Dr Nilu Ahmed
PG Dip (Couns), CPsychol, FHEA, PhD, MSc, BA (Hons), HE Cert
Expertise
I teach about the importance of seeing the whole person and the intersectional structural, social, and individual factors that impact health and oral health. I am passionate about inclusion and engagement across all my work.
Current positions
Senior Lecturer in Social Sciences
Bristol Dental School
Contact
Press and media
Many of our academics speak to the media as experts in their field of research. If you are a journalist, please contact the University’s Media and PR Team:
Research interests
Dr Nilu Ahmed is an advanced qualititative research practitioner with a multidisciplinary academic training in Psychology, Sociology, Gerontology, and Human Geography. Her work is rooted in an antiracist and intersectional framework and she brings these lenses to all her work. She has extensive experience of successful Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) and community engagement expertise. She is active in community work and her research uses coproduction with community members and students as coresearchers.
At the Dental School she has undertaken a range of research projects on Inclusion and Engagement including, Decolonising the Dental Curriculum, Barriers and Facilitators to Inclusion for Dental Students, Improving Access to Dental Services for Adult Survivors of Child Sex Abuse, Coproducing Culturally Competent Clinical Communication Scenarios for Training Health Professionals, Proposing a Pilot Protocol for Undertaking Community Engagement Pedagogy: Understanding the Oral Health needs of Underserved Communities
She is the recipient of an Inspiring and Innovative Bristol Teaching Award (2023) and received a National Ethnic Minority Welsh Woman of Achivement Award for Leadership and Management her work on Antiracism and Mental Health (2021). Her interests include ethnicity, ageing, decolonising, gender, inequalities, mental health, access to care, and the experiences of marginalised groups in Higher Education. Please get in touch to discuss her work or research opportunities.
Outside of University she is a practicing Intersectional Psychotherapist and delivers Antiracism and Inclusion Consultancy, Advice and Training to across sectors including Education, Business and Government.
Projects and supervisions
Research projects
Idea Exchange with a view to co-designing sensitive, non-confrontational methodologies for gaining insight into ongoing sexual trauma for those living with FC/FGM
Principal Investigator
Role
Co-Investigator
Description
Women who have had FC/FGM often experience life-long consequences in relation to health, wellbeing and sexual functioning. However, current policy in the UK tends to ignore these needs in favour…Managing organisational unit
School for Policy StudiesDates
24/05/2023
Coproducing Culturally Competent Scenarios for the Teaching and Training of Health Professionals
Principal Investigator
Description
This study will work with the Bangladeshi community in Bristol to coproduce culturally competent communication skills scenarios for the teaching and training of Health Professionals including dental and medical professionals.…Managing organisational unit
Bristol Dental SchoolDates
01/02/2023 to 31/07/2023
Proposing a Pilot Protocol for Undertaking Community Engagement Pedagogy: Understanding the Oral Health needs of Underserved Communities
Principal Investigator
Description
We live in a diverse society and patients reflect a wide range of health, social, and cultural needs. It is an expectation of the General Dental Council that dental education…Managing organisational unit
Bristol Dental SchoolDates
01/02/2023 to 30/04/2023
Barriers and Facilitators to Inclusion for Dental Students
Principal Investigator
Description
This study will primarily analyse the data from the 'Decolonising the Dental Curriculum' study, but also, based on findings conduct new interviews with students and staff to build a strategy…Managing organisational unit
Bristol Dental SchoolDates
01/08/2022 to 31/01/2023
Improving Access to Oral Healthcare Services for Adult Survivors of Child Sex Abuse
Principal Investigator
Description
This project brings together adult survivors of child sex abuse (CSA) and academics and clinicians to work together to coproduce an educational resource for dental health professionals.
We will hold…Managing organisational unit
Bristol Dental SchoolDates
01/03/2022 to 31/07/2022
Publications
Recent publications
01/02/2023What is in a name
Beef: what your nemesis reveals about you
The Conversation
It’s not just weddings – how celebrating small wins and unconventional milestones can bring joy
The Conversation
Why ‘finding your purpose’ matters – and four ways to find yours
The Conversation
British Bangladeshi Pupils Mental Health in Schools
A guide to mental wellbeing in schools: what do practitioners need to know for pupils from disadvantaged and minority backgrounds
Teaching
My teaching is evidence-based, and my research directly feeds in to my teaching. Students are invited to develop research skills and applied learning through opportunities to become paid co-researchers on my projects.
My small group communication skills teaching include working working with nervous patients, anxious patients, angry patients, racist and homophobic patients. I also teach on mental health, teamwork, and contribute to the teaching of my clincial and non clinical colleagues. I really enjoy collaborating on our teaching.