Florence Gaughan

I came to the University of Sheffield from an access course background as a mature student to study Sociology at undergraduate level, achieving first class honours in 2017. During my studies, I took part in the Sheffield Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE). This led to my project on infant feeding choice to be selected to represent the University of Sheffield at the Posters in Parliament event in 2017. At Westminster I presented my work to MPs, academics, and other students. After a year of maternity leave I came back to the University of Sheffield as a research associate for the Centre for Loneliness Studies. I assisted with a number of projects on loneliness among marginalised groups, contributing to the Barriers to Belonging report commissioned by the Co Operative Foundation and British Red Cross. Having completed the MA social research course as part of the ESRC funded 1+3 studentship programme, I am now continuing in this vein of research, focusing on loneliness among young mothers in Yorkshire.