Gavin is an academic podiatrist who joined the School of Health Sciences as a full-time Lecturer (Teaching & Research) in 2019. Prior to this he was a clinical podiatrist within NHS Tayside and a research fellow in the School. He is an HCPC registered podiatrist, graduating from Glasgow Caledonian University in 1997, completing his MSc in Podiatry in 2010. His research interests focus on developing and testing interventions to improve the lives of older people, with a particular focus on falls, mobility, and physical activity. He is currently completing his PhD, funded by a Chief Scientist Office (Scottish Government) Doctoral Fellowship.

Gavin is a pragmatic researcher with expertise in complex intervention development, randomised controlled trials, applied qualitative research, and evidence synthesis. His work is informed by concerns about developing interventions that are relevant, feasible, and deliverable as part of everyday routines and work practices. This requires paying close attention to: 1) the context in which interventions are delivered, and; (2) outcomes that are important and relevant to individuals.

Gavin’s current research explores particular issues affecting older people in care homes – a population often underrepresented in research. By applying qualitative and mixed methods, his intervention development work takes account of the unique challenges presented in delivering interventions in the care home context.

He has specific interests in developing podiatry interventions to reduce falls among older people in care homes, and in using ethnographic methods to develop understandings of the ways that care home contexts influence improving physical activity levels in care home residents.

Gavin teaches on several modules on research methods, long-term conditions, ageing and health, and anatomy and physiology at undergraduate and post-graduate level. He also supervises Masters students.