Megan HurstView profile
Assistant Professor
Dr. Megan Hurst is an Assistant Professor in Social Psychology at the University of Sussex's School of Psychology. Her research focuses on cultural values and pressures influencing body image, wellbeing, and health behaviors, with particular emphasis on social media's impact, inequalities in wellbeing (including SES, LGBT+, and ethnicity), and environmental wellbeing. She teaches undergraduate and postgraduate courses in social psychology, health psychology, and wellbeing. Her current PhD students include Phoebe Gray (body image in personal training), Joshua Francis (school mental health interventions), and Sarah Hurdman (blue spaces and wellbeing). Dr. Hurst holds a PhD (2015), MRes (2010), and BA (2009) from the University of Sussex. She has lectured at the University of Brighton and Leeds Beckett University. Her work bridges qualitative and quantitative methods, analyzing topics like self-objectification in physical activity contexts and evolving methods in media effects research. Her research trends highlight interdisciplinary approaches to body image issues across diverse populations, including working-class women, South Asian communities, and adolescents. She has secured a grant (2022–2025) to explore school-based body image prevention strategies. Professional activities include advisory roles with UKUltimate Ltd on talent development and equality in sports. Teaching responsibilities include co-convening the Social Psychology module, supervising dissertations, and designing courses like 'Psychology of Exercise and Wellbeing' to address barriers to physical activity across marginalized groups.
![](https://www.usi.edu/liberal-arts/psychology/faculty-research-and-labs/dr-urska-dobersek/"/media/xm1cy4ps/mary-resized.png?format=webp")
