My research explores who engages with nature across England, Scotland and Wales, and why. Time
in nature benefits mental wellbeing, stress and overall health, yet most studies focus on how close
people live to nature rather than how they use it. Using national surveys, statistical modelling and
mapping, I examine how engagement varies by age, income, ethnicity and local area. I also identify
communities that have access to nature but face barriers to using it. By comparing patterns across the
three nations, I aim to inform targeted interventions that help more people benefit from nature
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Baby sleep is an important matter for parents. This study focusses on bed-sharing between parent and baby, which is common in Africa, Asia and the Middle East, but less so in the UK. Researchers know little about the sleep preferences of migrant parents in the UK (especially parents from Africa), or their experiences of receiving sleep safety advice from NHS and early years practitioners. It is unclear whether staff adapt their advice according to parents’ cultural background. This interdisciplinary study helps to fill these research gaps, supporting staff to provide advice that fits the needs and values of migrant parents.
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My project will explore and develop the Be Seen Quality Mark, a primary school programme designed to help children learn about visible differences, such as birthmarks, scars and skin conditions. Working in partnership with the charity Caring Matters Now, I will explore how the programme is experienced and used in primary schools, and how it could be adapted for secondary school pupils. People with lived experience of visible difference will be involved throughout the project, helping to shape the research and development of the programme. This research aims to contribute to greater understanding and acceptance of appearance diversity in education.
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Type 1 diabetes is one of the most common long-term health conditions affecting children and young people in the UK. Physical activity helps with condition management, improves mental wellbeing, and reduces long-term complications. However, children and young people with type 1 diabetes are less active and more sedentary than their peers. They face barriers including stigma, misconceptions, limited understanding among school staff, and unsupportive environments. My research will explore the experiences of students, families, and school staff to identify better support, co-designing a practical toolkit to help staff enable safe, inclusive, and confident participation in school-based physical activity
Cockcroft, Emma Joanne, Jane Rebecca Smith, Jenny Lloyd, Louie Johnson, Richard Pulsford, Ross Clarke, Parth Narendran et al. “Examining the Cognitive, Practical, and Emotional Demands of Managing Physical Activity in Adolescents With Type 1 Diabetes: A Qualitative Study With Adolescents, Parents, and Healthcare Professionals.” Pediatric Diabetes 2025, no. 1 (2025): 4578096.
Cowburn, I., Mitchell T., French, J., Burton, A., Freeman, C., Rodrigue, F., & Johnson, L. (2026). International Sport Coaching Journal Digest, Volume 13, Issue 1, 2026, 13, 208-211. https://doi.org/10.1123/iscj.2025-0128
Cowburn, I., Mitchell T., French, J., Burton, A., Freeman, C., & Johnson, L. (2026). International Sport Coaching Journal, Digest, Volume 13, Issue 2, 2026, 13, 411-414. https://doi.org/10.1123/iscj.2026-0024
Cowburn, I., Mitchell T., French, J., Burton, A., Freeman, C., Rodrigue, F., Guérette, J., Michaud, M., Johnson, L., Jones, T., Allison-Abaunza, A., & Laliberté, A. (2026). International Sport Coaching Journal, Digest, Volume 13, Issue 3, 2026, 13, 723-725. https://doi.org/10.1123/iscj.2026-0083
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Cockcroft, Emma Joanne, Jane Rebecca Smith, Jenny Lloyd, Louie Johnson, Richard Pulsford, Ross Clarke, Parth Narendran et al. “Examining the Cognitive, Practical, and Emotional Demands of Managing Physical Activity in Adolescents With Type 1 Diabetes: A Qualitative Study With Adolescents, Parents, and Healthcare Professionals.” Pediatric Diabetes 2025, no. 1 (2025): 4578096.
Cowburn, I., Mitchell T., French, J., Burton, A., Freeman, C., Rodrigue, F., & Johnson, L. (2026). International Sport Coaching Journal Digest, Volume 13, Issue 1, 2026, 13, 208-211. https://doi.org/10.1123/iscj.2025-0128
Cowburn, I., Mitchell T., French, J., Burton, A., Freeman, C., & Johnson, L. (2026). International Sport Coaching Journal, Digest, Volume 13, Issue 2, 2026, 13, 411-414. https://doi.org/10.1123/iscj.2026-0024
Cowburn, I., Mitchell T., French, J., Burton, A., Freeman, C., Rodrigue, F., Guérette, J., Michaud, M., Johnson, L., Jones, T., Allison-Abaunza, A., & Laliberté, A. (2026). International Sport Coaching Journal, Digest, Volume 13, Issue 3, 2026, 13, 723-725. https://doi.org/10.1123/iscj.2026-0083
Children who have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) or related symptoms such as difficulty concentrating or hyperactivity, often find school difficult. A substantial body of research looks at why school is challenging for these children and ways to help them during lessons. Almost no research though has looked at how playtimes during school are experienced by these children. Play is not only important to a child’s development, but it is important to the child. I will seek to understand how children with ADHD traits experience school playtimes and explore how a playtime improvement programme impacts children with ADHD traits.
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There is presently research exploring the mental health inequalities experienced by the various groups of the Romani diaspora, Traveller communities and Queer (LGBTQIA+) communities across UK, however there is an absence explicitly exploring the intersectional experiences of Queer Romani & Traveller mental health. My research aims to, through participatory arts based & digital research methods, fill the gap missing in the present scope of research to inform mental health and equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) policies and toolkits.
Eminson, R. J. (2024). UK legislative discrimination and the impact on Romany & Traveller WASH inequalities. Journal of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene for Development, 14(10), 976-987.
Eminson, R. J. (2021). Caught in the crossfire: LGBT+ traveller intersectionality in post-Brexit Britain. International Journal of Roma Studies, 3(3), 288-321.
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Eminson, R. J. (2024). UK legislative discrimination and the impact on Romany & Traveller WASH inequalities. Journal of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene for Development, 14(10), 976-987.
Eminson, R. J. (2021). Caught in the crossfire: LGBT+ traveller intersectionality in post-Brexit Britain. International Journal of Roma Studies, 3(3), 288-321.
My phenomenological research will explore the experience of perimenopause and its effects on UK women’s social identity, self-concept, and transition. Perimenopause is the period leading up to menopause, characterized by physical and emotional changes. Historically, peri/menopause has been stigmatized and linked to disease and aging, leading to negative attitudes. I will explore how perimenopausal women are devalued and negatively stereotyped within society which may lead to identity and wellbeing issues. I will also explore how misinformation could discredit a women’s lived experience and hinder them from seeking support and how positive perceptions of perimenopause may create acceptance and freedom.
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Director of Plymouth Menopause Network
There is a lack of ADHD support available to people in the UK. Young people who are transitioning between child and adult health services often face disruption to the care they may be receiving, alongside other challenges. A team at the University of Exeter are currently developing a digital intervention to improve access to healthcare for young people with ADHD, based on findings from the Managing ADHD services in Primary care study which highlight inadequacies of current support services. My mixed-methods PhD will explore ways to tailor the digital intervention to underserved communities to promote digital health equality.
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In the UK, one in four young people (aged 16-25) are impacted by a mental health condition. While policymakers recognise the urgency of this problem, resources and personnel within National Health Service (NHS) are stretched too thin to meet the growing demand for support. To help relieve this burden, Artificial Intelligence (AI) chatbots – like OpenAI’s ChatGPT – have been proposed as a promising tool to deliver accessible, personalised, and cost-effective psychotherapeutic interventions at scale. Building on this potential, the present project aims to develop and pilot an AI-guided psychotherapeutic chatbot for UK-based young people.
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My PhD projects seeks to understand the potential of enhancing social prescribing initiatives to improve older adult wellbeing and reduce the demand for domiciliary (home) care. Drawing upon the social determinants of health to enable a holistic comprehension of everyday life, my study shall utilise ethnographic methodologies to explore the contemporary relationships between social prescribing, older adult wellbeing, and the demand for domiciliary care to generate a critical framework for current policy development.