Dr Sian Oram is a Lecturer in Women's Mental Health at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience at King's College London.  Dr Oram's group conducts research on interpersonal trauma, its intersection with gender and with institutional and societal structures, and its relationship to mental health.  The group has an interest in developing methods for safe, ethical, and participatory research with and by people affected by trauma and abuse, and has expertise in qualitative methods, systematic reviews, and evaluation research.

Dr Oram is the Deputy Director (KCL) of the NIHR Mental Health Policy Research Unit, which aims to help the Department of Health and others involved in making nationwide plans for mental health services to make decisions based on good evidence, and jointly leads the UKRI-funded Violence Abuse and Mental Health Network with Prof Louise Howard.  Previously, she managed an NIHR research programme to inform the NHS response to human trafficking. For more information, see the PROTECT (Provider Responses, Treatment, and Care for Trafficked People) project page.   Her work has been cited by the World Health Organisation, NICE, and the Chief Medical Officer. 

Dr Oram holds a PhD from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM); her thesis explored the UK public policy response to the health needs of trafficked people.  Prior to this she studied BA Natural Sciences at the University of Cambridge and received an MSc in Reproductive and Sexual Health Research from LSHTM.

Teaching

Dr Oram is primary supervisor to:

• Sohail Jannesari, an ESRC-funded PhD student investigating impact of the asylum process on mental health,
• Dr Marilia Calcia, an MDRes student investigating the role of mental health services in responding to domestic violence perpetration. 
• Katherine Saunders, a NIHR-funded PhD student investigating the association between mental disorder and domestic violence perpetration. 
• Siofra Peeren, an ESRC-funded PhD student investigating the maternity care experiences of women who have experienced sexual violence in adulthood. 

Dr Oram is also the PhD Admissions Tutor for the Health Service Research Department. She holds a Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice for Higher Education and co-leads the Women's Mental Health module for third-year BSc Psychology students and the annual Section of Women's Mental Health short course.