr Benjamin Rigby

Lecturer in Behavioural Sciences

Background

I joined Newcastle University's Population Health Sciences Institute in November 2023, as a Lecturer in Behavioural Sciences. I am an Associate Member of Fuse, the Centre for Translational Research in Public Health, and a member of the UK Society for Behavioural Medicine.

As a Lecturer, I lead and contribute to the delivery of high quality research and learning experiences across the Faculty of Medical Sciences, as well as more broadly in the University.

My previous appointment was a Research Associate in the Complexity in Health programme at the MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit (University of Glasgow), where I retain an affiliate status.

You can find out more by visiting my Twitter, Google Scholar and ORCiD pages.



Research

I am a member of the Population Health Sciences Institute and contribute to the Behavioural Science and Psychology research theme.

My work creates a transdisciplinary understanding of the influences of health-related behaviours and outcomes, often focusing on wider contextual determinants such as policy and communities. In particular, I am interested in three inter-related strands of enquiry:

  1. Theorising about, and applying frameworks to understand, the complex systems in which health, behaviours and inequalities are shaped
  2. Using knowledge from different domains (e.g. different research disciplines, practice, policy-making and the public) to make sense of public health behaviours, especially physical activity
  3. Combining learning to support the development of equitable and sustainable interventions for population benefit through effective systems-based approaches.

Methodologically, I am primarily a qualitative research employing various methods. I am also experienced in different types of evidence synthesis and qualitative process evaluation.

Current funded projects:

UKRI MRC Public Health Interventions Development (PHIND) grant (Co-I) - Physical Activity and social ConnectednESs (PACES) study - using community-based systems approaches to design interventions that support physical activity and social connectedness for healthy ageing. Click here to find out about the project.

UKRI MRC Public Health Interventions Development (PHIND) grant (Co-I) - ECO-Nature Play study - using participatory systems approaches to design interventions that leverage the co-benefits of outdoor nature-based early years childhood care provision to support wellbeing of both young children and educators. Website coming soon.

Teaching

I am a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and hold a PgCert in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education.

I have diverse teaching experiences in sociology, sport and exercise sciences and public health. I have designed and delivered courses at foundational, undergraduate and master levels.

Current teaching

I lead the delivery of the Health Policy & Systems module on the Faculty of Medical Sciences MSc in Public Health programme

I currently support the delivery of the following modules in the School of Psychology, where I also serve as a personal tutor:

  • PSY2028 - Introduction to Health Psychology
  • PSY3097 - Empirical Projects

I also support delivery on the following Biomedical Sciences and Dietetics programme:

  • BMS3015 - Health, Society and Illness

Supervision

I currently supervise two PhD students at the University of Glasgow:

  • Ms Nhung Doan (Developing a Programme Theory for Increasing Social Capital in the Community Among Adolescents)
  • Mr Rob Sutton (Applying Systems Approaches to Understand Physical Activity Policy Implementation)

I welcome approaches from potential students wishing to pursue research in areas such as physical activity, systems thinking, policy, needs supportive environments and participatory research methods for health interventions.



Publications