Beatrice Hayes

Beatrice Hayes is a Teaching Professor and Director of Communication and Recruitment (Undergraduate) in the Department of Psychology at Royal Holloway, University of London. She holds a PhD from the same institution, focusing on children’s social media use and mental health. Her research emphasizes online communication dynamics in higher education, including student-staff interactions and digital tools like emojis/memes in teaching. She is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and co-directs the ECHO-O Lab, exploring environmental, communication, and health issues.

Education: PhD in Psychology (2017–2020) from Royal Holloway, University of London.

Research Interests: Online self-disclosure, mental health in academic contexts, co-production methodologies, and digital pedagogy. Her work aligns with UN Sustainable Development Goals related to quality education and mental health awareness.

Key Projects:

• Students’ Wellbeing at the Centre of their Academic Journey (2025–2025)
• Smart Socials and the Digital Youth (2024–2024)
• Students’ perceptions of mental health apps (2022–2023)

Awards: Judges Prize (2021), Peoples Prize (2021), Royal Holloway Education Teaching Prize (2024).

Advising & Grants: Leads external engagement for the THESIS Group and collaborates with Leeds Beckett University, Edge Hill University, and the University of Ulster as an External Examiner. Active in grant-funded projects addressing student wellbeing and digital education.

Labs/Teams: Co-director of ECHO-O Lab and member of RAISE Network, Cyberpsychology division, and DARTP.