Dr Rebecca Mancy
- Research Fellow (MRC/CSO Social & Public Health Sciences Unit)
- Senior Lecturer (Culture, Literacies, Inclusion & Pedagogy)
- Affiliate Researcher (School of Biodiversity, One Health & Veterinary Medicine)
telephone:
0141 330 3560
email:
Rebecca.Mancy@glasgow.ac.uk
School of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Clarice Pears Building, 90 Byres Road, Glasgow, G12 8TB
Biography
I am currently working as a computational ecologist in the role of Research Fellow with Katie Hampson. Prior to this I completed a PhD in Computing Science, focused on using simulation modelling approaches to understand the properties of stochastic versions of classical metapopulation models used in ecology.
Prior to starting my current position, I worked as a Senior Lecturer in Education, where I focused on science education and communication, and am currently on secondment from this post. I also have a first degree in mathematics from the University of Warwick, have worked as a professional software developer in Switzerland, and completed a first PhD in Education.
Research interests
My main research focus is on applied ecological theory, working across the spectrum from theoretical projects with an ecological motivation to those with direct policy applications. Methodologically, I take a process-based modelling approach, employing computational techniques in combination with conceptual and mathematical work.
In my current position as Research Fellow, I am working with Katie Hampson on canine rabies modelling in Tanzania, the Indonesian island of Bali, and a range of countries in South America. I am currently working on a spatially-explicit simulation model of canine rabies which we will fit to data using approximate bayesian computation. One of our main interests in doing so is to distinguish between potential explanations of how this disease, characterised by relatively long and highly heterogenous incubation periods and a short infectious period, successfully persists at low prevalence. This knowledge should help us to guide criteria for rabies elimination programmes.
Grants
- EPSRC funding for a second PhD in Computing Science. Value of around £50,000, starting 1 October 2010 for 3.5 years.
- Support for Science Education: Evaluation of CPD (Co-Investigator): Funded by Scottish Schools Equipment Research Centre to the value of £44'596 (January 2009 for 26 months).
- EmergeNET (Co-Investigator): Network grant funded by EPSRC. The EmergeNET runs six-monthly meetings with aim of generating new understandings and projects concerned with emergence and complexity. Award to the value of £166'000, starting 2008 for 4 years.
- Grant details on EPSRC website: The EmergeNET
- Project homepage: http://www.emergenet.org/
- Pump Priming Grant: Travel to Singapore to work with Dr Manu Kapur of the Learning Sciences Institute, and to complete the NECSI Complex Systems summer school. Autumn 2006.
- ExploreCSEd (Co-Investigator): Development Fund grant from the Higher Education Academy, Information and Computer Sciences. Autumn 2004, £3000.
- PhD Studentship: Awarded by the Faculty of Education, University of Glasgow. October 2003 - October 2005. PhD studentship
Supervision
Current PhD students
- Bilal Usmani - Investigation disease persistence in host vector systems: dengue as a case study (co-supervised with Dan Haydon since 23/09/2010)
- Kristen Layne - Climate change communication in religious communities (co-supervised with Stuart Hanscomb since 01/10/2014, funded by the College of Social Sciences)
- Jaime Earnest - Methods matter: computational modelling in public health policy and planning (co-supervised with Dan Haydon and Kate Reid since 23/09/2010, Kelvin-Smith studentship)
- Renato Margiotta - Evolution education and global citizenship (co-supervised with Cathy Fagan since 19/09/2011, funded by home institution)
- Apiwit Rojvanich - Mathematics education (co-supervised with Gijsbert Stoet)
Former PhD students
- Vanessa Rasoamampianina - How is encyclopaedia authority established? (co-supervised with Professor Alison Phipps)
- Julie Smith - An investigation in the use of collaborative metacognition during mathematical problem solving. A case study with a primary five class in Scotland. (co-supervised with Vic Lally, funding from College of Social Sciences)
- Pratchayapong (Kak) Yasri - Views of the relationship between science and religion and their implications for student learning of evolutionary biology. (funding from Royal Thai Government studentship, now a Lecturer in Science and Technology Education, Institute for Innovative Learning, Mahidol University)
- Alexia Koletsou - Climate change mitigation at the individual level: examining climate change beliefs and energy saving behaviours with the aim to encourage the reduction of end-user energy consumption. (funded by College of Social Sciences studentship)
- Haddou, Yacob
N/A - QIAO, Siqi
Health, Income Inequality and Risk in the Past and Present - Stewart, Gillian
Urban health inequalities from Victorian times to the present
Teaching
My current role does not involve much teaching, but have delivered sessions on statistics to undergraduate students in various areas of biology.
In my role as Senior Lecturer in Education, I have taught on the courses listed below.
Postgraduate courses
- Science, Education and Society (Course Leader) - 2007 - 2010
- Making Science Accessible (Course Leader / Tutor) - 2007 - 2010
- Science Education and Communication Portfolio/Dissertation (Course Leader) - 2007 - 2010
- Evaluating Learning and Teaching (PGDE course for intial teacher trainees) - 2008-2009
- Seminar in Contemporary Issues (Compulsory course for MSc students) - 2008 - 2015
Undergraduate courses
- Leadership in Learning - Third year undergraduate course for future primary school teachers centring on psychology and learning theory (Course Tutor) - 2006-2010
- Learning how to Learn - First year undergraduate course to introduce students to university teaching and learning practices - 2009-2010
- Fundamentals of Education - First year undergraduate course for students who are not majoring in education-related degrees, but who have an interest in the area - 2008-2010