Julie Gawrylowicz

Julie Gawrylowicz is a Reader in Applied Cognitive Psychology at the Department of Sociological and Psychological Sciences, School of Applied Sciences, Abertay University. She joined Abertay in August 2018 and plays a key role in teaching and research, particularly in forensic psychology. She is the programme tutor for the BSc Psychology with Forensic Investigative Psychology and BSc Psychology with Forensic Scene Investigation pathways and supervises both undergraduate and PhD students.

Her research focuses on applied memory in forensic contexts, particularly eyewitness memory, the impact of alcohol on memory and metacognition, and the reliability of vulnerable witnesses such as individuals with intellectual disabilities, children, and older adults. She investigates how alcohol intoxication affects memory recall and false confessions, and how technological tools like avatars can improve investigative interviews. Her work also explores context reinstatement techniques and the use of the Self-Administered Interview (SAI) to enhance memory accuracy.

Julie's recent publications (2021–2025) demonstrate a strong trend in alcohol-related memory effects, using both experimental and applied methodologies. Her work spans cognitive psychology, forensic science, and legal decision-making, often examining how intoxication influences juror perceptions, memory conformity, and disclosure. She frequently presents at international conferences such as the European Association for Psychology and Law and the International Investigative Interviewing Research Group.

• Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
• Visiting Fellow of the Centre for Addictive Behaviours Research, London South Bank University

She has received research funding from the Leverhulme Trust, British Academy, Scottish Institute for Policing Research, Scottish Funding Council, and Northwood Charitable Trust. She provides consultancy for the Joint Investigative Interviewing Team and the Police Scotland Interview Advisor Course. She also supervises multiple PhD and undergraduate research projects, indicating an active research group. She is a member of the Scottish Institute for Policing Research Group and the Scottish Alcohol Research Network, and serves as an ad-hoc reviewer for journals including Applied Cognitive Psychology and Psychology, Crime and Law.