{"id":605,"date":"2026-08-21T22:34:14","date_gmt":"2026-08-21T21:34:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/research.shu.ac.uk\/shusize\/?p=605"},"modified":"2026-08-10T22:37:07","modified_gmt":"2026-08-10T21:37:07","slug":"%f0%9f%93%9d-anthropometrists-reflections-alice-bullas-from-hallam-to-hawaii-week-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/research.shu.ac.uk\/shusize\/2026\/08\/21\/%f0%9f%93%9d-anthropometrists-reflections-alice-bullas-from-hallam-to-hawaii-week-1\/","title":{"rendered":"\ud83d\udcdd Anthropometrist\u2019s Reflections: Alice Bullas – from Hallam to Hawai’i – Week 1"},"content":{"rendered":"

This summer (August 2026) I\u00a0 (Alice Bullas) am undertaking an international research secondment at the John A. Shepherd Research Laboratory within the University of Hawai\u02bbi Cancer Center. Supported by my UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Future Leaders Fellowship. This is blog 3 of 8. For more background content please see my introductory blog (blog 1 of this series)<\/a>.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Week 1: Finding Common Challenges and New Perspectives<\/h1>\n

When I arrived in Hawai’i for my secondment, I expected to spend much of my time learning about new technologies, research methods and ways of working. My first week has certainly delivered that, but it has also highlighted the value of seeing familiar challenges through a different lens.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

One of the most enjoyable aspects of the week has been meeting colleagues from a wide range of professional backgrounds. Conversations have ranged from clinical practice and medical imaging to nutrition, body composition and public health. Spending time with researchers whose expertise differs from my own has provided new perspectives on many of the questions that we face in anthropometry and body composition research.<\/p>\n

A particular highlight was visiting the body composition laboratory and learning more about the technologies used to assess infants, children and adults. Seeing their approaches first-hand prompted numerous discussions about data collection, participant experience and the practical realities of working with different populations. It was striking how many of the methodological challenges we encounter in the UK are also being addressed here. Whether the topic was 3D scanning, body composition assessment or the development of prediction models, many of the same questions arose.<\/p>\n

One lesson that has emerged repeatedly is the value of collaboration. The research landscape can sometimes feel highly specialised, but spending time with colleagues here has reinforced how much progress depends on sharing experiences, comparing approaches and learning from one another. Several discussions this week generated ideas that I would not have reached independently and highlighted opportunities for future collaboration.<\/p>\n

Alongside these conversations, I have begun work on a project exploring anthropometry guidance and training materials. Reviewing existing resources has helped me think more broadly about how we support researchers and practitioners who are either new to anthropometry or looking to apply it in different settings. The process has already generated ideas that could have value well beyond the specific aims of the secondment.<\/p>\n

The week also provided a useful reminder of the importance of communication and knowledge exchange. Attending student presentations and speaking with researchers across different disciplines highlighted the breadth of work taking place within the institution. It has encouraged me to think more creatively about how we communicate anthropometry research and how we make specialist knowledge more accessible to wider audiences.<\/p>\n

Away from the specific projects, one of the benefits of spending time in a different research environment is the opportunity to reflect on my own practice. Observing different organisational structures, research priorities and working approaches inevitably prompts comparisons with home. Rather than identifying a single best way of doing things, the experience has reinforced that strong research is often built upon diverse skills, perspectives and experiences.<\/p>\n

I am particularly conscious that this opportunity has only been possible because of my UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship. The fellowship was designed to support ambitious research and leadership development, and this secondment is providing exactly that. Having the opportunity to spend time in a world-leading research environment, learn from colleagues with different expertise, and build international connections is a genuine privilege. I am extremely grateful for the support that has made this possible and determined to make the most of every opportunity during my time here. My aim is not only to strengthen my own knowledge and skills, but also to bring lessons, collaborations and ideas back to benefit colleagues, students and research activities in the UK.<\/p>\n

Looking ahead, I am keen to build on the connections made during this first week, continue developing the anthropometry guidance work and explore additional opportunities for collaboration. I am particularly interested in learning more about infant body composition assessment and understanding how emerging technologies might strengthen anthropometric practice in the future.<\/p>\n

Week one has been a week of listening, learning and making connections. Although there is still much to explore, it has already demonstrated the value of stepping outside familiar surroundings and engaging with a different research community. I am looking forward to seeing where the next few weeks lead.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This summer (August 2026) I\u00a0 (Alice Bullas) am undertaking an international research secondment at the John A. Shepherd Research Laboratory within the University of Hawai\u02bbi Cancer Center. Supported by my UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Future Leaders Fellowship. This is blog 3 of 8. For more background content please see my introductory blog (blog 1 … <\/p>\n

Continue reading “\ud83d\udcdd Anthropometrist\u2019s Reflections: Alice Bullas – from Hallam to Hawai’i – Week 1”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":48,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"wds_primary_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[12,15,8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-605","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-blog","category-from-hallam-to-hawaii","category-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/research.shu.ac.uk\/shusize\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/605","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/research.shu.ac.uk\/shusize\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/research.shu.ac.uk\/shusize\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/research.shu.ac.uk\/shusize\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/48"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/research.shu.ac.uk\/shusize\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=605"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/research.shu.ac.uk\/shusize\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/605\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":627,"href":"https:\/\/research.shu.ac.uk\/shusize\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/605\/revisions\/627"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/research.shu.ac.uk\/shusize\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=605"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/research.shu.ac.uk\/shusize\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=605"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/research.shu.ac.uk\/shusize\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=605"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}