Aideen McParland

Dr. Aideen McParland is a Senior Lecturer (Education) in the School of Psychology at Queen's University Belfast, where she serves as Deputy Director of Education and Level 1 Year Head. Previously, she was an Assistant Professor at University College Dublin. Dr. McParland is a Registered Behaviour Technician (RBT), Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA), Chartered Psychologist (CPsychol), and Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society (AFBPsS).

Dr. McParland earned her PhD in Psychology from Ulster University, with a doctoral thesis titled "Using eye-tracking technology to investigate and operantly condition gaze behaviour of children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders." She also became a professionally certified Entrepreneurial Educator with UCD Innovation Academy in June 2019, reflecting her commitment to innovative teaching approaches.

Her research spans educational psychology with a focus on students' experiences in higher education, particularly examining the psychological underpinnings of both neurotypical and neurodivergent student experiences. Key areas include transitional experiences of first-year students, student belonging, predictors of positive student experiences, and psychological wellbeing. She also maintains active research in developmental and behavioral psychology, particularly regarding autism spectrum disorders and gaze behavior.

Dr. McParland's scholarly work demonstrates a clear evolution from her early research on autism and eye-tracking technology toward her current focus on educational psychology and student experiences in higher education. While maintaining continuity in methodological approaches like eye-tracking, her recent publications increasingly address pedagogical practices, student wellbeing during the pandemic, and inclusive learning environments.

Her notable awards include:

• Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA)
• Chartered Psychologist (CPsychol) and Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society
• Local Teaching Award Recipient at Queen's University Belfast (2022)
• Queen's Merit Award (2020, 2023)
• Queen's Annual Fund Award (2021)
• Leading Undergraduate Programmes Award (2022)

Dr. McParland actively supervises undergraduate, MSc, and DClin thesis students while teaching across multiple courses including Introduction to Methods in Psychology, Psychological Methods in Developmental Research, and courses on evidence-based interventions and childhood development. She has organized professional development activities like Peer Assisted Study Sessions and presented at conferences including the ESPLAT2023 Conference on Learning and Teaching Psychology.

She serves as an elected committee member of The Northern Ireland British Psychological Society and is involved with the European Society for Psychology Learning and Teaching, demonstrating her commitment to both the local and international psychology education communities.