School of Health & Wellbeing

Operations Manager Elaine Hindle tells us about "keeping the plates spinning" in the Population Health Research Facility, the benefits of engaging with Athena Swan, and her Wordle aspirations!

Tell us a bit about what you do in IHW

I am the Operations Manager in Population Health Research Facility (PHRF) in the MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit (SPHSU). My role within PHRF is to keep the plates spinning. PHRF offers IHW staff expert, tailored support to researchers working within community and NHS settings, implementing randomised controlled trials of complex interventions, community-based projects and epidemiological studies within social and public health research, as well as (non-CTIMP) NHS-based research projects. PHRF provide practical help with every aspect of a study: initial funding application; methodological and design advice, project set-up and management, data management, data collection and archiving. In addition, we assist researchers with other aspects of their research: governance, SOPs, internal audits etc and have a range of specialist equipment available for hire.

What do you enjoy about your role?

Every project brings new challenges and, with it, new learning opportunities. I like that as it also means that every day is different, and I have never had a chance to get bored in my role. I have been in post for 23 years and there is still plenty on my "work to do before I retire" list

What is the best thing about working in IHW?

I find IHW is an incredibly supportive and collegiate team. I would encourage others to join an IHW Athena Swan group, as this gives you the opportunity to work with colleagues from other areas of IHW and you learn from their experiences, which in turn helps us in our roles. The work that Athena Swan groups undertake helps everyone in IHW and makes it an even safer, healthier and happier place to work.

Tell us something we might not know about you, or would surprise us

Having been vegetarian for 20 years I was finally won back to the carnivorous side by a Lorne sausage.

When or where are you happiest?

By the sea or in my friend's back garden in the Dordogne.

Any secret – or not so secret! – ambitions?

Go get WORDLE on first guess

Do you have a favourite quote or saying, or mantra by which you try to live your life?

"Let us all be the leaders we wish we had." (Simon Sinek) I try to ensure I am setting an example I am proud of at work and in my personal life.

If you would like to appear in "Five minutes with...", do please get in touch (jane.goodfellow@glasgow.ac.uk)! We aim to alternate professional services and research/teaching staff profiles, and feature colleagues from across a wide range of roles and grades within our institute. 

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First published: 21 September 2020