Jan Owens

Jan Owens is a Research Fellow at the University of Manchester's School of Nursing & Midwifery, with 15 years of academic experience in healthcare education and research. Her work focuses on disability studies, marginalized groups, and mental health resilience. She holds a PhD in Sociology and is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. Owens has supervised 39 postgraduate students and reviews for journals like the World Health Organization and NIHR.

Education:

• BSc Hons Psychology, University of Bolton (2000)
• PhD in Sociology (The healthcare encounters of people with learning difficulties), University of Sheffield (2006)
• Postgraduate Diploma in Teaching and Learning, University of Sheffield (2008)

Research Interests: Owens’ work intersects disability studies with healthcare equity, emphasizing marginalized populations. She uses qualitative methods to explore oral health access for children with disabilities, Islamic perspectives on health, and pandemic impacts on social care. Her recent studies include systemic reviews on mental health interventions and FGM prevention in Arab communities.

Awards:

• Senior Fellow, Higher Education Academy (2015)
• NIHR PLAF Committee Member (2024–present)

Advising & Grants: Supervised 32 Masters and 7 PhD students to completion. Active in grant reviews for WHO and NIHR. Her work aligns with UN SDGs on health equity and education.

External Roles:

• Honorary Lecturer, University of Sheffield (2020–present)
• Visiting Professor, Federal University of Minas Gerais (2019–2022)
• External Examiner, University of East Anglia (2020–2024)