We’re pleased to share that Hailey Tremain and Yan Yang, both PhD Candidates at Swinburne University, are our two newest trainees. Hailey and Yan will both be instrumental in the ORBIT project, working with Dr. Greg Murray.

CREST.BD trainees are an important part of our network. Trainees, usually early on in their careers as healthcare providers or researchers, benefit from mentorship and strengthening their research capacity by engaging with the CREST.BD team. The network benefits from working with trainees through building capacity for BD research internationally and building community engagement with new organizations and partners.

Yan Yang, PhD candidate, Swinburne University
“My research interest is the role of self and identity in bipolar disorder and whether this may change through an intervention to improve quality of life (ORBIT). I explore western and eastern approaches of focusing on and letting go of self (respectively) in the therapeutic process. One outcome of my PhD involves identifying the most clinically useful approach to self/identity in bipolar disorder. I value the knowledge of individuals with lived experience. Outside work, I enjoy outdoor activities such as rock climbing, and also live music and dancing.”

Hailey Tremain, PhD candidate, Swinburne University
“My PhD research will focus on the role of stage of illness in bipolar disorder, and particularly its implications for psychological interventions. This includes working on ORBIT. More generally, I am interested in the role of technology in empowering people to enhance their mental well-being and quality of life, especially for those with serious mental illnesses; this has been the focus of my professional work as well as my PhD research. When I’m not at work, you’ll find me reading, baking or eating.”