Dr Tony Robertson

Lecturer in Geographies of Public Health

Biological and Environmental Sciences Stirling

Dr Tony Robertson

Contact details

About me

Background and Research Interests

I am a lecturer in Geographies of Health, based in Biological and Environmental Sciences. My research and teaching interests are focused on linking understandings of the complex and challenging inter-relationships between humans and biological and environmental systems. I am particularly interested in socioeconomic inequalities and the impacts these inequalities have on people's underlying physiology and health and how we address these inequalities. Please see the Research tab for more details.

Brief Bio

I studied Behavioural Ecology at degree and PhD level before changing my focus to human health and Social Epidemiology/Public Health in 2010 when I joined the MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, University of Glasgow on a Career Development Fellowship. In 2013 I moved to the Scottish Collaboration for Public Health Research & Policy (SCPHRP), University of Edinburgh, as the Research Fellow and Lead for the Working Age/Adult Life Working Group. In January 2016, I moved to become Lecturer in Social Epidemiology and Public Health in the Faculty of Health Sciences & Sport, University of Stirling and then moved to Biological and Environmental Sciences in May 2021. I am a member of the Environmental Sustainability and Human Health and Social Surveys and Social Statistics research groups.

My research interests are in linking understandings of the complex and challenging inter-relationships between humans and biological and environmental systems, with a focus on socioeconomic inequalities and the impacts these inequalities have on people's underlying physiology and health and how we address these inequalities.

Specific areas of interests include: 

  • The Biology of Inequality: biological pathways between socioeconomic position and health (biological ageing, allostatic load and oxidative stress) 
  • Health Inequalities: what they look like, what causes them and how do we fix them
  • Commercial Determinants of Health: examining inequalities in exposure to unhealthy commodities based on people’s socioeconomic circumstances (e.g. increased exposure to unhealthy food, alcohol and e-cigarette advertisements in the outdoor environment)
  • Academic and Community/Public Engagement and Activism - collaborating to better understand and reduce health inequalities through community-based approaches.

PhD Supervision
I am keen to supervise students for any research projects that include linking social and economic data (work, housing, education etc.) with health data, with the aim of helping us better understand and reduce health inequalities in society. My expertise is predominantly in quantitative methods and using biomarkers to assess physiological health, so this might include primary data collection and/or secondary data analysis of existing datasets. We already have a vast array of cohort and survey data available to analyse throughout the UK such as Understanding Society and the Scottish and English Health Surveys. However, depending on the research question I would also be happy to discuss alternative methods such as qualitative or mixed methods approaches. For example, some of my research and advocacy work looks at engagement and empowerment of community and activist groups in trying to improve health and reduce health inequalities and has utilised qualitative methods. As a PhD student, you would be based in Biological and Environmental Sciences.  Please contact me if you'd like to discuss more. 

Current and past student projects: 

  • Inequalities in Allostatic Load through an Intersectional Lens

  • Allostatic load as a risk predictor for mortality 

  • Importance of context in socioeconomic patterning of allostatic load 

  • Socioeconomic patterning of public transport food adverts 

  • Evaluability Assessment of the Health Issues in the Community, a community-led training programme

Divisional / Faculty Contribution

Deputy Chair, Faculty Athena SWAN Implementation Group

Deputy Chief Examiner (Biology)

External Examiners and Validations

External Examiner, Social Epidemiology MSc, UCL
University College London

https://www.ucl.ac.uk/…epidemiology-msc

Other Academic Activities

Pathway Rep (Human Geography, Environment and Urban Planning), Scottish Graduate School for Social Sciences

Co-Investigator - Reconciling Floods and Droughts

Hydronation Catalyst Fund Project, Reconciling Floods and Droughts

Executive Editor, Longitudinal and Lifecourse Studies journal
https://bristoluniversitypressdigital.com/…lcs-overview.xml

Professional membership

Honorary Treasurer for the Society for Longitudinal and Lifecourse Studies (SLLS)

University Contribution

Co-lead, Extremes in Science and Society research programme
https://extremeevents.stir.ac.uk/

General University Ethics Panel - Designated Authority for Division

Research programmes

Research centres/groups

Research themes