Martin Rooke, Phd
I’m a public health practitioner with a PhD in Sociology, working at the intersection of community wellbeing, policy, and social systems. My work has always been rooted in a simple interest: how do everyday environments shape health, and how can public services respond in ways that are practical, fair, and useful to the people they serve?
My Journey So Far
Over the years, I’ve worked across local government, universities, and research institutes, helping to bring structure to complex problems and support decision-making in fast-moving, often uncertain environments. I currently work with Thurrock Council, where I contribute to the development of borough-wide health strategies and help connect different teams, services, and partners around shared priorities. Much of this work is about listening carefully, finding common ground, and translating broad ambitions into something that can actually be delivered.
Before this, I worked at the Harvard Kennedy School on research into information environments and social change, supporting international teams studying how narratives evolve during periods of crisis. That experience deepened my interest in how information moves through systems, and how it can either support or undermine public understanding.
Earlier roles at Kingston University and the University of Kent gave me a strong foundation in applied research and teaching. I worked with communities and stakeholders in a range of settings, from public health projects to international studies on water security, always with a focus on making research more connected to real-world conditions.
Alongside this, I’ve been involved in developing and managing funded projects, including securing and delivering a Sport England-supported programme aimed at increasing physical activity in underserved communities. I’ve also contributed to health impact assessments and local planning guidance, helping to ensure that health considerations are not treated in isolation from housing, transport, and wider urban development.
Across all of this work, I’m most interested in the space between information and action: how evidence is interpreted, how decisions are made, and how systems can be made more responsive to the communities they serve.
Core Areas of Work
Public health strategy and governance
Supporting the development of local health strategies and contributing to joined-up planning across services.
Community-focused programme development
Working with partners to design and deliver initiatives that respond to local needs.
Partnership and stakeholder collaboration
Bringing together different voices such as councils, services, and communities to find workable shared approaches.
Policy and planning insight
Contributing health perspectives to wider planning processes, including housing and spatial development.
Research and applied insight
Drawing on academic and applied research experience to support clearer understanding of complex issues.
Experience
Thurrock Council |Public Health Practitioner | 2023 – Current
Supporting borough-wide health strategy development and cross-sector collaboration. Contributing to grant-funded programmes and integrating health into local planning processes.
Harvard Kennedy School (Shorenstein Centre) |Research Fellow | 2022-2023
Worked on research into technology, information systems, and social change, supporting international teams analysing large-scale data and narrative shifts during global events.
Kingston University |Research Associate | 2020
Led stakeholder engagement for applied health research projects, ensuring that patient and practitioner perspectives were included in study design and outcomes.
University of Kent | Graduate Teaching Assistant / Data Manager | 2016-2020
Supported research and teaching across public health and social science projects, including international work on water security and resource inequality.
Education
PhD in Sociology |University of Kent | 2020
MSc Professional Practice in Research Methods |Middlesex University | 2014
BSc Biomedical Science |Middlesex University | 2012
Achievements
Secured and delivered a £45,000 Sport England-funded community health programme focused on increasing physical activity in underserved areas
Contributed to a long-term peer-reviewed study on public discourse and risk communication published in the Journal of Risk Research and Current Sociology
Developed health impact assessment guidance to support local planning and urban development decisions