The role of Psychology Technical Skills Specialist has provided me with many new challenges, whilst offering me the opportunity to develop professionally. I am responsible for the design and delivery of technical skills teaching within the subject area of psychology, including the delivery of technical skills seminars to support academic theory. I supervise and maintain the psychology laboratory areas and provide technical instruction, assessment, and supervision for research and teaching. My current area of focus is to research the potential application of new and innovative technologies in order to facilitate and aid student learning.
Professional memberships and activities
Registered Scientist (RSci)
Fellow Member of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA)
Member of the Institute of Science and Technology (MiST)
Member of the ATSiP (Association of Technical Staff in Psychology)
Academic qualifications
Postgraduate Certificate in Higher and Professional Education (PgCHPE), Staffordshire University, 2012
BSc (Hons) Physics & Electronics (2:1), Staffordshire University, 1998
Expertise
- Computer-based experiment design, build, and deployment.
- Physiological data acquisition, processing, and analysis.
- Instrumentation principles.
- Data communications.
- Audio and video applications.
- Use of lab-based equipment: Biopac MPs, SynampsRT EEG, Neurosensory Analyser, Cold Pressor, CareScape and Ambulatory BP Monitors, Impedance Cardiograph, Driving Simulator, Virtual Reality (HTC VIVE, ClassVR, Oculus), Eyetribe and Tobii Eyetrackers.
- Use of specialist software applications: SuperLab, E-Prime, Testable, BiopacPro, NeuroScan, Qualtrics, ObserverXT, ThingLink, AprilAge, Adobe Prem Pro.
Research interests
To research new and innovative technology in order to introduce practical-based pedological advances in teaching and learning.
Teaching
Development and Delivery of Technical Skills
- Develop, lead, and deliver technical skills seminars in Developmental and Biological Psychology (Level 5), Exploring Difference (Level 5).
- Develop, lead, and deliver technical skills sessions in Becoming a Researcher (Level 4), Adventures in Psychology (Level 4), Steps to Success (Level 4).
- Develop, lead, and deliver technical skills sessions for applications across relevant subject disciplines.
Development and Delivery of Technical Instruction
- Liaise, train, and support students in all aspects of experiment-based research. From concept design and technical build, through to procedural application and data extraction - including the undertaking of a relevant competency assessment of students ahead of laboratory research applications.
- Provide technical training, instruction, and guidance for postgraduate research activities.
- Provide technical training, instruction, and guidance for academic-lead teaching activities.
- Provide health & safety training, instruction, and guidance for laboratory-based activities.
- Provide audio visual training and support for skills-based simulation.
- Introduce and demonstrate the psychology technical resource provision at internal and external facing events.
- Provide and maintain online technical media resources and technical support documentation.