About
Dr. Emma James is a Lecturer in the Department of Psychology at the University of York, having rejoined the department in 2022 after two years as a Postdoctoral Researcher and Stipendiary Lecturer at the University of Oxford. Her research centers on learning mechanisms across the lifespan, with a focus on memory, language acquisition, and literacy development in children and adults.
Her academic background includes:
- BA in Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford (2010-2013)
- MSc in Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, University of York (2014-2015)
- PhD in Psychology, University of York (2015-2019)
Dr. James investigates how new words are learned and remembered, how language knowledge impacts reading and educational outcomes, and the long-term effects of learning difficulties on wellbeing. Her work employs behavioral experiments with word-training paradigms and analyses of large-scale cohort datasets like the Avon Longitudinal Study. She frequently examines the role of sleep in memory consolidation and developmental trajectories of learning mechanisms from childhood to adulthood, with particular attention to individual differences in reading comprehension.
Her publication record shows a strong concentration on developmental language and literacy research, with increasing emphasis on real-world implications for education and wellbeing. Recent work integrates experimental methods with longitudinal data to explore how vocabulary acquisition and reading comprehension difficulties affect educational attainment and mental health outcomes across the lifespan.
Dr. James has not received major scientific awards but holds active research funding including a Principal Investigator grant from the Experimental Psychology Society for her work on memory integration across development.
She serves as Lead for School Partnerships and Engagement and Ethics Committee member in her department. Her teaching includes Undergraduate Advanced Research Methods and postgraduate supervision in Developmental and Educational Neuroscience. She actively recruits PhD students for projects on word learning, memory integration, and reading comprehension difficulties.
Dr. James conducts research within the Department of Psychology, building on her foundational work in the Sleep, Language and Memory Lab where she completed her PhD and postdoctoral fellowship. She maintains active involvement with the Experimental Psychology Society as an Early Career Committee Member.
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