Read about Chioma Dibia, Ke Shi, and Zhuoni Xiao's experiences at recent conferences thanks in part to EMH Conference Support Funds.
Chioma Dibia, School of Law
Chioma Dibia is a PhD student at the University of Edinburgh. Her research focuses on understanding the ways in which the intersection of Blackness and maleness shapes how the Mental Health Act 1983 operates towards Black men. Her research interests include racial injustice in healthcare broadly and mental healthcare in particular.
Overview of the Conference
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The 2024 edition of the Oxford Global Health & Bioethics International (OGHB) Conference was held from the 8th to the 10th of July 2024. It brought together scholars from all over the world whose research focus on ethical issues arising from global health policy and practice. The topics covered at this year’s conference include ethical issues arising in humanitarian crisis, climate change, genomic research, decolonisation and global health justice. These issues were considered by scholars from various disciplines such as public health, social work and law. The conference generated robust discussion on ethical issues in global health, and this was further enriched by the diversity of the participants in attendance.
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Summary of My Contribution
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I presented a Lightning Talk on the topic ‘On the Need to Center Racism in the Reform of Mental Health Law: England and Wales as a Case Study’. ‘Lightning Talks’ were to be delivered in 5 minutes and were geared towards stimulating conversation on the specific topic covered or the overall theme of the session. In my talk, I drew from my ongoing PhD research which focuses on how racism shapes the way the Mental Health Act 1983 operates towards Black people and demonstrated that there was a need for bioethicists to play a greater role in the process of legal reform. I emphasised that bioethicists can contribute to the legal reform process by applying their analytical skills and expertise to bring greater attention to how racism affects Black people’s mental health and how this can be ignored and even exacerbated by the law. I argued that such insights can feed into the legal reform process, thereby enhancing the quality of the law and improving the experience of Black people with mental disorders. My talk generated considerable discussion on how bioethicists can get involved at the structural level – that is, in the broader law-making process – as well as at the institutional level.
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Key Takeaways
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Although I benefitted immensely from the discussions generated by my talk and other sessions at the conference, my major takeaways were from the Early Career Researcher events which took place before the conference began. While the panel discussions for early career researchers covered several topics ranging from career pathways to finding the right mentors, the session that resonated the most with me was titled ‘How to Get Published’. In this session, the panellists shared practical tips on how to overcome the fear of publishing. Although several points stood out to me, the five points that I found most valuable were:
Write; not weekly or monthly, but daily, even if all one can muster is an hour’s worth of writing.
Have confidence in your ideas and always put them down in writing.
Persevere in your work, even in the face of rejections.
Have a clear sense of who you are as a scholar and where you want to be, and let this guide your decision about the journals you publish in.
Submit – Do not be too much of a perfectionist. Once your draft has gotten to a point where another person can say ‘Well, this is alright’, you should submit.
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In all, it was a deeply insightful and timely conference. It was particularly valuable for me as an early career researcher who had been struggling with the fear of having my first academic paper rejected. I took the learnings from the conference with me as I returned to Edinburgh and spent the next few days working on the draft of my first paper. Whilst my fears about rejection did not completely dissipate, I resolved that I was going to ‘just write’ as I had been told at the conference, even if it meant doing it afraid, and I succeeded at doing that. My first draft is finally complete and regardless of the feedback that I receive, I will not stop writing. More importantly, I will not lose confidence in the fact that my ideas are worth sharing.
Ke Shi, School of Health in Social Science
Ke is a PhD student in Clinical Psychology whose research focuses on the effectiveness of mindfulness on cognitive functions and the role of personality in this relationship. She is currently conducting a systematic review and meta-analysis. She has experience using SPSS, E-Prime, PsychoPy, PsyToolkit, and R Studio for research design and data analysis. She is also enthusiastic about collaborating with researchers working on prevention and intervention in mental health, particularly studies focusing on international students and children. Find her on X @ke12770081.
Conference Experience
Thanks to conference funding from EMH, I had the opportunity to attend the 2024 Mindfulness Conference held in Bangor. This event brought together leading scholars and practitioners in the field of mindfulness, offering a deep dive into its theoretical, methodological, and clinical advancements. The conference offered an extensive exploration of mindfulness, addressing its research methodologies and applications for special groups, notably individuals with autism. This topic is drawing increased attention within the field, reflecting a growing interest in adapting mindfulness techniques to meet diverse needs. These discussions not only expanded our theoretical understanding but also highlighted practical ways to implement mindfulness more effectively across varied contexts.Â
A significant portion of the conference was dedicated to the mental health implications of mindfulness. Discussions emphasized its potential in treating psychological disorders such as anxiety and depression, showcasing successful case studies and some challenges of this approach. This relevance to mental health underpinned many sessions, linking mindfulness practice with measurable improvements in mental well-being and stress reduction.
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During the event, I had the privilege of presenting preliminary findings from an experiment related to my doctoral research. My poster session turned into a vibrant hub of interaction, attracting some attendees who posed insightful questions and suggestions. These exchanges provoked deeper reflection on my work and offered valuable advice on experimental design and feasibility. Moreover, the opportunity to engage with many scholars, some of whom are authors of influential books on mindfulness, was particularly enlightening. These interactions have significantly enriched my professional network and will undoubtedly influence my future research direction.
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In summary, attending the 2024 Mindfulness Conference has substantially contributed to my professional development, expanding both my academic perspective and practical skills in the field. I am grateful for EMH's support in enabling this enriching experience, which has undoubtedly augmented my ongoing research and future career in mindfulness studies, especially within the realm of mental health.
Dr Zhuoni Xiao, Centre for Genomic and Experimental Medicine
Zhuoni Xiao is a Research Fellow at the University of Edinburgh. Her research focuses on childhood adversity, including child abuse and household dysfunction, and its impact on mental health across the lifespan. She employs cross-sectional, longitudinal, intensive data collection, and qualitative study designs in her work.
Conference Experience
I am grateful to have received conference funding from EMH, which allowed me to attend the Across the Life Span: 5th International Mental Health Conference held in Glasgow. This event brought together a diverse group of professionals, researchers, and practitioners from around the world, offering a rich environment for learning, sharing knowledge, and fostering collaboration in the mental health field.
One of the highlights of my participation was the opportunity to present a poster on our project titled: Loneliness in the Digital World – A Co-Production with the Young People Advisory Group. This project explores the growing issue of loneliness in the digital era, with a particular focus on young people, utilizing innovative methodologies such as Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) and the involvement of a Young People Advisory Group in the design and execution of the research.
The poster presentation drew significant interest from conference attendees, especially due to its novel combination of real-time data collection through EMA and the collaborative involvement of young people in shaping the study. The audience was intrigued by how the advisory group informed both the research questions and methodologies, ensuring the study remains grounded in the lived experiences of young people. Many attendees expressed a keen interest in learning more about the co-production aspect, as this approach is becoming increasingly relevant in mental health research and practice.
During the conference, I engaged in meaningful discussions with fellow researchers, practitioners, and mental health advocates. Many were impressed by the innovative aspects of the project, and I received valuable feedback and suggestions that prompted me to reconsider certain elements of the study design. For example, several experts suggested exploring additional dimensions of digital loneliness, such as the impact of social media algorithms on young people's emotional well-being, and the potential to expand the study to include longitudinal follow-ups to better understand changes over time.
Moreover, the conference provided an excellent opportunity for networking and potential collaborations. I connected with several researchers working on related topics, and we discussed the possibility of future collaborations, particularly in the areas of digital mental health interventions and youth-centred research approaches. These connections could enhance the project's future scope and its potential for impact.
In summary, attending the 5th International Mental Health Conference not only raised awareness of our project on loneliness among young people in the digital world but also opened doors for potential research partnerships. The constructive feedback and insightful discussions helped me refine the study's design and consider new avenues for future research. The conference was an invaluable experience, reinforcing the importance of collaborative and participatory approaches in tackling pressing mental health challenges.
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