Daisy moved straight from undergraduate degree to a doctorate, undertaking one of the first Clinical Academic Doctorate Studentships at BU.
She has since graduated as one of the youngest midwives with a PhD, while maintaining a role in both higher education and practice. Daisy is passionate about inspiring midwives to have similar opportunities to undertake research early in their careers and is currently supporting another student to identify opportunities and relevant research units to build their own academic profile.
She has recently identified that academia is where she truly feels she can make a difference by inspiring future midwives, with research at the heart of her approach.
Daisy says: “Walking the tightrope of a joint role was not easy, but it allowed me to show midwives and student midwives that research is important to clinical practice and makes a real difference to the care of mothers and babies.”
Factfile
Name: Daisy Wiggins
Age: 29
Job role: Midwifery Lecturer
Organisation: Bournemouth University
Course studied: PhD
Graduated: 2018
What their colleagues say
Daisy has forged a path for newly qualified midwives to combine research and practice. Daisy continued to break new ground through her joint position with Portsmouth NHS Hospital’s Trust and Bournemouth University. By role modelling this joint clinical academic role, Daisy encouraged students and experienced practitioners to become involved in research for the benefit of mothers and babies. Research has never been more important to health and care services, but it can appear dry and irrelevant if not properly embedded within practice. Daisy’s enthusiasm for research is making a real difference to health care in Wessex."
Professor Vanora Hundley, Deputy Dean Research and Professional Practice, Bournemouth University