"5 minutes with..." Sharon Greenwood (Public Health)
Published: 1 September 2022
Lecturer in Public Health and programme lead for the on-campus Master of Public Health, Sharon Greenwood, tells us about a role that brings with it a mixed bag of emotions, introduces a furry family member, and emphasises the importance of "communities of resistance" in sustaining us through life's challenges...
Spend 5 minutes with Public Health's Sharon Greenwood... (Lecturer in Public Health/SHW Deputy Director of Education)
Tell us a bit about what you do in SHW
I’m a Lecturer in Public Health and the Programme Lead for the on campus Masters in Public Health. I’m an LTS-track lecturer (Learning, Teaching, and Scholarship), meaning my role focuses on developing good teaching practice, and pedagogical research. In my role as programme lead, I co-ordinate and organise postgraduate teaching linked to the MPH. I’m involved in running two courses – Ethical Issues in Public Health, which I run on my own, and Social Determinants of Health with Dr David Blane and Dr Hayley Connell. I also recently took on the role of Deputy Director of Education, supporting Dr Julie Langan-Martin who is SHW’s Director of Education.
What do you enjoy about your role?
Teaching! I was fortunate to be a Graduate Teaching Assistant throughout my PhD for Sociology and Social and Public Policy, and it made me realise how much I get from working with students and helping them grasp concepts they had never grappled with before (such as social class, or intersectionality). There is nothing better than helping someone make sense of what they have experienced in their life through education.
What are the challenges?
It’s an intense role and involves working with lots of different people. Being the person who deals with the problems can be a difficult task, and I often feel as though I am letting people down by not being able to rectify systemic issues.
What is the best thing about working in SHW?
I think this is the one place in the university where I’ve worked where I feel I have something to contribute. I’ve always felt a bit out of place in other departments, but the interdisciplinary nature of the School makes it an interesting place to work. It’s also great to be involved in improving and developing teaching.
Tell us something we might not know about you, or would surprise us
When I was 23, I travelled to Tokyo on my own – it was the best experience ever!
When or where are you happiest?
When I’m at the beach with my partner and my dog, Winston.
Tell us about something (or more than one thing!) you are proud of
I’m the first in my family to go to university. I found doing my PhD incredibly tough, and almost dropped out quite a few times. I’m proud I stuck in with it, and got it completed.
If you could have your time again, what might you do differently?
I would worry less about being "good enough" – perhaps a bit hypocritical given that I worry about that on a daily basis!
Any secret – or not so secret! – ambitions?
Right now – to become a homeowner before I’m 40…however, I think I am fighting a losing battle with that one! But more generally, to be happy and healthy and to enjoy life. I have spent most of my 20s and 30s either in education or in precarious contracts, so I want to recognise the privilege I have now being open-ended, and to enjoy work without the anxiety of end dates.
Do you have a favourite quote or saying, or mantra by which you try to live your life?
"One of the most vital ways we sustain ourselves is by building communities of resistance, places where we know we are not alone.” bell hooks
If you would like to appear in "5 minutes with...", do please get in touch (shwadmin@glasgow.ac.uk)! We aim to feature colleagues from across a wide range of roles and grades within our school, both staff and students, research/teaching and professional services.
First published: 1 September 2022