Alastair's research interests focus on the effectiveness of environmental public health interventions in addressing health inequities, and how interventions and services can be tailored to maximise positive health outcomes in disadvantaged individuals and communities and reduce inequalities. He is also interested in pedagogic investigations around effective curriculum design for professional qualifications in public health and environmental health, in particular the role of problem-based learning and work-based learning.

Alastair has expertise across a range of public health issues and techniques. He has an in-depth understanding of health protection legislation in England and Wales and how it can be used in practice to protect health and prevent the spread of disease and contamination. In 2013 he provided a research report for Welsh Government outlining epidemiological study designs to develop the evidence base on the population health impacts of cosmetic piercing in Wales. He also has expertise in health impact assessment, influencing policy development for public health, and public health intervention design.

Alastair is also experienced in designing and delivering CPD courses and professional development programmes. He has an excellent understanding of professional qualification and registration frameworks in public health and environmental health, and regularly contributes to UK-wide developments such as the pilot Advanced Practice (Public Health) framework and the review of the Public Health Skills & Knowledge Framework.

Pedagogical - Learning, teaching and assessment, particularly:

• Problem-based learning in professional programmes and training (environmental health, public health and elsewhere)
• Improving the student assessment experience – in individual assessments, within modules and across programmes; assessment and feedback literacy
• Student transition into higher education, particularly overseas postgraduate students
• Design and implementation of postgraduate professional development programmes and micro-credentials

Professional interests/expertise –

• Health inequalities; influence on individuals and communities, influences on professional practice, advocacy for effective policies/interventions in response
• Health protection: legislative frameworks to give effect to health protection advice/requirements; effective management of individual cases and outbreaks of infectious disease, particularly those with an environmental component