Ingrid Young

Ingrid Young is a Senior Lecturer in the Centre for Biomedicine, Self and Society at the University of Edinburgh's College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine. She is a medical sociologist specializing in qualitative, arts-based, and participatory research methods. Her work focuses on sexual and reproductive health, social justice, gender, biotechnologies, and community activism, with particular attention to LGBTQ+ health and HIV prevention.

Her educational background includes:

• PhD in Sociology from Newcastle University
• MA in History from University of Waterloo, Canada
• BA (Hons) in History from Trent University, Canada

Ingrid Young's research explores how gender, sexuality, race, and technologies shape sexual health and wellbeing. She has particular expertise in sexual and reproductive health justice, pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), critical HIV literacies, LGBTQ+ health, and health activism. Her methodological approach emphasizes qualitative and participatory techniques, often incorporating arts-based methods to engage communities and explore complex health issues.

Her recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on digital intimacies, sexual and reproductive justice, HIV prevention, and the intersection of technology and health. Her work spans theoretical explorations of biosexual citizenship alongside practical interventions to improve health literacy and access to services, particularly for marginalized communities.

Notable awards and recognitions include:

• Wellcome Trust Seed Award in sexuality and health (2018-2019)
• Chief Scientist Office (CSO)-funded Postdoctoral Fellowship (2014-2017)
• MRC Career Development Fellowship
• ESRC Impact Accelerator funding (2018-2019)
• ESRC IIA grant for "Queers Coping With Covid"
• British Academy Knowledge Frontiers award for "Doing Disability Futures" (2023-2025)
• Creative Scotland funding for "Maiden, Mother, Whore" performance piece

Ingrid actively supervises PhD students working on diverse topics including ICTs and disability, the social life of sexual and reproductive health technologies, adolescent girls' knowledge practices, transgender health in Scotland, and HIV risk among young women in Tanzania. She has secured substantial research funding from Wellcome Trust, ESRC, MRC, and other bodies for projects examining HIV prevention, PrEP implementation, chronic illness representation, and sexual and reproductive justice. Her work bridges academic research with practical knowledge exchange, collaborating closely with NHS Scotland, community organizations, and policy makers.

She co-leads two themes within the Wellcome-supported Centre for Biomedicine, Self and Society: "Beyond Sex" and "Beyond Bodies." Her collaborative projects include "Capturing Chronic Illness" with Dr. Donna McCormack, which uses visual arts to explore chronic illness experiences, and "Queers Coping With Covid" with The Love Tank, examining LGBTQ community resilience during the pandemic. She is also part of the Scottish Interdisciplinary Research in Sexual Health (IReSH) Network and contributes to national HIV prevention guidelines.