60 Seconds With...Emma Brooks

Emma Brooks is Trial Manager for the Addressing Adolescents’ Depression And their ParenTing (AADAPT) study, funded by the Prudence Trust. She is also a member of the Academic Career Development Working Group.

Tell us a little about yourself, and what attracted you to working at the University of Oxford?  

I’ve always been interested in mental health research and over the years I’ve become passionate about early interventions for common mental health disorders, such as anxiety and depression, and how we can increase access to effective psychological treatments. I love the variety my role brings and that I have the opportunity to gain experience conducting research as well as managing a clinical trial. I think the University of Oxford is great institution for conducting impactful research in the field of child and adolescent mental health and I wanted to be part of some of the incredible teams advancing this field of work. I’ve been a Psychiatry employee for several years, having the privilege of working in both the Topic group and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry group.

What is your vision for the team/project/research you study/work with?

I currently work on a project aiming to support young parents experiencing symptoms of depression. I think it’s really important that we try and reach underserved communities and think about how we can provide support when they need it. Implementation is such an important aspect and so it is critical to think about how an intervention or support package could be scaled up or made available beyond the end date of a research project.

What is currently at the top of your To-Do List?

We’re in the final two months of recruiting to our current study so I’m liaising lots with our clinical teams and services so we can provide as many young parents with the opportunity to take part in the study as possible.  

I’ve also been coordinating the ‘10 Days Campaign’ with input from some wonderful colleagues in the department. The campaign focuses on empowering all staff to undertake, or support others with, professional development time. This is something I think is particularly important but can often take a backseat when we’re busy juggling and prioritising other aspects of our jobs. I need to finish the final day of the campaign where I’ll summarise key points from the campaign and signpost staff to resources. 

How did you get to where you are today?

I think I’ve always had a quiet determination, and overcoming challenges through my education has got me to where I am today. As well as thinking about our future career goals, I also think it’s so powerful to look back at what we’ve managed to accomplish so far. I’m sure school age Emma would find it pretty amazing and incredible to hear that I’m now managing and conducting meaningful research to support young people’s mental health at a world-renowned university. I’ve also been fortunate enough to have some really wonderful managers and colleagues who have been so supportive and have acted as ‘cheerleaders’ for helping to provide opportunities to further develop and progress.

Who or what inspires you?

I’m constantly inspired by colleagues at a similar career stage to me. It’s always exciting to hear about all the remarkable research they’re conducting and opportunities they seek out to further their own careers. It’s always a joy to celebrate their achievements and success.

If you were not in your job currently, what would you like to be doing?

Great question! I’ve organised events and conferences in academia so I could see myself applying my project management skillset in a completely different environment, maybe planning weddings or organising other special significant events for people. Spending time with family is also really important to me, particularly those further afield in Australia and Bangladesh.