Who will you meet in your first year?

Jackie joined the department in 2002. She teaches a range of topics in social psychology on our first year course, including work on social influence and impression management. She's also getting ready to raise money for charity by climbing Mt Kilimanjaro in Kenya. Go Jackie!

Melissa teaches developmental psychology in Part I. Her research investigates how children with autism learn language, understand symbols and produce drawings. Other interests include travelling back to her home city of New York for a pizza fix.

Kate is a developmental psychologist who also contributes to the teaching of research methods in part I. Kate is interested in the psychology of reading, especially the comprehension of text and the difficulties that some children have in this area. When she's had enough of reading about reading, she goes to the University swimming pool for a quick dip!

Trevor's work focuses on neuropsychiatry. Trevor is the head of specialist Mental Health Research Unit in the department which means liaising with NHS hospitals in the North West. His own work explores the nature and diagnosis of clinical disorders such as Schizophrenia, Parkinson's Disease and Alzheimer's Disease. He teaches research methods and neuropsychology on our first year program.

Dennis is responsible for the administration of the PSYC102 programme. He also teaches neuropsychology and research methods in the first year. Dennis is particularly interested in how we process and recognise faces. For example, a current issue is how children remember faces. Outside of work, Dennis probably wants to go to see Cuba again on holiday as soon as possible!

Mark teaches topics such as intergroup conflict, helping behaviour and identity on our first year program. Mark's own research consider the causes of violent behaviour and explores the reasons why we help others in emergency situations. Mark is also a keen runner, so keep you eye out for him and he trains on the streets around Lancaster!

Charlie Lewis organises our UCAS open days. He also lectures on child development and is one of the Directors of our Centre for Research in Human Development. Among many interests, Charlie works on the role of the father in the family and preschoolers' understanding of the mental world.

Peter Morris is the Department’s Part 1 Director. He lectures on the Cognitive course in the first year. When he's not looking after his new dog, he thinks about his research on how people can improve memory performance.

John Towse teaches cognitive psychology and research methods. John's research involves work with children and adults, for example exploring reading and maths development in the primary school years. John competes in triathlon, so likes to get outside and enjoy the fresh air as much as possible.