New Professors 2024

2024-11-11

Every year, Uppsala University inaugurate new professors. This is celebrated with popular science lectures and a formal inauguration in the University Hall on November 15. The Department of Women's and Children's Health has two new professors this year, Anna Wikman and Carolina Överlien.

Anna Wikman, Caring Sciences

Caring sciences research investigates questions related to human health, well-being and suffering. My research concerns the link between physical and mental health – and more specifically how people are affected emotionally by being diagnosed with cancer and what they experience as their needs for support in relation to their mental health.

‘Cancer hangover’ is a term coined by Ung Cancer (an association for young people with cancer) which describes the physical, mental and social challenges that people can face following cancer treatment, and that should be considered as part of cancer rehabilitation.

In my research, I am particularly interested in deepening our knowledge about the psychological challenges that can follow in the wake of a cancer diagnosis, and how we can best understand and treat the negative consequences of cancer on mental health. Therefore, my current research is focused on developing, testing and implementing psychological support interventions as part of future cancer rehabilitation.

Carolina Överlien, Gender-Related Violence and Health

My research focus is children’s, young people’s and adults’ vulnerability to neglect, violence and sexual abuse in domestic relationships. In recent years, I have focused especially on the violence that occurs in young people’s domestic relationships.

Of particular interest are qualitative studies that examine dynamics and areas of tension around the theme of domestic violence, and to generate knowledge that can contribute to preventing this violence.

I am also interested in research ethics and research methods. This research has a rights perspective, in addition to a harm perspective. In other words, people have the right to a life free from violence, and they need this because violence has a broad potential to cause harm. In addition to the negative consequences of violence, I am interested in how people exposed to violence put up resistance to it, and develop strategies to deal with it. My research is based on this violence being gendered, and a gender equality problem.