12 November 2025: King’s Undergraduate Research Fellowship Blog – Nusaibah Hasan

Over the summer, EMPOWER welcomed two undergraduate students – Nusaibah Hasan and Tazca Levitt – as part of The King’s Undergraduate Research Fellowship (KURF). The KURF offers undergraduate students at King’s College London the opportunity to engage in research projects by working alongside academic teams over the summer. Below is the first of two blog posts from the KURF students, written by Nusaibah.

My previous experiences and interest in EMPOWER:

Between June and August, I took part in the EMPOWER Dementia Network+ through the competitive King’s Undergraduate Research Fellowship. As a final year BSc Global Health and Social Medicine student, I was drawn to EMPOWER’s focus on inclusive, co-produced dementia care, which aligned with my dissertation on health inequities and underrepresentation in dermatology and its impact among ethnic minorities. My experience as part of The Times Top 100 Graduate Employers qualitative research, peer mentoring and intergenerational and disability-focused volunteering helped me engage meaningfully and empathetically with community partners. Inspired by my mum’s work in dementia care and my training as a Dementia Friends campaigner, I was eager to explore how grassroots approaches can influence national dementia research and policy.

Overview of my role and Impact within the EMPOWER Network:

Over the course of two months, I was assigned to leading and conducting the qualitative research component, focusing on case studies that explored best practice in inclusive dementia care. I thoroughly enjoyed collaborating directly with eight diverse community partners, significantly expanding my initial target of four: Dr Karen Harrison Dening (Dementia UK) emphasised co-production led by lived experience; June Cooke (Butterflies) highlighted emotional support and transformative social spaces; Dawn Carroll (House of Memories, National Museums Liverpool) explored digital inclusion through cultural heritage; Ellie Robinson-Carter (The Photobook Project) empowered voices through photography; Dr Manju Shahul-Hameed (MSH Foundation) fostered intergenerational connection via Dementia Cafés; Manpreet Gill & Ruth Thompson (Dementia Adventure) promoted self-care and supported holidays; Katie Jennings (Sensory Trust) advocated for nature-based inclusion; and Trevor Synge Perrin, Ellie Robinson-Carter & Peter Daniels (Only Connect) advanced creative, co-produced engagement to build empathy and belonging.

My responsibilities included developing interview guides, conducting in-depth conversations, collecting creative materials and exploring how each organisation’s work aligned with EMPOWER’s core themes such as meaningful engagement of under-represented groups, innovating inclusive research approaches and addressing inequalities in dementia care. These rich discussions highlighted innovative, community-led approaches that promote equity and amplify lived experiences. I also supported ongoing engagement by sharing tailored forms and inviting further participation from lived experts affected by dementia. Through this process, I strengthened my skills in qualitative research, inclusive communication and community partnership. The experience deepened my appreciation for person-centred care and reinforced my commitment to advancing equity in health and social care through collaborative, grassroots-led research initiatives.

Skills gained and overall experience:

My experience with the EMPOWER Network was both professionally rewarding and personally meaningful. I led the qualitative arm of the project, collaborating with eight diverse community partners to conduct case studies on inclusive dementia care aligned with EMPOWER’s core themes. Through in-depth interviews and engagement with person-centred organisations, I developed skills in qualitative research, stakeholder collaboration and cross-cultural communication. I learned to design semi-structured interviews, facilitate inclusive dialogue and synthesise complex insights. This experience strengthened my commitment to equity-focused, community-led research and deepened my understanding of how creative, intergenerational and culturally sensitive approaches can transform dementia care.

Next career steps:

I aim to apply the skills from this research placement to a career focused on equity in health and social care. I plan to design and evaluate interventions addressing disparities, contribute to research amplifying underrepresented voices and use my lived experience to challenge stigma. I’m particularly interested in NGO and charity work and ultimately hope to drive policy change through evidence-based, community-engaged initiatives that improve healthcare systems.