Karen (Hei Wan) Mak’s first degree was a BA (Hons) in Sociology from Warwick University. Following this, she obtained an MSc degree in Sociology from Oxford University and a PhD degree from Cambridge University. She had been a guest lecturer for the Social Science Research Methods Programme at Cambridge University.

In 2018, Karen joined the Department of Behavioural Science and Health at UCL, where she explores how arts and cultural engagement is associated with improvements in mental health/wellbeing and identifies the profile of engagers across the UK using theories from sociology, behavioural science, and geography. Her work involves partnership with cross-functional stakeholders including Arts Council England, Historic England, What Works Centre for Wellbeing, and the Social Prescribing Network. Karen was a co-Investigator on an ESRC-grant on communities and wellbeing (WELLCOMM), and is current part of the research team at the World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Arts & Health.

During the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak, Karen joined the UCL COVID-19 Social Study team (one of the largest COVID-19 studies with over 70,000 respondents) and led on regular reports to track real-time life social and psychological experiences during the pandemic. The study had been used to inform the UK government, Public Health England and NHS England.

Karen has been awarded the Researchers' Choice Communication Award, recognised by Elsevier and the US-UK Fulbright Commission, named a World Economic Forum Global Shaper (Recruitment Lead), and is awarded the WeAreTheCity's 2022 Rising Star Award in Education and Academia.