Professor Rebecca Lawson is a Professor of Neuroscience and Computational Psychiatry at the University of Cambridge, affiliated with the Department of Psychology and Bye-Fellow at Peterhouse College. Her research focuses on understanding how humans learn to make predictions under uncertainty, with applications to mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression. She leads the Prediction and Learning (PaL) Lab, which combines computational modeling, neuroimaging (e.g., 7T MRI), and behavioral experiments to study cognitive processes in typical and atypical populations. Key research interests include computational psychiatry, autism spectrum disorders, neuroimaging techniques, and the neurochemical basis of learning mechanisms. She has received significant funding, including a £4.3m Wellcome Mental Health Award and the Sir Henry Dale Fellowship. Notable contributions include advancing theories of neural gain and sensory expectations in autism, as well as studies on uncertainty processing in anxiety and depression. Professor Lawson holds academic awards such as the BNPA Lishmann Prize and the BAP Psychopharmacology Award. She actively contributes to public engagement, including initiatives like Knit-a-Neuron and involvement with PrideinSTEM. Her lab collaborates internationally, with projects like the CamRAA study investigating autism-anxiety overlaps and the Chemical and Brain Basis of Uncertainty (CBBU) study exploring pharmacological interventions. Education: PhD in Cognitive Neuroscience (University of Cambridge), BA (Hons) Psychology & Philosophy (University of Glasgow). Grants: £4.3m Wellcome Award, Parke-Davis Fellowship, Lister Institute Prize. Labs/Teams: Principal Investigator of the PaL Lab; collaborations with MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, Yale University, and Brown University.
Catherine Butler is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and Programme Director of the DClinPsy Programme at the University of Bath's Department of Psychology. She holds external examiner roles at Cardiff University, University College London, and others. Her academic journey includes a Doctor of Clinical Psychology from the University of East London, an MBA from the Open University, and advanced training in Systemic Supervision at the University of Exeter. Her research focuses on Inclusion, Whiteness, Gender and Sexual Minorities, Intersectionality, and Systemic Therapy, with contributions to anti-racism and climate crisis studies. Key projects include exploring systemic therapy supervision, validation of therapeutic scales, and shared learning courses with clinical psychology trainees. Dr. Butler’s scholarly work addresses topics such as gender dysphoria in neurodivergent populations, relapse experiences in addiction therapy, and systemic training in clinical psychology programs. She has been recognized for her contributions through awards like the Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. Her professional activities include roles on the British Psychological Society committee, conference presentations, and advisory roles in academic and clinical settings. She has supervised 18 doctoral students and led projects funded by UK charities such as the Association for Family Therapy.
Professor Sara Baker is a Professor of Developmental Psychology and Education at the University of Cambridge's Faculty of Education and a Fellow at Darwin College, where she served as Vice Master from 2021-2024. She is also a 2022 Senior Fellow in the Science of Learning with UNESCO-IBE/IBRO. Her work bridges cognitive science and educational practice, focusing on how children develop executive functions and self-regulation skills. Baker leads the Early Years Library project, co-founded the Research Centre for Play in Education, Development and Learning (PEDAL), and is a founding member of the Global Executive Functions Initiative. Sara Baker specializes in the science of learning, with research aimed at improving children's lives by identifying factors at home and school that support their agency over learning. Her work emphasizes developing executive functions and self-regulation through playful learning approaches. She uses lab-based experiments and collaborates with educators to translate cognitive science research into educational contexts. Her research spans multiple countries including the UK, USA, Mexico, Denmark, Slovakia, South Korea, Ghana, Rwanda, Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, and more, reflecting a strong commitment to culturally relevant and globally applicable educational practices. Analysis of Professor Baker's recent publications reveals a strong focus on executive functions, self-regulation, and playful learning across diverse cultural contexts. Her work increasingly addresses cultural adaptation of assessment tools and educational practices, particularly for Global Majority countries. There's a clear trajectory from basic cognitive research toward practical applications in educational settings, with growing emphasis on teacher training, culturally relevant assessment, and the role of play in early childhood development. Her interdisciplinary approach connects developmental psychology, educational theory, and practical classroom applications. 2022 Senior Fellow in the Science of Learning with UNESCO-IBE/IBRO Professor Baker leads the doctoral program in the Faculty of Education and serves as an Academic Project Director in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences. She is the Cambridge academic lead on the Close the Gap partnership between Cambridge and Oxford, focused on postgraduate widening participation. Her research has been funded by prestigious organizations including the Newton Trust, Cambridge Humanities Research Grant, Economic and Social Research Council, LEGO Foundation, Nuffield Foundation, and Office for Students/Research England. She actively supervises doctoral students and seeks highly motivated candidates for October 2026 entry whose research aligns with her focus areas. Professor Baker co-founded and is actively involved with the Research Centre for Play in Education, Development and Learning (PEDAL), which investigates how children's play affects their development. She leads the Early Years Library project, a curated collection of evidence-based practices for early years educators, and is a founding member of the Global Executive Functions Initiative. Her work with the Connections international professional learning network focuses on self-regulation, while the Close the Gap project addresses widening participation in postgraduate education between Oxford and Cambridge.
Dr. Sarah Marsden is a Researcher affiliated with Lancaster University's Health Research Department within the Lancaster Medical School, part of the Faculty of Health and Medicine. Her role involves a Scoping Study on Suicide, Self-harm and Learning Disability. She focuses on qualitative research addressing mental health challenges in marginalized groups, particularly suicidality and self-harm behaviors among autistic individuals, neurodiverse populations, and those with learning disabilities. Her research emphasizes understanding systemic barriers in healthcare access through studies like 'Diversifying medicine by widening participation' and exploring self-harm dynamics in autistic adults. Publications reflect interdisciplinary approaches bridging medical sociology and clinical psychiatry. She holds no listed awards but contributes actively to public health discourse through blogs and peer-reviewed journals. As part of the Health Research team, her work aligns with broader institutional priorities in advancing equitable healthcare practices and improving outcomes for vulnerable groups.
Dr. Sarah Benson is an Associate Professor in the Department of Disability, Inclusion and Special Needs at the University of Birmingham, based at the Dubai Campus. She serves as Programme Lead for the Inclusion and Special Education Needs PGCert and Masters in both the UK and Dubai, and is affiliated with the School of Education. Educational Background: PhD in Special Education, University of Virginia, 2020 MA in International Education, The George Washington University, 2010 BA in English and Special Education, James Madison University, 2002 Her research focuses on inclusive education policy and practice, particularly in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. She explores teacher development, inclusive science curriculum for primary students, and autism support in Gulf countries. Her work is deeply informed by cross-cultural experiences, including Peace Corps service in Jordan and a Fulbright year in Norway. Dr. Benson's recent publications reveal a strong trend in inclusive teaching strategies, policy analysis in Jordan and the UAE, and the integration of science education with special needs pedagogy. Her research emphasizes practical implementation, teacher preparedness, and equity in educational access. Scientific Awards and Honors: Fulbright Scholar (2013) President, Curry School of Education and Human Development (University of Virginia) Dr. Benson is actively involved in research leadership, serving as Principal Investigator for the ESRC-GCRF Bhutan Inclusive Employment and Social Participation Project and Co-Investigator on the Disability Under Siege Network and a study on teachers' perceptions of autism in Ras Al-Khaimah. She currently supervises PhD candidates and contributes to international scholarly communities such as the Council for Exceptional Children and the Comparative International Education Society. She is also engaged in commissioned research, including a report on autism teaching preparedness in Ras Al-Khaimah, and teaches modules on cross-cultural special education, inclusion, and policy analysis.
Professor Heather Ferguson is a distinguished cognitive psychologist at the University of Kent's School of Psychology, where she has built an impressive academic career since her appointment as Lecturer in 2009. Promoted to Professor in 2018, she leads groundbreaking research examining the cognitive basis of social communication across the lifespan. Her work bridges cognitive psychology, neuroscience, and social cognition, with particular expertise in perspective-taking, theory of mind, and the interface between cognitive processes and social interaction. Her research primarily investigates how we access and represent other people's perspectives during communication, using methodologies including eye-tracking, EEG, and reaction time measurements. Key questions driving her work include: How do people understand and predict events based on others' mental states? What happens when these conflict with our own knowledge? How do social abilities relate to cognitive skills like memory and inhibitory control? How does aging affect social cognition? Her work has significant implications for understanding autism spectrum disorder, social development, and cognitive aging. Professor Ferguson's recent publications reveal a strong focus on perspective-taking across the lifespan, social cognition in autism, the cognitive effects of fiction reading, and the neural mechanisms underlying empathy. Her research demonstrates consistent methodological rigor through pre-registered studies and meta-analyses, with particular attention to developmental trajectories from adolescence through older adulthood. Psychonomic Society Early Career Award (2019) Open Science Framework Pre-registration Challenge award (2018) Cognitive Neuroscience Society Postdoctoral Fellow Award (2018) University of Kent Prize for Research (2016) Kent Union Teaching Award for 'Best Teacher' (2012) Professor Ferguson actively supervises multiple PhD students and has secured substantial research funding, including a €1.5 million ERC Starting Grant and multiple Leverhulme Trust grants. Her work with the Cognitive basis of Social Communication and Ageing (COGSOCOAGE) research group has produced influential findings on social cognition across the lifespan. She serves as Associate Editor for the Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory & Cognition and on the editorial board of Cognition, while also mentoring early-career researchers through the Eastern Arc Mentoring Scheme.
Dr Dawn Elizabeth Cavanagh is a Researcher at Manchester Metropolitan University, affiliated with the Faculty of Health and Education. Her work focuses on healthcare equity for individuals with intellectual disabilities and autism, particularly addressing systemic issues like restrictive practices and long-term segregation. She holds a PhD from the University of South Wales, where her research explored annual health checks and self-management for people with learning disabilities. Dr Cavanagh’s research has included NIHR-funded studies on psychotropic medication decision-making and the impact of the pandemic on people with learning disabilities. She is currently evaluating the HOPE(S) Programme to End Long-Term Segregation, focusing on mothers of children detained in secure hospitals. Her advocacy extends to campaigning against institutional segregation through initiatives like Stolen Lives Wales and her role as a trustee of the Paul Ridd Foundation. Her research interests intersect personal advocacy, as she is autistic and the parent of an adult son with multiple disabilities whose experiences informed her work. She co-chaired the 2023 RRN conference and has been recognized with awards for her contributions to restraint reduction and disability advocacy. Education: PhD in Intellectual Disability Healthcare (University of South Wales) Dr Cavanagh’s articles emphasize ethical healthcare practices, policy reform, and co-produced solutions for marginalized groups. Her work bridges academic research with grassroots advocacy, aiming to dismantle systemic barriers in healthcare access and institutional care. Awards: Restraint Reduction Network’s 2024 Outstanding Contribution Award, Cardiff Parents’ Federation 2024 Trustee Award She collaborates with organizations like the Rightful Lives Team and leads Stolen Lives Wales, advocating for systemic change in healthcare provision for vulnerable populations.
Nora Uglik-Marucha is an NIHR Doctoral Research Fellow at King’s College London’s Department of Biostatistics & Health Informatics, affiliated with the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience. Her work focuses on autism in women and misophonia through advanced psychometric methodologies. She holds MSc and BSc degrees in Clinical Neuropsychiatry and Psychology from King’s College London. Research interests include gender bias in autism screening tools, measurement invariance analysis, and questionnaire development. Her doctoral project develops novel autism assessment tools for women under Dr. Silia Vitoratou and Prof. Francesca Happé. Key contributions include the S-Five tool for misophonia assessment and validation studies across cultures. She has published on misophonia mechanisms, cross-cultural measurement robustness, and autism screening equity.
Dr. Susana Castro-Kemp is an Associate Professor in Psychology and Human Development at University College London's Institute of Education (IOE), where she serves as Director of the Centre for Inclusive Education (CIE) since September 2023. Previously, she was a Reader in Education at the University of Roehampton for eight years. Her work focuses on inclusive education policy and practice globally, with particular expertise in special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), early childhood intervention, and mental health in schools. The IOE has been ranked number one in the world for Education for several consecutive years, providing an ideal environment for her impactful research. Dr. Castro-Kemp holds a PhD in Psychology jointly awarded in 2012 by the University of Porto (Portugal) and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (USA). Her doctoral research was fully funded by the Foundation for Science and Technology/European Commission and the Global Education and Development Studies scholarships. She is a Chartered Psychologist with the British Psychological Society, a Senior Fellow of Advance HE, and a Recognised Research Supervisor by the UK Council for Graduate Education. Dr. Castro-Kemp's research centers on policy regulating education, health, and welfare services for children, particularly those with support needs. She examines inclusive education practices from users' perspectives, policy models leading to effective inclusive pedagogy, and country-level policy impacts on outcomes for children with special educational needs. Her work moves away from diagnostic labels toward engagement and civic participation as educational outcomes. She also investigates inclusion and early intervention in low- and middle-income countries, mental health in schools, and quality of early childhood education. Her recent publications reveal several key trends in inclusive education research. There's growing emphasis on understanding educational experiences through the voices of children and families rather than diagnostic labels. Much of her work examines the implementation gap between inclusive education policy and classroom practice. She has conducted significant research on how children with special educational needs experienced the pandemic, revealing both challenges and unexpected "silver linings" for some groups. Her corpus analysis of Ofsted reports shows narrow focus in early childhood education inspections, while her work on SEND policy increasingly takes an international comparative approach. Dr. Castro-Kemp has received recognition for her impactful work, including: Best Digital Humanities Project for Community Engagement Prize (2023) from the National Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences of South Africa for her project "Optimising collaborations and reducing inequalities of Early Childhood Intervention in post-Covid-19 South Africa" Dr. Castro-Kemp has secured approximately £1.3 million in research funding from various sources including ESRC, British Academy/Leverhulme Trust, European Commission, and private sponsors. Her current major project is 'ScopeSEND' (2024-2026), funded by the Nuffield Foundation (£250,000), examining international SEND policies. She has led numerous projects including "Transdisciplinary provision for children with disabilities in the Global South" (£3,500), "Optimising collaborations in South Africa" (£47,200), and "Froebel meets Ofsted" (£19,185). As a supervisor, she mentors MA/MSc and PhD students in education policy, early childhood, and inclusive education, having been nominated for student choice awards for excellent feedback and outstanding research supervision. As Director of the UCL Centre for Inclusive Education since 2023, Dr. Castro-Kemp leads a team focused on advancing knowledge exchange and research in inclusion and special needs. The Centre works with schools, educators, parents, and early years settings to translate research into practice. Her international collaborations include work with the World Health Organization as a technical advisor on the use of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) system in educational contexts. She also serves on the SEN Policy Research Forum and has provided oral evidence to the House of Commons Education Select Committee.
Dr. Georgie Agar is a Lecturer at the School of Life & Health Sciences, Aston University , affiliated with the College of Health and Life Sciences and the Applied Health Research Group . Her research focuses on sleep disorders, self-injurious behavior, and caregiver impact in individuals with intellectual disabilities and rare genetic syndromes like Smith-Magenis and Angelman syndromes. Research Interests : Dr. Agar specializes in developing inclusive clinical assessment tools for sleep, pain, and behavior in neurodevelopmental populations. She employs mixed-methods, meta-analytic approaches, and longitudinal studies to explore sleep trajectories, behavioral conditioning models, and caregiver experiences. Publications : Her work spans sleep management in Smith-Magenis syndrome, overactivity metrics in genetic conditions, and systematic reviews on self-restraint in autism. Key journals include Molecular Autism , Orphanet Journal of Rare Diseases , and Research in Developmental Disabilities . Labs & Collaborations : She collaborates with the Aston Institute of Health & Neurodevelopment , focusing on neurodevelopmental research and cross-institutional partnerships in sleep and behavioral science.
Dr. Lisa Fernandes is a Lecturer in Inclusive Education and Programme Director for the MSc Inclusive Education at the University of Edinburgh's Moray House School of Education & Sport. She holds a Doctorate in Education from the University of Glasgow and specializes in autism inclusion, teacher education, and ethics of care. Prior to academia, she spent 15 years in post-compulsory education and led PGCE programmes in learning difficulties/disabilities. Education: Doctorate in Education (U Glasgow), Masters in Autism (Northumbria), PGCE (FE, Sunderland), BA Combined Studies (U Sheffield) Her research focuses on improving inclusive education practices for autistic learners, teacher training methodologies, and the role of Learning Support Assistants. She represents the University of Edinburgh in the Scottish University Inclusion Group and is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. Recent work includes exploring ethics-based pedagogy to reduce autistic learner exclusion and curriculum design for FE sectors. Teaching responsibilities include Comparative Approaches to Inclusive Education and Dissertation supervision for the MSc programme. Though not currently open to PhD supervision, she maintains active conference engagement through presentations at ECER and TEAN.
Catherine Polling is an NIHR Clinical Lecturer in General Psychiatry at King’s College London (KCL), affiliated with the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) and the Health Inequalities Research Group . Her work focuses on mental health inequities, self-harm epidemiology, and mixed-methods research, particularly in urban and marginalized communities. Education: MBBS from University College London, MSc in Epidemiology from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, PhD from KCL's Department of Psychological Medicine Research Interests: Catherine investigates health disparities in mental health services using advanced statistical methods (multi-level modeling, Bayesian disease mapping) and GIS-based data visualization. Her clinical work with the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust complements her academic focus on systemic racism and mental health outcomes. Teaching & Engagement: She lectures on urban mental health for KCL’s Urban Informatics MSc and co-leads training on racism in mental health services. She also facilitates reflective practice groups accredited by the Balint Society and contributes to curriculum reform via the Maudsley Cultural Psychiatry Group. Scientific Awards: NIHR Clinical Lecturer Fellowship Wellcome Training Fellowship Research Trends: Her publications emphasize self-harm risk factors, pandemic impacts on healthcare workers, ethnic disparities in mental health services, and the intersection of urban environments with mental health outcomes. She integrates large-scale clinical datasets, qualitative interviews, and spatial analysis to address systemic inequities.
Dr. Anna Bobak is a Senior Lecturer in Psychology at the University of Stirling, UK. She holds a PhD from Bournemouth University (2016) and joined Stirling as a Research Assistant on an EPSRC project under Peter Hancock before transitioning to her current role. Her primary research focuses on individual differences in unfamiliar face recognition, particularly developmental prosopagnosia, and the reliability of face-processing assessments. She also investigates neurodiversity in women, emphasizing lived experiences of autism and ADHD, including camouflaging behaviors and societal awareness. Research Interests: Face Recognition: Examines perceptual strategies, diagnostic criteria (e.g., Balanced Integration Score), and technological applications in forensic contexts. Neurodiversity: Explores gender-specific manifestations of autism and ADHD, societal perceptions, and support mechanisms. Cognitive Methodology: Advances psychometric rigor in face-processing studies and critiques measurement validity. Her work bridges theoretical research and real-world applications, such as evaluating automated face recognition technology’s biases and collaborating on initiatives like #ScienceForUkraine to aid displaced academics. She is affiliated with the Cognition in Complex Environments research group and contributes to global security and resilience themes at Stirling.
Dr Andrea Greve is a Lecturer in the Department of Psychology at the University of Cambridge . Her research focuses on cognitive processes related to memory, prediction error, and learning mechanisms. Key areas of interest include declarative memory formation, semantic predictions, and the influence of novelty on memory retention. She has explored topics such as word learning in variable-choice paradigms, the role of hippocampal lesions in memory binding, and predictive coding in neuroimaging contexts. Her work integrates experimental psychology with neuroscience methodologies, particularly leveraging neuroimaging techniques to investigate memory systems. Notable contributions include studies on false memory effects, the nonmonotonic relationship between object-location memory and expectedness, and the impact of prior knowledge on memory encoding. Dr. Greve has also contributed to methodological advancements, such as improved MRI anonymization for MEG coregistration. While her research spans multiple decades, recent efforts (2023–2025) emphasize predictive frameworks and their applications in understanding cognitive phenomena like semantic surprise and episodic memory formation. Her findings challenge traditional assumptions about fast mapping in adults and highlight the importance of integrating computational models with empirical data. Dr. Greve collaborates extensively with neuroimaging and cognitive science teams, contributing to interdisciplinary projects that bridge theoretical and applied research in memory systems. Her work maintains a strong focus on methodological rigor, particularly in experimental design and data interpretation.
Lindsey Kent is a Professor at the University of St Andrews' School of Medicine, where she serves as Deputy Head and Director of Admissions. Her research focuses on the biological foundations of psychiatric disorders, particularly ADHD and developmental language disorders. Education: Medicine (Aberdeen University, 1989), PhD (University of Birmingham, 1998) Academic Appointments: Wellcome Trust Fellow (1999), University Lecturer (University of Cambridge, 2003), Reader (University of St Andrews, 2007) Research Trends: Dr. Kent's work explores psychiatric genetics, neurodevelopmental disorders, and molecular mechanisms through genome-wide association studies, exome sequencing, and genetic epidemiology. Key Collaborations: Psychiatric Genomics Consortium, EAGLE Consortium, 23andMe Technical Focus: ATP2C2 gene variants, TNR gene associations, polygenic risk architectures Awards: Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (2000) Academic Contributions: She has directed two Wellcome Trust-funded projects on ADHD genetics and co-authored over 91 peer-reviewed publications, including significant studies in Nature Communications and Human Molecular Genetics . Her editorial roles include serving on the American Journal of Medical Genetics board (2007–2014).
