Maria Giatsi Clausen

Dr. Maria Giatsi Clausen is a Senior Lecturer in the Occupational Therapy & Arts Therapies Division at Queen Margaret University (QMU). She holds full membership in the Centre for Person-Centred Practice Research and associate membership in the Centre for Applied Social Sciences. Her expertise spans research design, mixed methods, and qualitative methodologies, with a focus on healthcare intervention evaluation.

Education: PhD in Occupational Therapy (2011, QMU), focusing on occupational therapists’ perceptions of preterm children’s academic challenges in mainstream schooling.

Research Interests: She investigates complex healthcare interventions, implementation science, symptom self-management, pediatrics (preterm birth/early intervention), and digital data collection methods. Collaborations include projects with the University of Aberdeen, Edinburgh, and Heriot-Watt, including a landmark study on preterm birth’s socio-economic and educational impacts using the Scottish Longitudinal Study (SLS).

• Member of QMU’s Research Strategy Committee and Graduate School Academic Board.
• Contributor to the Master in Clinical Research (MRes) program, designed to meet Vitae and Senior HEA Fellow criteria.
• Delivers seminars at the Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Facility.

Teaching & Supervision: Over 9 years mentoring MSc students and 4 years supervising PhD candidates (1 completion, 2 ongoing). Leads research methods modules and course validations, including the innovative MRes in Clinical Research.

Labs/Teams: Active in interdisciplinary research hubs promoting person-centered practice and social sciences applications.