The DICE research team

The research team

The DICE project is based in the School for Policy Studies at the University of Bristol. The team is led by Paul Willis, Senior Lecturer based at the Centre for Research in Health and Social Care.

• Paul Willis – Senior Lecturer in Social Work with Adults, School for Policy Studies

  Paul Willis is a researcher and lecturer in adult social care. His research interests include: older men's experiences of loneliness and social isolation; sexuality, care and ageing; trans ageing and gender identity; inclusive care provision for diverse groups of older people; and equality measures in organisations.
• Alex Vickery - Research Associate, School for Policy Studies

  Alex is Research Associate on the DICE project. Her research interests include gender (specifically men) and mental health, focusing on how people manage their mental wellbeing in their everyday lives. She previously worked on the OMAM study that explored older men’s experiences of loneliness and isolation. To contact Alex please email alex.vickery@bristol.ac.uk
• Ailsa Cameron – Senior Lecturer, School for Policy Studies

  Ailsa’s research interests focus on the integration of services, particularly housing, social care and health and professional and volunteer roles in social care.
• Brian Beach - Senior Research Fellow, International Longevity Centre, UK

  In his role at ILC, Brian has conducted research on a range of topics related to population ageing, such as loneliness, employment, and housing, as well as having engaged in communicating such evidence to policy including Select Committees in parliament. Brian received his doctorate in 2016 from the University of Oxford, studying at the Oxford Institute of Population Ageing. Prior to this, he worked in the International Affairs office of AARP in Washington, DC, where he helped organise a number of international dialogues and conferences on issues related to population ageing. His work also included fostering AARP’s on-going collaboration with the United Nations Programme on Ageing, conducting outreach among the diplomatic and research communities. To contact Brian please email: brianbeach@ilcuk.org.uk
• Eleanor Johnson – Senior Research Associate, School for Policy Studies

  Eleanor Johnson is a Senior Research Associate on the ERVIC project. She recently completed her PhD, which was an ethnographic study of residential care homes for older people, at Cardiff University. Her research interests include social care for older people, the organisation of care work, and the role of volunteers in care settings. Eleanor also has extensive experience of working as a care worker in the sector.
• Randall Smith – Professorial Research Fellow, School for Policy Studies

  Randall's research in the field of gerontology spans over 50 years. In recent times, since formal retirement, he has focused on residential care, housing with care, end of life care and older carers.
• Jeremy Porteus - Chief Executive, Housing and Learning Improvement Network (LIN)

  Jeremy is CEO of the Housing LIN, a professional network which supports over 25,000 people working in housing, health and social care to provide the latest policy, practice, research and innovation in housing with care for older and vulnerable people. Jeremy is author of 3 of the 4 All Party Parliamentary Group on Housing and Care for Older People HAPPI inquiry reports and co-author of RIBA’s recent publication, Age Friendly Housing. He also sat on the Prime Minister’s Challenge on Dementia Champions’ Group and chaired the Homes and Communities Agency Vulnerable and Older People Advisory Group. Jeremy will be acting as a consultant on the DICE Project. To contact Jeremy, please email j.porteus@housinglin.org.uk.
• Jill Powell – Senior Research Associate, School for Policy Studies

  Jill joined the DICE Project in November 2019. Her research interests include the health and wellbeing of people with learning disabilities and family carers. Jill's research experience covers both the academic and third sector. To contact Jill please email Jill.Powell@Bristol.ac.uk