Laura Murphy, a final year masters student studying on our Health through Occupation MSc course, has recently won the 2010 student award from the College of Occupational Therapists. The COT is the UK national professional body of occupational therapists, and each year it makes a range of awards to support members' research, education and professional development activities. Laura received her cheque at the COT's annual conference, held at the Brighton Centre in June.
The award will fund her research project investigating Deaf people's participation in leisure and its impact on their health and well-being. The money will allow Laura to employ a Deaf researcher in order to carry out interviews in British Sign Language, and without the funding this important collaborative research would not have been possible.
Laura's research is linked to a wider collaboration between the University of Brighton, the University of Sussex and local Deaf individuals and organisations called the Our Space project. This project is funded by HEFCE and forms part of the South East Coastal Communities research projects.
In response to receiving this award, Laura said:
"It is a privilege to gain the support of the College of Occupational Therapy and to know that my project is considered to be such a valuable piece of research".
Laura was supported in her application by John Walker, Convenor of Deaf Studies at the University of Sussex, and by her research supervisor Josh Cameron, senior lecturer in the School of Health Professions.
