Jump to content

Nina Hallowell

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Nina Hallowell
Born4 November 1957
Died28 June 2023(2023-06-28) (aged 65)
Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
NationalityBritish
Alma mater
Known forMedical sociology, Genomics, Bioethics, research ethics
Scientific career
Institutions

Nina Hallowell (4 November 1957 – 28 June 2023) was a medical sociologist and Professor of Social and Ethical Aspects of Genomics at the Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, England. Hallowell's research focused on patient's experiences of genetic testing, the sociology of risk, and the sociology of the body.

Early life and education

[edit]

Nina was born in November 1957.[1] She had an unconventional route into academia which she described as 'tortuous', having dropped out of a HND course in biology and worked in a betting shop for five years before taking her first degree in psychology.[2] She went on to hold degrees across three social science disciplines: psychology, medical ethics and general linguistics, the final being a DPhil at the University of Oxford.[3][2]

Career and research

[edit]

Hallowell joined the University of Cambridge in 1994, joining as a research associate in the Centre for Family Research within the Department of Psychology on a project researching families and genetic disorders.[1] Her work focused on risk perception and awareness in the genetic context.[1] During this time her interest in bioethics grew and she served on both the Cambridge Psychology Research Ethics Committee and the local NHS Multicentre Research Ethics Committee.[1]

She later worked as a social scientist, teaching social science and ethics in public health science at the University of Edinburgh Medical School in 2004.[4] In 2008 she was awarded funding at Edinburgh University by the Leverhulme Trust to investigate lay and expert views of cancer genetics.[5]

Hallowell rejoined Oxford University in 2016 she held the titles of Senior Researcher and Associate Professor.[6][3] She was later a Fellow of Ethics and Values at Reuben College.[3] Hallowell also co-directed the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Health Data Science, within the Big Data Institute.[3]

She was appointed a Professor of Social and Ethical Aspects of Genomics at the University of Oxford in November 2020.[7] She delivered her inaugural lecture, introduced by Professor Sir Rory Collins, at the Nuffield Department of Population Health in May 2022, which was titled "Solitary, poor, brutish, and short' (Hobbes, 1651): my career as a contract researcher".[8][9]

Hallowell was a member of the Biometrics and Forensics Ethics Group, an advisory non-departmental public body sponsored by the Home Office. She undertook this role between 2011 and 2020 and again from 2021 onwards.[10][11] She chaired the BFEG's Facial Recognition Working Group from 2018–2019 which identified key ethical areas to be considered when designing policy and deploying facial recognition technology in police forces.[12] She died on 28 June 2023 aged 65.[1]

Activism

[edit]

Nina was an advocate for addressing the gender pay gap in society and was an active member of equality campaigns at the University of Oxford in 2018.[6]

Selected publications

[edit]
  • Hallowell, N.; Lawton, J.; Gregory, S. (2004). Reflections on Research – the Realities of Doing Research in the Social Sciences (1st ed.). Open University Press. ISBN 033521309X.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d e Gray, Louise (6 July 2023). "A tribute to Professor Nina Hallowell (1957–2023)". www.cfr.cam.ac.uk. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
  2. ^ a b "15 minutes with… Nina Hallowell". NDPH Student Blog. 29 October 2020. Retrieved 5 July 2023.
  3. ^ a b c d "Nina Hallowell". reuben.ox.ac.uk. Retrieved 5 July 2023.
  4. ^ Hallowell, N.; Lawton, J.; Gregory, S. (2004). Reflections on Research – the Realities of Doing Research in the Social Sciences (1st ed.). Open University Press. ISBN 033521309X.
  5. ^ "Leverhulme Report 2008, RAAC Awards to Individuals, page 63" (PDF). 2008.
  6. ^ a b "Staff strike back on unequal pay at Oxford Uni with 'non-working lunch'". Oxford Mail. 13 November 2018. Retrieved 5 July 2023.
  7. ^ "Recognition of Distinction" (PDF). Gazette, 12 November 2020. 151 (5293): 116.
  8. ^ "OxPop Inaugural Lecture – Solitary, poor, brutish, and short' (Hobbes, 1651): my career as a contract researcher". talks.ox.ac.uk. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
  9. ^ Inaugural Lecture: Nina Hallowell, retrieved 12 July 2023
  10. ^ "Biometrics and Forensics Ethics Group appoints three new members". GOV.UK. Retrieved 5 July 2023.
  11. ^ "BFEG meeting minutes: 22 March 2023". GOV.UK. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
  12. ^ "Ethical principles to guide police facial recognition trials". GOV.UK. Retrieved 10 July 2023.