Short presentation

I am a Social Psychologist in the Section for Health Services Research.

In 2009 I received my PhD from the Department of Psychological and Behavioural Science at the London School of Economics and Political Science. I also hold a BSc from the LSE and an MSc from University College London. After working as a Senior Advisor on impact and evidence at Save the Children UK, I took up my current position in 2014.

I draw on a mix of public health psychology, community health psychology and critical psychology to understand how vulnerable children and young people cope with adversity and navigate access to health services and care in a variety of contexts. 

I use, and conduct research training on, a variety of qualitative research methods and I have a particular interest in furthering research approaches that engage and benefit participants. I currently sit on the editorial boards of the Health Education Journal, and Vulnerable Children and Youth Studies. I am also commissioning editor for Children's Geographies. 

You can follow my work on Twitter: @mskovdal
For h-index and i10-index scores, visit my Google Scholar Profile.

Current research

• Sources and Impact of Misclassification Errors in HIV Rapid Testing Algorithms in a Hyper-Endemic HIV Setting in sub-Saharan Africa (funded by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, 2015-2018)
• A randomised control trial exploring what behavioural economics and community psychology interventions can do to optimise uptake of HIV prevention methods amongst young people in Zimbabwe (funded by National Institutes of Health, US, 2018-2022)
• A study on the integration and care of young refugees in Denmark. The study sets out to unpack the 'junctures of change' that facilitate integration (funded by the Danish Research Council, FSE, 2018-2021)
• A study exploring the mental health and care potential of school-based interventions for newly arrived refugee youth in Europe (funded by the European Commission H2020, 2018-2021)

Previous research projects have been funded by the Wellcome Trust, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the World Bank, the Norwegian Research Council and the ESRC-DFID Joint Fund for Poverty Alleviation Research. I am a principal investigator at the Manicaland Centre for Public Health Research in Zimbabwe. 

Teaching

I run two qualitative methods courses for Public Health students and supervise dissertation and thesis work in my areas of expertise. I currently supervise five PhD students.