Research Community

Dr Steve Rolfe's research in relation to the Armed Forces Community has primarily been about Veterans' housing issues following transition, and the types of services which can assist Veterans to secure and maintain appropriate housing. This reflects his wider research interests in the importance of secure housing for well-being, and the ways in which public, private and third-sector actors can support positive housing outcomes.

Dr Tamlyn Watermeyer is a neuropsychology Researcher, interested in brain and behaviour relationships, who seeks to understand biological and psycho-social determinants of brain health in later life, such as why some people develop cognitive decline and why others do not, and what we can do to prevent this. Her work in female Veteran health aims to understand possible biological, social and psychological factors that might contribute to their poorer brain health outcomes.   

Dr Victoria Williamson is a Researcher at King's College London and the University of Oxford. Her research focuses on the psychological impact of trauma exposure, including exposure to moral injury. She has led the first UK feasibility study to develop and pilot a treatment for moral injury related mental health difficulties with Combat Stress, which will be trialed in an RCT in 2023. 

Dr Walter Busuttil is a Consultant Psychiatrist (Lifetime Member of the Association of Psychiatry Malta) and Director of Research and Clinical Training at Combat Stress (previously Director of Medical Services). He was an Honorary Senior Lecturer in Psychiatry at Kent Institute for Medical Studies and is now Visiting Professor at King’s College London, KCMHR. Walter is a founder of the Combat Stress research department collaboration with KCMHR and a founder member of the UK Psychological Trauma Society and Five Eyes Mental Health Research Collaborative. He is past Chair of the UK Trauma Group and sits on the mental health subcommittee and Armed Forces Clinical Reference Group for NHS England. He served as a General Duties Medical in the RAF and was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award for Soldiering.

The Dymond Lab is a research centre based at Swansea University and home to two interrelated labs. The Experimental Psychopathology Lab investigates learning and emotion systems underpinning adaptive behaviour and examines generalization and extinction of fear and avoidance. The Swansea Gambling (SwanGam) Lab drives research, education, and treatment for all forms of gambling-related harm. Additionally, their work identifies those at heightened vulnerability to harm, such as military Veterans, and captures their harm pathways to better design and evaluate evidence-based treatment and intervention.

Emily is a PhD researcher, undertaking research with the Veterans & Families Institute at Anglia Ruskin University. Emily has a background in Forensic Psychology, and is a qualified Independent Mental Health Advocate, having previously worked in male forensic psychiatric services prior to joining ARU. Currently, she is working on research examining servicemen's experiences of sexualised behaviour whilst serving in the UK Armed Forces, focusing on male Veteran narratives and support service provision. Having previously conducted research on sexual harassment and deviant sexual preferences within civilian populations, Emily is excited to expand her interests with different populations and hopes to better understanding of sexualised behaviour in the UK Armed Forces and of how servicemen can be better supported with formal reporting and help-seeking.