Lena Hohwü works as a postdoc in the Department of Public Health at Aarhus University, Denmark. In March, she visited DECIPHer for a month. We asked her a few questions about her time here
Lena Hohwü
works as a postdoc in the Department of Public Health at Aarhus University,
Denmark. In March, she visited DECIPHer for a month. We asked her a few
questions about her time here
How did you set up your
visit to DECIPHer?
In January 2019, I emailed Simon Murphy enquiring about visiting
DECIPHer for a brief period of time. He replied that they would be happy to
host me, and I would be well supported and part of a vibrant postgraduate
community.
What was the purpose of
your visit?
To get inspiration for my ongoing planning of a preventive
childhood obesity intervention and connecting international collaboration.
How did you find your time
at DECIPHer?
I agree with Simon; I certainly have been well supported. I was
helped with my search for accommodation and meetings for the first weeks were
arranged in advance. This meant I felt very welcome and had an early insight
into the centre’s research.
I also agree that DECIPHer is a vibrant community. I have met
kind people who are happy to share their knowledge and make time to talk to me.
How has your visit
affected your research?
I have been inspired and positively challenged. DECIPHer’s
academic setting in health improvement interventions not only contributes to my
own field of research but also to the research group that I am a part of. The
research group for Health Promotion and Intervention Research was established
one year ago at the Department of Public Health and is growing. DECIPHer’s
intervention research is years ahead of us. I am looking forward to setting up
collaborations, as I find social science and public health science complement
each other.
Tell us about Aarhus.
It’s the second largest town in Denmark with a vibrant cultural
life, beautifully situated by the sea and close to the forest and beach. Almost
one citizen in ten is a student, making Aarhus University the largest
university in Denmark.
Do you have any related
recommendations?
I gave Reflections to
DECIPHer as a leaving present. This is a series of thoughts, discoveries and
ideas that Danish researchers at Aarhus University have spent years of study to
arrive at. Each book is 60 pages and written in a way all can
understand. In Denmark, a new book in the series has been published once a
month since 2012 and many are bestsellers. I hope you will enjoy these books as
much as I have enjoyed my visit to DECIPHer!