Research staff
Biographies of the staff currently working in Children in Scotland's research department and contact details.

Dr Jonathan Sher, Director of Research, Policy and Practice Development   
After directing two education projects for the OECD in Paris, Sher moved
to North Carolina where he held several posts within the University of
North Carolina system over the next decade (including Associate Dean for Research within the College of Education and Psychology at NCSU). He is the editor and principal author of two books and dozens of articles and reports. For nine years prior to coming to Children in Scotland in 2005, Dr Sher was the Chief Executive of the North Carolina Child Advocacy Institute.

Dr Fungi Gwanzura-Ottemoller - Research Officer (0131 222 2444)

Gwanzura-Ottemoller has a Bsc. in Psychology from the University of
Zimbabwe and an Master's degree in Health Promotion from the University of Bergen in Norway. Her PhD thesis at the University of St Andrews examined the HIV/AIDS-related knowledge, attitudes and behaviour of Zimbabwean primary school children. The research used both quantitative and qualitative methods. She has previously worked on the Children in Scotland publication on grandparents as childcare providers (commissioned by the Scottish Borders Council). Fungi is currently working on Having a Say at School, a 3 year lottery funded project on pupil councils in Scotland.

Catriona Thomson, Research Officer

Heike Tarara, Research Officer

After qualifying in law in Germany, Heike Tarara completed an MSc in Childhood Studies at the University of Edinburgh. Her thesis examined changing concepts in youth justice. She has worked as a researcher for the Centre of Child Care and Protection at the University
of Dundee, contributing to a process review of the Scottish child protection reform programme and also worked on a Scottish Executive-funded audit of Scottish child protection research on behalf of the Scottish Child Care and Protection Network (SCCPN). She is currently working on a research project for the Kibble Education and Care Centre to understand 'what's true' for the Kibble boys before, during and after their time in Kibble's Care.