Professor Sheena Asthana is Director of the Centre for Health Technology and the co-Director of the Centre for Coastal Communities, the first of its kind in the UK. Sheena’s research interests include the role of digital health technologies in supporting the shift towards prevention and health inequalities, with a particular focus on levelling up the coastal divide in health outcomes. Recent publications include Asthana, S., Agarwal, S. and Gibson, A. (2026). The Challenges Facing Britain’s Coastal Communities: a neglected divide. Policy Press.

Sheena has been an applicant on over £40 million of funded research projects, £30 million since 2020. Her impact case studies on the formula funding of public services were rated 4* in REFs 2014 and 2021. 

She also has a strong track record with respect to senior level governance, non-executive directorships/committee memberships including the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE), the Royal Society of Public Health and the Advisory Committee on Resource Allocation. 

(2026-present) Member, South West Public Health Research Network

(2026-Present) Member, HDR UK Southwest Regional Network Executive Group

(2025-present) Member, Future of Neighbourhood Health in Coastal Communities Working Group, Royal Academy of Engineers

(2024-present) Member, Steering Group, Peninsula Research and Innovation Partnership

(2023-25)      Chair, Unmet Need Implementation Task and Finish Group, ACRA

(2022-24) Non-Executive Director (and Chair of the Population Management and Health Inequalities Committee), Devon Integrated Care Board

(2021–25) Responsible Member, NIHR Public Health Incubator Steering Group 

(2020–2022) Member, Plymouth Health Hub Project Board 

(2020–present) Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences 

(2020–2021) Member, Health Inequalities Task and Finish Group (ACRA) 

(2017–present) Member, Advisory Committee on Resource Allocation (ACRA) (DH) 

(2017–2021) Member, Commissioning Panel,Policy Research Programme (DH) 

(2017–2023) Trustee, Change Grow Live (national charity) 

(2016–2020) Non-Executive Director, National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) (DH) 

(2014–2017) Member of the Technical Advisory Group (TAG) to the Advisory Committee on Resource Allocation (ACRA) (DH) 

(2014–present) Member of the Advisory Group to‘The Project’ (NGO providing mental health support to children and young people) 

(2014–2020) Panel Member (Funding), Devon Community Foundation 

(2014–present) Steering Group Member, Rural England 

(2012–2015) Council Member, Royal Society for Public Health

(2012–2015) Trustee, Plymouth Age Concern

(2011–2015) Member, Commissioning Panel, Policy Research Programme (DH)

(2011–2012) Member, Community Organisers and Community First Expert Reference Group (Cabinet Office) 

(2007–2013) Member, Audit and Risk Committee, Commission for Rural Communities

(2006–2013) Board Member, Commission for Rural Communities (DEFRA)

(2006–2008) Member, Policy and Management Group, Devon Rural Network

(2006–2008) Member, Rural Practice Standing Group, Royal College of General Practitioners

(2005–2006) Board Member, Countryside Agency (DEFRA)

(2003–2006) Advisory Editor, Social Science and Medicine

(2001–2003) Technical Advisor. Rural Health Allocations Forum

(2000–2002) Member, Cornwall & Isles of Scilly Health Action Zone Steering Group

(1999–2002) Chair, Geography of Health Research Group of the Royal Geographical Society and the Institute of British Geographers

(1999) Visiting Lecturer, University of Turkku, Finland

(1998–2002) Member, Plymouth Health Action Zone Evaluation & Research Board

(1997–2000) Book Reviews Editor, Health and Place

(1996–1999) Secretary & Treasurer, Geography of Health Research Group of the Royal Geographical Society and the Institute of British Geographers

(1995–2008) Member, Editorial Board, Health and Place

P. Evans: Urban Mosquitoes and Measures for their Control in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Awarded 1995; ESRC funded.

P. Vong-Ek. Factors Affecting the Incidence and Duration of Breastfeeding in Thailand: Implications for Health Promotion. Awarded 2000. WHO funded. 

S. Burley. Changing Childbirth: the Role of Antenatal Services. Awarded 2004. University Scholarship, University of Plymouth. 

S. Richardson.The Challenge of Interagency Information Sharing. A Systemic Analysis of Two Sure Start Children's Centres. Awarded 2007, ESRC funded

E. Williams. Non-Governmental Organizations and HIV/AIDS in Kolkata, India: A Discursive Analysis of Policy and Programming. Awarded 2009. ESRC funded.

C. Featherstone. Health and wellbeing outcomes and social prescribing pathways in community-based support for autistic adults. Awarded 2023.

Health policy; social justice; international social policy; sustainability; and globalisation and health.