Rebecca Foster
rebecca foster

Dr Rebecca Foster

Lecturer

Biography

I joined the School of Applied Sciences as a Lecturer in Criminology in September 2022. I teach and supervise on undergraduate and Masters Criminology programmes. Prior to joining ENU, I worked as a Research Fellow at the University of Stirling, based in the Salvation Army Centre for Addiction Services and Research (within Social Sciences). In that role, I was primarily involved in leading and supporting research projects relating to problem substance use. Funders for these projects included the National Institute for Health Research, and the Scottish Government/Drug Deaths Taskforce. Before that, I worked as a social researcher in the Scottish Government in the crime research team.

While my research interests are varied, inequality and marginalisation and the manifestations and experiences of these, are common themes. I am particularly interested in the lived experience of the criminal justice system (especially prison), problem substance use and homelessness. Methodologically, I am particularly interested in qualitative research, creative methods, ethnographic approaches and peer research. I would welcome PhD supervision enquiries in relation to these topics.

I have a PhD in Criminology from the University of Glasgow. I also hold an MSc in Criminology and Criminal Justice, and LLB (Hons) (First Class), both from the University of Edinburgh.

Research Areas

Esteem

Advisory panels and expert committees or witness

  • Research Advisory Group member for an external evaluation
  • Research Advisory Group member for an external PGR student

 

Fellowships and Awards

  • Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy

 

Grant Reviewer

  • Grant reviewer - European Research Council

 

Reviewing

  • Reviewer for Critical Public Health (Elevate)
  • Reviewer for Current Issues in Criminal Justice
  • Reviewer for Drugs: Education, Prevention and Policy
  • Reviewer for: Criminology and Criminal Justice; Sociology; Journal of Contemporary Ethnography; Drug and Alcohol Review; Gender, Place and Culture. Guest Review Editor, Scottish Journal of Performance (Volume 2, Issue 2, June 2015).

 

Pre-Napier Funded Projects

  • Getting it right for families affected by imprisonment: Lessons from ten years of research briefing paper funding. SCCJR Development Fund (Award: £250). Co-Investigator.
  • (2020-2022). Feasibility and acceptability of an overdose prevention intervention delivered by Community Pharmacies for patients prescribed opioids for chronic non-cancer pain. Scottish Government/Drug Deaths Taskforce (Award: £59,690). Primary investigator until July 2021.
  • (2020-2021). Perceptions and attitudes of strategic decision-makers and affected families across Scotland towards Drug Consumption Rooms to prevent drug-related deaths. Scottish Government/Drug Deaths Taskforce (Award: £37,300). Primary Investigator.
  • (2019-2021). Exploring the Potential of Buvidal in Vulnerable People who Use Drugs and Are Homeless. Camurus AB (Award: £38,000). Co-Investigator.
  • (2019-2021). Assessing prescription opioid overdose risk (POOR) via a quality improvement process led by NHS Fife Pharmacy and scoping the feasibility of a specific overdose prevention intervention delivered by Community Pharmacists. NHS Fife (Award: £30,000). Co-investigator.