Dr Fiona Caryl
- Research Fellow (MRC/CSO Social & Public Health Sciences Unit)
email:
Fiona.Caryl@glasgow.ac.uk
MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, University of Glasgow, Clarice Pears Building, 90 Byres Road, Glasgow, G12 8TB
Biography
Fiona is Research Fellow who applies advanced geospatial approaches to understand the links between environment and human health. In 2018, she joined the Places and Health Programme of the MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, bringing ~20 years of cross-disciplinary experience in applied spatial data science spanning ecology, environmental science, and public health research.
Previously, Fiona worked as a Consultant Geospatial Scientist (4 years: renewables private sector) and Research Associate (6 years: University of Melbourne) focused on applied ecology and conservation. She leveraged her expertise in geospatial analytics, machine learning, and advanced statistics to publish research explaining spatial distributions and drivers of ecological phenomena, along with impact assessment of major interventions. Fiona has a PhD in Biological and Environmental Sciences from the University of Stirling (2008), and an MSc in Applied Ecology and Conservation from the University of East Anglia (2003).
Within the SPHSU, Fiona used a MRC Skills Development Fellowship to develop novel ways of using human mobility data (GPS) to quantify inequalities in exposure to health-influencing built and natural environments. Being policy-focused, she also developed innovative approaches to help policymakers determine the equity impact of policies to address these. More recently, her work has examined how natural space can reduce inequalities in individual- and population-level health.
Fiona is currently a Co-Investigator on the following active projects:
- UKRI-NHMRC Better Parks, Healthier for All? (2020-2024) linking measures of green space quality to human health outcomes (cardiovascular disease and mental health) within UK Biobank.
- MRC Networking Grant Built Environment Context & Change (2021-2023) producing an online interactive atlas of environmental context and change for the whole of Great Britain.
Research interests
- Spatial epidemiology / health geography
- Health inequalities
- Gender/sex and socioeconomic inequalities
- Mobility & GPS
- GIS & spatial data
- Natural environments (green/blue, natural spaces)
- Built environment, urban areas
- Landscape structure & composition
- Land use/cover change
- Unhealthy commodities (alcohol, tobacco)
Grants
Grants and Awards listed are those received whilst working with the University of Glasgow.
- MRC Networking grant
Medical Research Council
2022 - 2023
- Better Parks, Healthier for All?
Medical Research Council
2020 - 2023
- Do gender-differences in access to urban landscapes lead to gender-inequalities in mental and physical health?
Medical Research Council
2020 - 2023
- To Estimate Of The Impact Of A Reduction In Tobacco Retailer Availability
Cancer Research UK
2018 - 2018
Supervision
- Houston, Craig
Social connectedness and nature space
Professional activities & recognition
Prizes, awards & distinctions
- 2020: Fellowship (MRC)
- 2019: Glasgow Crucible (University of Glasgow)
Research fellowships
- 2020 - 2023: MRC Skills Development Fellowship
Professional & learned societies
- 2020 - 2023: Honorary Fellow, University of Edinburgh