Dad and daughter make it a double celebration

Adrian Smales (52) graduated with a PhD in Healthcare Informatics as part of the class of 2021, at the same time as his daughter, Jasmine (22), was also awarded a first class BMus (Hons) music degree.

Adrian, who is an award-winning Edinburgh Napier University researcher, returned to university after first graduating in 1998, with a B.Eng (Hons) in electronic and computer engineering, rejoining as a student just in time to graduate alongside his daughter.

Adrian said: “Jasmine is very independent and didn’t need much guidance from me during her course, but we did meet up for the occasional coffee at the Merchiston campus which was always nice. 

“Now we hope to celebrate our double graduation with a barbeque with family and friends.”

Academia runs in the family with this double celebration, as both father and daughter have made their mark on the university in different ways. Adrian has won numerous awards for his research on technology which prevents falls in the home by predicting the increasing risk of significant inactivity, which has led to the development of wearable technology in collaboration with commercial partners.

Meanwhile, Jasmine has been inspiring change in a different department of the university. She said: “In the past academic year I have written an inclusive music guide for children, and for my final project I have written and created a demo EP that explores mental health.”