John Drury

John Drury is a Professor of Social Psychology at the University of Sussex, School of Psychology. He specializes in crowd psychology, focusing on collective resilience, emergency responses, and public safety. His research explores how shared identities influence behavior in crowds, with applications to disaster management, riots, and live events.

Education:

• Bachelor's degree at the University of Sussex
• MSc and PhD in Social Psychology at the University of Exeter
• Studied/Worked at the University of Amsterdam, University of Abertay Dundee, and Trust for the Study of Adolescence

Roles:

• Director of Research and Knowledge Exchange in the School of Psychology
• Former editor of the British Journal of Social Psychology
• Member of Independent SAGE's behavioral subgroup and SPI-B advisory group during the pandemic

Research Interests:

• Collective resilience in disasters
• Crowd behavior and safety at live events
• Spontaneous coordination in riots and social movements
• Policy implications of crowd psychology

Grants & Collaborations:

• Funded projects on climate resilience, land degradation, and Long Covid support groups
• Consultancies with organizations like the UK Fire & Rescue Service and Event Safety Academy

Awards:

• 2024 Sussex Research Impact Award (Policy Category)
• 2018 ESRC Impact Awards Finalist

Labs & Teams: Leads the Crowds & Identities research group, focusing on collective behavior and safety in crises and events.