News
Prof. Dianne Berry receives her OBE awarded in 2012 New Year Honours
Congratulations to Professor Dianne Berry who received an Order of the British Empire, OBE for services to scientific research in the 2012 New Year Honours list. Professor Berry has been a member of the University since 1990 when she joined as Lecturer in Psychology. She went on to become Professor in 1997. She is currently Director of Postgraduate Studies and Researcher Development. She has previously held the posts of Dean of Social Sciences and Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research. More...
March 2012
The impossible staircase in our heads: How we visualise the world
Our interpretation of the world around us may have more in common with the impossible staircase illusion than it does the real world, according to research from the University of Reading. The study, funded by the Wellcome Trust and published in the open access journal PLoS ONE, suggests that we do not hold a three-dimensional representation of our surroundings in our heads, as was previously thought. More...
March 2012
Health and happiness: Measuring wellbeing in Huntingtons disease
Scientists at the University of Reading have designed a new tool which could significantly aid research and management of an incurable brain disease affecting thousands of people.The ground-breaking project, led by Dr Aileen Ho, from the School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences at the University of Reading, has created a new system to measure the relative wellbeing of people who have Huntington's disease, a genetic brain disease for which there is currently no known cure. More...
March 2012
Understanding how people stay happy later in life
Scientists at the University of Reading have been awarded funding to examine how our brains deal with emotion as we age. Dr Carien van Reekum, a researcher at the University's Centre for Integrative Neuroscience and Neurodynamics (CINN), said the results of the research could help to break down misunderstandings about mental health and ageing among the general public and inform governments and public health bodies how to maintain levels of wellbeing among an ageing population. More...
January 2012
Sweet sounds of link-up between University and business
A link between the University of Reading and organic baby and toddler food company Ella's Kitchen has provided the scientific back-up for a campaign to encourage toddlers to eat more fruit and vegetables. The company has launched a series of songs recorded by former S Club 7 singer Rachel Stevens to try and encourage young children to eat more healthy foods. More...
November 2011
Mental health charity's award for Reading professor
Professor Roz Shafran received the Marsh Award for Mental Health Work 2011 on Saturday November 12, hosted at the National Member's day of mental health charity Rethink Mental Illness, for her contribution to the field of mental health research. The award, run in a partnership between Rethink and the Marsh Christian Trust, is presented annually and recognises an outstanding contribution by an individual working or volunteering in the field of mental health. More...
November 2011
Partnership wins funding to provide mental health support for young people.
The Charlie Waller Institute of Evidence-Based Psychological Treatment, the University of Reading's pioneering mental health training and research centre, and Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust have been awarded funding by the Government to improve mental health support for young people. The University of Reading and Oxford Health NHS FT have joined to be a collaborative for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services. More...
October 2011
New research explores our memories of poetry.
Research from the Universities of Reading and Oxford suggests that learning poems by heart makes people feel better and strengthens identity. Dr Clare Rathbone, of the University of Reading's School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences, and Dr Abigail Williams, of Oxford University's English Faculty, are challenging members of the public to remember the poems that are significant to them in an online survey on National Poetry Day on Thursday and to describe their memories and feelings relating to these poems. More...
October 2011
Public event aims to raise awareness of OCD.
What is Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and how does it affects sufferers' lives? The University of Reading is hosting an event by OCD-UK to highlight this chronic condition during International OCD Awareness Week. The seminar on Monday 10 October is free to all, whether you would just like to find out more about OCD or are a healthcare professional. OCD-UK is a charity dedicated to improving the mental health and well-being of almost one million children and adults in the UK whose lives are affected by OCD. More...
October 2011
Graduates' job prospects on 10-year high.
Seventy per cent of all students have graduated from The University of Reading with a job – the highest figure for a decade. Figures from the Higher Education Statistics Association (HESA) published this month showed that 92 per cent of Readings graduates were in work, voluntary or unpaid work or further study, while the unemployment rate fell by two to 6.6 per cent below the national average of 8.8 per cent. More...
August 2011
Chartered Institute of Building award for Reading research student.
Richard Tetlow, a Psychology post graduate student at the University of Reading received an engraved medal, certificate and a cheque for £250 from the Chartered Institute of Building for one of the best papers presented at the Technologies for Sustainable Built Environments conference in July. Richard won his prize for a paper showing how dual-process theories of cognition (from cognitive psychology) provide novel ways for the construction industry to encourage sustainable energy use in buildings by encouraging energy-efficiency within both controlled and automatic aspects of cognition and behaviour.
July 2011
Smile - It's in your genes to look longer at happy faces.
New research led by Dr Bhismadev Chakrabarti from the University of Reading and Professor Simon Baron-Cohen at the University of Cambridge has found how long we look at happy faces is influenced by our DNA. This is the first study of its type and could have profound implications for our understanding of the drive to socialize, and in turn, the atypical use of gaze in autism. More...
June 2011
Depression in teenage years linked to maternal postnatal depression.
The study,The Maternal Postnatal Depression and the Development of Depression in Offspring Up to 16 Years of Age', by Professor Lynne Murray of the Department of Psychology shows that children of postnatally depressed mothers are more likely to suffer from depression themselves than those of non-depressed mothers. More...
June 2011
Dr Patricia Riddell Thanks Students for her RUSU Award for Outstanding Contribution to Teaching and Learning.
Tricia has been awarded the 2011 Gold Star Award for Teaching and Learning in the Faculty of Life Science. These are the exciting new way for students to recognise and reward members of University staff who go above and beyond their normal duties in enhancing the student learning experience. This is an especially sought after award since the nominations for the prize come directly from students and are considered by a panel of student representatives who select a winner in each Faculty. More...
May 2011
Widespread media reporting of Dr David Field's finding that consuming cocoa flavanol improves visual function.
A study published by Dr David Field of the Psychology Department has found that eating chocolate containing high levels of cocoa flavanol improves vision. Compounds in cocoa beans known as flavonols, found in high concentrations in some dark chocolates, may improve blood flow to the retina and the brain, and the effects appear to last for several hours. Within the UK the study has been reported in the Mail on Sunday and internationally by Scientific American, NUTRA Ingrediants and Healthzone.ca. Find the full article here...
April 2011
Departments of Pharmacy and Psychology in joint venture.
A research group at the University of Reading, led by Dr Ben Whalley, Dr Claire Williams and Dr Gary Stephens from the Departments of Pharmacy and Psychology, is looking at whether individual compounds derived from cannabis, known as cannabinoids, could provide a solution to some of these difficult to treat seizures. More...
April 2011
Final-year student Wendy Jephson wins first prize at BPS.
Wendy Jephson, a final-year BSc Psychology student at Reading, has been awarded first prize in the British Psychological Society's (BPS) London and Home Counties undergraduate competition for a poster on the subject of "The Contribution of Psychology in Society". Wendy was presented with an award of £500 by Dr Gerry Mulhern, President of the BPS, at the Psychology For All conference held on 26th March at Westminster University. She is pictured with Dr Mulhern in front of her winning poster, entitled "Psychology - All the world's a stage". See the poster here...
March 2011
The Wall Street Journal interviews Reading's Dr Carien van Reekum for "well-being" article.
In the Health section of the 15th March edition of The Wall Street Journal, an interview with Dr Carien van Reekum contributed to an article entitled "Is happiness overrated?" Dr van Reekum of the University of Reading's Centre for Integrative Neuroscience and Neurodynamics suggested how people with high eudaimonic well-being may have a more positive approach to potentially stressful events in life. Find the full article here...
March 2011
BBC seeks Reading researcher's views in Sky Sports sexism case.
In the aftermath of the sexism scandal that followed Sky TV presenters Andy Gray and Richard Keys off-air banter about the competence of female assistant referee Sian Massey, Dr Natalie Hall, a Social Psychologist at the University of Reading provided expert comment on the effects of sexism and sexist humour on Anne Diamond’s BBC Radio show. More...
January 2011
We scan Sir John Madejski's brain.
University of Reading, Henley Business School and CINN (Centre for Integrative Neuroscience and Neurodynamics) are working together on a project to explore how leaders make decisions with complex and conflicting information. Brain scans will be taken of top business leaders and military people as part of this. Sir John Madejski is the first businessman to be scanned. More...
November 2010
Reading's Professor Roz Shafran wins prestigious BPS award.
Professor Roz Shafran, who holds the Charlie Waller Chair of Evidence-based Psychological Treatment at the University of Reading, has won the Society’s 2010 Award for Distinguished Contributions to Professional Psychology. This mid-career award is made each year to recognise and celebrate a psychologist who has made an outstanding contribution to professional practice. More...
November 2010
Dr Cathy Creswell wins May Davidson Award.
Dr Cathy Creswell from the University of Reading has won this year’s May Davidson Award. The Award is made by the British Psychological Society's Division of Clinical Psychology each year to a clinical psychologist who has made an outstanding contribution to the discipline and profession within 10 years of qualifying. More...
October 2010
