Reflecting on higher education through a psychological lens
Thanks to the wonderful human that is Meredith Wilkinson of De Montfort University I am proud to be a member of the Disabled Women's Academic Network, which she set up a couple of years ago. It's an inclusive and supportive network, and is growing under Meredith's leadership. On Friday last week, Meredith emailed us to… Continue reading Being a disabled woman in academia – some tips
Everyone talks about the student mental health crisis; however, there is much less attention paid to academic staff’s mental health and well-being. This study aims to improve our understanding of the mental health and well-being of academics and identify barriers to enhancing positive psychological health, to help contribute to a better work environment for academics. … Continue reading CLOSED: Bringing academic staff into the mental health narrative: Understanding factors affecting mental health and wellbeing in UK academics
***Update***Update***Update*** Participants are eligible to receive a £16 Amazon voucher for taking part in this study. Thanks to the Keele Psychology MSc research funding scheme for their support! Precarious contracts in academia are receiving a lot of media attention recently, especially in the light of ongoing UCU industrial action and the 'four fights', which protests… Continue reading CLOSED: From postdoc to professorship: mental health and wellbeing in academics on short-term contracts: Call for participants
I am currently recruiting students with dyslexia who are studying at university, for a psychological study, alongside Cleo Keeling Ball, at Keele University. We are aiming to find out more about the perception of identity, and experiences of students with dyslexia. Would you like to take part? You can take part if you: Identify as… Continue reading Social identity in students with dyslexia – Call for participants – now CLOSED
Recently, I’ve celebrated the promotion success of a small number of well-deserving colleagues, who have been promoted to Senior Lecturer from Lecturer, or to Reader from Senior Lecturer. It is always heart-warming to hear of their successes, and the sense of reward and acknowledgement that they feel on hearing the news. As a Reader myself,… Continue reading Sharing failure: success as the tip of the iceberg
Back in May, the world was a very different place, and having commented on mental health challenges in higher education, I decided to write a post to balance things up a bit, counting my academic blessings. Just a couple of weeks ago (11th March 2020), a catastrophe struck, affecting everyone, everywhere. The World Health Organisation… Continue reading Academic life in a crisis: Counting academic blessings part 2
Yesterday, I blogged about the apparent mental health crisis in higher education, affecting both students and staff. Given some of the comments in the media, and from academics on social media, you might be forgiven for thinking that no sane person would ever consider an academic career! Numerous current PhD students are hoping to achieve… Continue reading Counting my (academic) blessings
Much attention has (appropriately) been given to student mental health in higher education, while the wellbeing of those of us who work in universities has been less prominent in the news – with the exception of a few high profile, tragic cases of suicide. Back in February, The Duchess of Cambridge called for increased action… Continue reading Pressure vessels: comment on HEPI report on mental health trends in university staff
Back in February, at the start of my scholarship sabbatical, and when I first set up this blog page, I shared an excited post about the value I was already seeing in my sabbatical, and the progress I’d made just a couple of weeks in. I’m now approximately half way through my six month period… Continue reading Scholarship sabbaticals: An insider view (Part 2)
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