Dr Barbara Herring, Course Director for the BSc Health Studies, welcomed the first cohort of undergraduate students in September.
Dr Barbara Herring, Health Studies Department
Can you tell us a bit about yourself and your role in the Department of Health Studies?
I am passionate about education for sustainability, empowering marginalised communities, challenging inequality, and decolonisation. This is reflected in the global organisations I’m involved with. I am an active member of the Planetary Health Alliance, British Foundation of Women Graduates (BFWG), Women in Global Health (Norwegian chapter), the European Network of Migrant Women (ENoMW) and a member of the United Nations Decade for People of African Descent (IDPAD) Coalition UK.
In the Department of Health Studies at Royal Holloway, I am the Course Director for BSc Health Studies.
What are your main academic interests?
My main academic and research interests are closely linked and cover sustainable education, education for marginalised people and communities affected by disaster, conflict and war. My interests intersect with planetary health, sustainability, digital anthropology, migration, faith for health education and corporate social responsibility.
You recently facilitated a session at a conference at Harvard University, could you tell us a bit more about that?
I facilitated and presented a session on ‘Growing the movement through Planetary Health Education’ at the Planetary Health Alliance 2022 conference at Harvard University. As an advocate for sustainable education and the importance of partnership working, I have been involved in initiatives in Norway and Africa on practical implication of Sustainable Development Goals and Global Health.
What do you find most rewarding in your role as Course Director for the new BSc Health Studies?
The most rewarding aspect of my role in the creation of the new BSc Health Studies degree is the intended outcome of future graduates and the impact they will have on the population and environment. The core aim of the BSc Health Studies is to inspire and motivate students to make a difference so integrating all the 17 Sustainable Development Goals and the 5 domains of the Planetary Health Education framework into the design has been such a privilege.
What do you enjoy most about working at Royal Holloway?
The founding history of Royal Holloway, being among the first places in Britain where women could access higher education, inspires and challenges me to contribute towards that rich story. I enjoy that the most, as it represents what I stand for. It is also a big bonus that the campus is set in such a beautiful leafy location that allows me to enjoy nature and that is something I look forward to.
