Dr Ruth Hunter

Social Network Analysis and System Evaluations

Dr Ruth Hunter is a Reader in Public Health at the Centre for Public Health and leads the Epidemiology and Public Health Research Group, Queen’s University Belfast. Her work primarily involves investigating how we can improve our urban environment for better population health. In particular this includes evaluation of natural experiments (such as large-scale urban regeneration programmes), the application of systems-thinking and complexity science methods, and co-development and evaluation of complex behaviour change interventions. She has secured over £5m in research grants from the NIHR, MRC, ESRC and GCRF-British Council. She is a member of the Public Health Research funding panel for the NIHR and recently held a Career Development Fellowship from the NIHR on social network interventions for health behaviour change. She also holds executive board positions with the WHO Belfast Healthy Cities and Connswater Community Greenway Trust. She is a member of the WHO expert panel on urban green space interventions, NCD prevention, health and the SDGs and other aspects of urban environment and health.