Kay Bridger awarded PhD

We would like to congratulate Kay Bridger for passing her PhD viva, funded by ARC East Midlands and Nottingham Trent University (NTU).

Kay's thesis explored the impact of and psychological response to traumatic injury, and in particular, how trauma can affect work identity.

Her PhD findings have important practice implications that can be used to:

• develop interventions to support recovery (including return to work),
• address gap in understanding between professionals and patients, and
• integrate psycho-social understanding in future research on traumatic injuries. 

Speaking about her achievements, Kay said: “Three years of PhD funding took me through lockdowns and a house move, and at the start of my fourth year (thesis pending / writing up), I started working as a Lecturer in NTU Psychology, in my field of interest in Trauma, Social Isolation and Mental Health. I celebrated my 50th birthday a few weeks before submitting my thesis and starting my second year of lecturing. I am proud to say I have become the thing I used to champion in others: later life career change through higher education.

"Such achievements are not individual; they are only done with the support and encouragement of others. Giving up a career and starting a PhD in your forties doesn’t happen without a lot of support! Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone that supported me."

Well done Kay on your achievements, you are an inspiration, and we are so proud to have been able to support you on this journey!