Praveetha Patalay | Lightnews

Prof Praveetha Patalay

@pravpatalay.bsky.social

310 followers 120 following 7 posts

Scientist and artist. Professor of Population Health at UCL; mental health, inequalities, lifecourse.

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Psychology 55%

Public Health 19%

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Reposted by Michael Cox, Dorothy Bishop, Peter Thorne , and 24 more Michael Cox, Dorothy Bishop, Peter Thorne, James M. Bullock, Steve Peers, Tom Shakespeare, Praveetha Patalay, Leigh Sparks, Catherine Baker, Lesley A. Hall, Alex Callinicos, Simon Wren‐Lewis, Alan Stewart, Rebecca Williams, Kate Lancaster, Margot C. Finn, Stephen Ryan, Steven Fielding, Aurélien Mondon, Stuart White, Katrina Navickas, Lukas Graf, Jon Dean, Christina Pagel, Farah Mendlesohn, David Neilson, Alexandra Heller-Nicholas

Robin Ince @robinince.bsky.social · 13d

Very sad that I felt I had no choice but to resign from The Infinite Monkey Cage - a victory for the transphobes and other bigots - I did it because so much of the media has chosen to believe the kind and empathetic people are a fiction - they are real and so often unrepresented.

This is the saddest day of my professional life.
Today is not only the final recording of the latest series of The Infinite Monkey Cage, it is my last ever Monkey Cage.
I never thought that I would have to leave the show. I always imagined going on until | dropped dead under the studio lights due to a brain aneurysm caused by my final attempt to understand notions of quantum gravity or the shock of being told about fly maggot infestations in the sacks of macaque monkeys.
I resigned in September, after sixteen years of dedication to the show,
A show that I named and helped develop over all those years.
Unfortunately, my opinions outside the BBC have been considered problematic for sometime, whether it has been voicing support for the trans community, criticism of Donald Trump, numerous other outlandish opinions, including once gently criticising Stephen Fry.
These things were considered to conflict with being a freelance BBC science presenter

In a recent meeting where BBC Studio executives again voiced problems with me, I realised my choices.
Obedience and being quieter to remain making Monkey Cage, or 'Resign and have the freedom to speak out against what I believe are injustices'.
•
I chose the latter.
It broke my heart.
I love this show and I love the audience, and it is because of the audience in particular, that this decision was so difficult to make.
I kept thinking about all the extremist voices promoting hate and division. They are being given so many platforms, while voices that represent kindness, open mindedness, empathy seem to be scarcer and scarcer.
I felt I couldn't pamper myself with the luxury of silence.
One of my many privileges is that I am able to resign and I can speak out even if it is to the detriment of my career.

I have thought a lot about my heroes, Sinead O Connor, James Baldwin, Audre Lorde, and so many more.
I think of Sinead's words, "the job of an artist is to be themselves at any cost".
James Baldwin said prejudice was really just a word for cowardice.
Audre Lorde, viewing her life, wrote that her only regrets were her silences.
I think of my father as I resign, he brought me up to believe in fairness , justice and kindness.
Though my heart is broken, it is also full of fire.
I apologise to our incredible listeners for my departure, your love of the show means a great deal.
I am so sorry to let you down.
I hope that you can understand my reasoning.
I have to accept that I am not what the current
BBC expects of their freelance presenters.

Despite this I should add that I have always worked far more than my contracted hours to try and ensure the show was always the best it could be, as well as making myself accessible and responsive to the audience wherever and whenever I met them. Every night, we have recorded, I have been filled with determination to make the best show possible. This was not
"just a job"
I hope that with my departure I can be a better ally to the LGBTQ community, to the neurodivergent community, to activists fighting against those who aim to brutalise society, to those currently in prison on hunger strike, and to all those who fight for a more inclusive world.
From many conversations, I know there are many Monkey Cage listeners who support these communities and activists too.
The strawberry is dead.
Long live the strawberry. B

Reposted by Praveetha Patalay, Melanie Simms

Jacques Wels @jacqueswels.bsky.social · Nov 10

6 days to go to apply to 2 postdoc positions (3-year and 2-year) at @ucl.ac.uk with @pravpatalay.bsky.social!
For all those interested in employment<->health, trade unions & longitudinal methods.
Feel free to share.
www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DPB406/r...

Research Fellow (x2 posts) at UCL

Apply for the Research Fellow (x2 posts) role on jobs.ac.uk, the top job board for academic positions in higher education. View details and apply now.

www.jobs.ac.uk

Reposted by Stephen P. Jenkins, Mel Bartley, Praveetha Patalay

UCL Centre for Longitudinal Studies @clscohorts.bsky.social · Aug 26

✨ One week to go! We're looking for a new Director. Find out more about the role and apply on the CLS website: bit.ly/452oe4v

Text saying: Apply now Professor and Director of the Centre for Longitudinal Studies, closing date: Tuesday, 2 September 2025, plus photo of UCL portico

Reposted by Praveetha Patalay, Gary Polhill

Glen O'Hara @gsoh31.bsky.social · Nov 30

Do you want to know why Britain's university system is imploding? Well, if you do... Make yourself a nice coffee, pull up a chair and take a look at what I wrote back in the summer for Prospect magazine. Please repost if you agree! www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/politics/pol...

Crash course

The UK’s universities are among the best in the world. So why do many appear close to collapse?

www.prospectmagazine.co.uk

Reposted by Praveetha Patalay

Suzi Gage @soozaphone.bsky.social · Apr 23

Been seeing people sharing a certain someone's TED talk recently. So I wrote this about what Rat Park actually found, why it's an important study, but it's really important not to sensationalise what it found for that 'truthy' soundbite.

After Rat Park

Or why everything you think you know about addiction might be a little more nuanced than some would give you credit for

open.substack.com

Reposted by Praveetha Patalay

Dan Hayes @danhayesphd.bsky.social · Jun 2

🚨 Paper alert 🚨 There’s a lot of debate at the moment around universal, interventions in schools. A thread 🧵

Our new meta-analysis, published today, shows they can work in reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety.

www.frontiersin.org/journals/chi...

Findings discussed more below…

Frontiers | Universal, school-based, interventions to improve emotional outcomes in children and young people: a systematic review and meta-analysis

IntroductionThere is debate into the impact of universal, school-based interventions to improve emotional outcomes. Previous reviews have only focused on anx...

www.frontiersin.org

Prof Praveetha Patalay @pravpatalay.bsky.social · Apr 28

I was wondering after, have there been no attempts at replication?

Prof Praveetha Patalay @pravpatalay.bsky.social · Apr 25

Super interesting insights about a famous study!

Suzi Gage @soozaphone.bsky.social · Apr 23

After Rat Park

Or why everything you think you know about addiction might be a little more nuanced than some would give you credit for

open.substack.com

Prof Praveetha Patalay @pravpatalay.bsky.social · Apr 7

Some thoughts on social prescribing in a climate of funding cuts and closing community spaces:
open.substack.com/pub/pravpata...

(and I've finally started a substack and aim to write more about topics in health and prevention!)

The contradictions of social prescribing

Social prescribing is the practice where healthcare services like GP surgeries refer patients to non-clinical activities in their local communities as part of their treatment.

open.substack.com

Prof Praveetha Patalay @pravpatalay.bsky.social · Feb 25

Amazing news, congrats Miri

Reposted by Praveetha Patalay

Emi Nietfeld @eminietfeld.bsky.social · Dec 18

“The Body Keeps the Score stigmatizes survivors, blames victims, and depoliticizes violence. While masquerading as care for survivors, it creates a hierarchy where marginalized victims are even more marginalized.” My latest, for @motherjones.

www.motherjones.com/media/2024/1...