Dr Katie Cebula appointed Director of the Salvesen Mindroom Research Centre (SMRC)

Growing shared research priorities

Dr Cebula is a Senior Lecturer in Developmental Psychology. She has an extensive background in research aimed at improving support for neurodivergent children and young people, focusing particularly on building relationships within families and schools. 

Salvesen Mindroom Research Centre (SMRC)

The SMRC is dedicated to addressing the inequalities faced by neurodivergent individuals in schools, healthcare, social care, the workplace and society at large. Established in 2015 through the generous philanthropy of the late Alastair Salvesen, CBE, the Centre has been significantly supported by Alastair's vision and kindness, which have helped it grow and thrive.

Dr Cebula is eager to lead the SMRC in the coming years and to continue collaborating closely with the Edinburgh-based charity, the Salvesen Mindroom Centre (known as Mindroom. She aims to ensure the Centre's research makes a meaningful impact on people's lives. Katie shared a few words about this appointment: "I relish this opportunity to lead the Centre over the coming years, continuing to work in close partnership with Mindroom, and to grow the SMRC's reputation for high-quality, co-produced research, addressing the SMRC and Mindroom's shared research priorities."

These shared research priorities include:

• Digital transformation to support neurodivergent individuals and families
• The intersections of neurodivergence and child poverty
• The relationship between neurodiversity, mental health, and identity
• Neurodiversity in the workplace

The SMRC will move to Moray House in its first year. This transition will allow the Centre to benefit from Moray House’s wealth of research, teaching and policy expertise in education while maintaining valuable contributions from psychology, informatics, medicine and related disciplines across the University of Edinburgh and beyond. 

Related information: 

The Salvesen Mindroom Research Centre

Dr Katie Cebula