PhD Student, School of Physics, Engineering and Technology
I am a second year PhD student (funded by the AHRC through WRoCAH) and a GTA for MA Music Management and Music & Human Flourishing. Before my PhD, I achieved a BA in Vocal Jazz and Contemporary Music Performance from Grant MacEwan University in my hometown of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada and a MA in the Applied Psychology of Music at the University of Leeds.
email: dana.greaves
Our 60-second interview with Dana:
Could you please tell us what work you do in the field of mental health?
I research music psychology, and my PhD is on how VR singing activities can be used to enhance and maintain psychosocial health. I’m particularly interested in examining the psychological differences between active and passive/group and solo musicking. I hope this research can inform how we can use VR to make group singing activities more accessible for those who may have been excluded from traditional forms of group singing so they may benefit from the activity. Areas of research I am interested in include music for wellbeing, mental health and technology, social psychology, identity, emotional regulation, aesthetics, and gender.
What do you find most rewarding and inspiring in this work?
I consider myself a very curious person, so I find the most rewarding and inspiring part of this work is learning new things about the human psyche. Better understanding new perspectives, methods, and technologies that might improve someone’s everyday life is what drew me to this field in the first place. I find data analysis is the most fun aspect of this work as you get to use that information to uncover things that you may not have known before. And like all research, by the end of it you have more questions and areas to explore.
What is the most challenging or complicated aspect of this work?
I would say data collection. Everyone is so busy so sometimes it’s hard to find time to collect data from your participants especially if you use interview-based methods. Also, sometimes you must find a balance between getting the data you’re interested in and making sure that you are not asking too much of your participants or putting them in uncomfortable situations. This can be frustrating sometimes because mental health questionnaires can be very long and intense with little to no replacements. It can be fun though if you consider it a puzzle for you as a researcher to solve!
What impact do you hope your work is having - or can potentially have?
I hope that my research can be used to improve the lives of others by increasing access to music-based activities and interventions. Involvement in music activities have shown to be an effective and fulfilling tool for improving mental health but not everyone has access to them. The many barriers to music participation, such as time, physical limitations, or gender identity, may be alleviated through hosting in virtual spaces. By finding ways to use technology for musical activities or interventions, more people will be able to get involved in music which can hopefully improve their wellbeing.
Could you share with us one piece of advice that you follow for your own mental health?
Have fun! Life often gets stressful and overwhelming so remember to take time to enjoy yourself and look for joy in everything you do.