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Dr Larissa Bartlett
Name:
Dr Larissa Bartlett
Job title:
ISLAND Fellow
Place of work / study:
Wicking Dementia Research & Education Centre, University of Tasmania, Australia
Area of Research:
Lead the ISLAND Study, a large, 10-year prospective public health cohort study with nested interventions targeting modifiable dementia risk factors at population-level in adults aged 50+
How is your work funded?
Lead the ISLAND Study, a large, 10-year prospective public health cohort study with nested interventions targeting modifiable dementia risk factors at population-level in adults aged 50+
Tell us a little about yourself:
I did my bachelor’s degree as a mature age student in the 1990s, majoring in sociology and social policy, then worked in knowledge economy, industry development and community engagement roles in business, government and higher ed sectors. My interest in positive psychology and health behaviours grew in response to consistent under-investment in preventive and protective health policies and services. In 2015-2019 I did my research training at the Menzies Institute for Medical Research at the University of Tasmania. My PhD focused on the promises and challenges of workplace-delivered mindfulness interventions for employee health and performance, and the ISLAND Research Fellow appointment is my postdoc. In this prospective cohort study my team has created a digital community of 8000+ members interested in their brain health. I am thrilled to be working on this project because it stands to contribute evidence for public health strategies that can empower people to take charge of their own health and their future health trajectories. As an older ECR I’m hoping the cognitive load of carving out a research career will stave off my own decline!
Tell us a fun fact about yourself:
I’m a £10 POM, of Birmingham stock.
Why did you choose to work in dementia?
Just deeply interested in how our brains work and dementia prevention/healthy ageing is like the ultimate goal in behavioural medicine.
What single piece of advice would you give to an early career researcher?
Do research that you are deeply interested in, that way the intrinsic worthiness of your work will keep you going through the tough bits.
What book are you reading right now? Would you recommend it?
The dictionary of lost words and yes – an insightful and well crafted novel-view on the social prescriptions embedded in language.
Can we find you on Twitter & Instagram?
Follow @larribart on Instagram
