Emma Yhnell is a British scientist, science communicator and senior lecturer based at

Cardiff University , latin_name = , image_name = Shield of the University of Cardiff.svg , image_size = 150px , caption = Coat of arms of Cardiff University , motto = cy, Gwirionedd, Undod a Chytgord , mottoeng = Truth, Unity and Concord , established = 1 ...

. She has previously conducted research on computerised cognitive training and

Huntington's disease Huntington's disease (HD), also known as Huntington's chorea, is a neurodegenerative disease that is mostly inherited. The earliest symptoms are often subtle problems with mood or mental abilities. A general lack of coordination and an uns ...

. An advocate for public engagement and science communication, and a STEM ambassador, Yhnell won the

British Science Association The British Science Association (BSA) is a Charitable organization, charity and learned society founded in 1831 to aid in the promotion and development of science. Until 2009 it was known as the British Association for the Advancement of Scien ...

's Charles Darwin Award Lecture for Agricultural, Biological and Medical Sciences and the British Neuroscience Association's Public Engagement Award. She served as Equal Opportunities & Diversity Representative on the

British Neuroscience Association The British Neuroscience Association (BNA) is a scientific society with around 2,500 members. Starting out as an informal gathering of scientists meeting at the Black Hourse Public House in London to discuss brain-related topics (the 'London Blac ...

Committee.

Early life and education

Yhnell attended

Chosen Hill School Chosen Hill School is a large co-educational academy school in the village of Churchdown in Gloucestershire, England, between Cheltenham and Gloucester. It is also a Beacon School. The school was mentioned in 2008 in ''The Daily Telegraph'' ...

in Gloucestershire. Yhnell then went to Cardiff University for undergraduate study and graduated with a First Class BSc Hons in Biochemistry. She completed her PhD in Behavioural Neuroscience, which was funded by an MRC studentship, on Behavioural Neuroscience and Huntington's disease. Yhnell also completed a Postgraduate Certificate in Clinical Trials via distance learning through the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

Research and career

Following her doctoral studies, Yhnell worked as a post-doctoral researcher for the Brain Repair Group, then the Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, at

. She was named a Research Fellow in 2016, and worked as a consultant for Neem Biotechnology. Yhnell currently works as a Senior Lecturer in the School of Biosciences at Cardiff University. Her research is on

, a rare genetic brain disorder which causes cognitive, motor, and psychiatric problems. She held a

Health and Care Research Wales Health and Care Research Wales is a networked organisation, supported by the Welsh Government, which brings together a wide range of partners across NHS Wales NHS Wales ( cy, GIG (Gwasanaeth Iechyd Gwladol) Cymru) is the publicly-funded healt ...

Fellowship to investigate the potential of computerised

cognitive training Brain training (also called cognitive training) is a program of regular activities purported to maintain or improve one's cognitive abilities. The phrase “cognitive ability” usually refers to components of fluid intelligence such as executiv ...

for people with Huntington's disease, translating her findings from her PhD into the clinical setting with patients. She is a National Teaching Fellow, Senior Fellow of the

Higher Education Academy Advance HE (formerly the Higher Education Academy) is a British charity and professional membership scheme promoting excellence in higher education. It advocates evidence-based teaching methods and awards fellowships as professional recogniti ...

, a

former Local Group Representative, and a member of the

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Communication Committee.

Science communication and public engagement

Yhnell's public engagement work has included speaking at the Hay Festival of Literature & Arts (2018),

Soapbox Science ''Soapbox Science'' is a public outreach platform that promotes women working in science and the research that they do. The events turns public spaces into an area for learning and debate, in the spirit of Hyde Park's Speakers' Corner. Soapbox Scie ...

(a series of events promoting women working in science) (2018), Cheltenham Science Festival (2019), and

Pint of Science Pint of Science is an annual science festival that aims to communicate contemporary scientific developments to the public by bringing scientists to pubs, cafés and other public places to share their research and findings. It is mainly organised ...

(2018) (a festival communicating scientific developments to the general public). In March 2016, Yhnell attended the Westiminster Parliament of the United Kingdom to present on the potential of using games to train the brain, to improve cognition and movement, as part of the national competition ''SET for Britain''. She took part in the Royal Society's Pairing Scheme which aims to bring science to the attention of Parliamentarians and civil servants, she was paired with Kevin Brennan MP. She was a speaker at TEDx Cardiff University in 2017. She contributed to the book ''How the Brain Works: The Facts Visually Explained'' for the publisher

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(DK), published in March 2020.

Honours and awards

Yhnell won the Biochemical Society's Science Communication Competition in the Written category in 2015. In 2017 she won the Young Investigator Award from the Cardiff Institute of Tissue Engineering and Repair. In the same year she was a finalist for the Womenspire Chwarae Teg Rising Star award. In 2018, Yhnell was awarded the British Science Association's Charles Darwin Award Lecture for Agricultural, Biological and Medical Sciences. Yhnell gave her award lecture at the

British Science Festival The British Science Association (BSA) is a charity and learned society founded in 1831 to aid in the promotion and development of science. Until 2009 it was known as the British Association for the Advancement of Science (BA). The current Chie ...

in Hull in September 2018, in which she discussed her cutting edge research in Huntington's disease and its challenges, and public and patient involvement in research in using brain-training. She was awarded the British Neuroscience Association's Public Engagement Award in 2018. In 2019, Yhnell won the Welsh round of the UK Science Communication Competition Famelab and went on to compete at the UK Finals during Cheltenham Science Festival.

References

External links

Video of Emma Yhnell speaking on public engagementEmma Yhnell on ''The Neurotransmission'' podcastVideo of Emma Yhnell speaking at Cardiff University School of Bioscience for International Women's Day 2018Hunting for a Huntington’s treatment: Q&A with Emma Yhnell, British Science Association blog
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Yhnell, Emma Living people Year of birth missing (living people) Academics of Cardiff University Fellows of the Learned Society of Wales Science communication award winners Science communicators British science writers British neuroscientists British women neuroscientists British women biologists Welsh biologists Alumni of Cardiff University