Dr. Gillian Chu Awarded a Prestigious Fellowship at the University of Birmingham

Dr. Gillian Chu has been selected for the prestigious Psychology Cross-training Fellowship Programme for Theologians, which the University of Birmingham runs with funding from the John Templeton Foundation.

The fellowship is designed to provide the opportunity for theologians to break down disciplinary barriers and engage more deeply with psychological research to further theological exploration and practice. The fellowship will offer support for theologians to participate in an intensive 16-month programme in psychological cross-training, equipping them with the skills to draw upon insights from psychology and potentially providing them with funding to undertake psychologically informed theological research.

Dr Chu is a sociologist of religion whose research interests are in Hong Kong Christianities. Her current research project examines how faith-based organisations can support Hong Kong older adults in the midst of the recent migration wave from 2020 onwards, as young couples migrate to Britain while their elderly parents remain in Hong Kong. Dr Chu hopes that, through this fellowship, she can further explore how trauma theory can be utilised in current theological conversations in Hong Kong.

Dr. Chu will participate in two residential workshops, which will be held at the University of Birmingham between 2024 and 2025, and a final conference at the end of 2025.