Dr Eric Carlin is a Teaching Fellow at the University of Edinburgh, where he is Convenor of ‘Sociology of Health and Illness’, part of the Masters in Public Health. This includes a focus on health and illness across the lifecourse, mental health issues, disability and inequalities.
Eric is also employed as a Consultant, Public Health Expert, Alcohol Policies with the World Health Organization.
Eric is an Honorary Research Fellow in the School of Health and Life Sciences at Glasgow Caledonian University. From 2012 – 2021, Eric was Chief Executive of SHAAP (Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems). From 2008-2010 he was a member of the UK Government’s Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD). He also served for six years each as Vice Chair of the UN NGO Committee on Drugs and as Chair of the Drugs Education Forum (England).
Previous positions include from 2000 – 2009, Chief Executive of Mentor UK, working on drug prevention, and from 2005-2000, Chief Executive of Angel Drug Services, a London-based street drugs agency. Eric also served for three years as Chair of Islington Community Health Council in London. Other work experience has included setting up joint planning systems to deliver Community Care services, managing local HIV prevention and treatment services and an international prevention project for the British Red Cross.
Eric holds a PhD in Youth Studies from the University of London. His research explored how theories of social exclusion, resilience and social capital can describe contemporary youth transition experiences in Pilton, Edinburgh. Continuing research includes these themes, as well as focussing on alcohol-related issues.
