2025 Festival of Psychology in the Midlands
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About
You are invited to the BPS West and East Midlands Branch Annual Conference 2025 which will be held on Monday the 08 September at the Think Tank Museum in Birmingham.
This conference aims to celebrate the rich diversity of psychology research and practice within the Midlands. This is a fantastic opportunity for academics, practitioners, trainees and students from across the Midlands region to network with others working in the field to share their work with a friendly audience.
Abstract submission is open until 16 May.
As with previous years, we welcome posters, oral presentation (with a special steam of student talks) and workshops from all areas of psychology. There will also be a keynote talk and panel discussions (more details of these will follow soon).
Registration is free if you are a BPS member (£30 for non members), but please register soon as places are limited.
Submissions
Key Dates:
- 16 May 2025: Submission Deadline
- 16 June 2025: Notification of Outcome
- 16 June 2025: First Draft Programme Released
- 22 August 2025: Registration Deadline
As with previous years, we welcome poster/oral/workshop abstract submissions from all areas of psychology to showcase the variety of this exciting field!
- Oral Presentations
Papers are allocated 15-minute (10-minute presentation and 5- minute questions) slots on the programme. These presentations can focus on research, practice or interesting ideas. The goal is to adopt an energetic approach that captures the interest of a broad audience. - Poster Presentations
Will be timetabled into the conference programme in sessions which provide an opportunity for presenters and participants to discuss work and findings. Further information regarding the dimensions of the poster boards and suggestions of how to display poster material will be supplied to presenters who have their posters accepted. - Masterclass/Workshop
We will endeavour to accommodate any type of delivery of a masterclass (please advise us of needs in initial submission). We envisage masterclasses being of a workshop style (a mix of presentations and practical group activity). Please advise us of needs and the length of workshop in initial submission. - Student Lightning Talks
Students are very welcome to submit ALL types of submissions, but to submit a Lightning talk you MUST be a student or recent graduate and be presenting a project that you were involved with conducting as part of your studies. These presentations will be short (approximately 5-8 minutes) with brief time for questions after each presentation.
How to submit
Submissions must be made via the online application portal.
Please note: you will need to create an account if this is your first time submitting
Please ensure you read the submission guidelines before submitting, including the reviewer guidelines. These allow you to see how your submissions will be reviewed.
Registration
Ticket type breakdown:
All rates listed are inclusive of VAT at 20% and exclusive of booking fee:
Free of charge to all BPS members
£30 for all Non-members
Registration Deadline: 22 August
How to register
Please note: booking is being provided by Oxford Abstracts on behalf of BPS.
When booking online you will be directed to Oxford Abstracts.
Both the BPS and Oxford Abstracts terms and conditions and privacy policies will apply.
Dr Julie Johnston
is a Senior Lecturer in Sport Psychology at Nottingham Trent University. Julie researches social interactions in sport and how these can influence the psychosocial development and experiences of young people in sport, with a specific focus on supporting coaches, parents, clubs, and organisations to enhance these outcomes.
Julie brings a unique angle to her work, having previously been an international swimmer for over 10 years, therefore having first-hand experience of being a dual-career athlete.
Recent projects have included helping coaches meet the psychosocial needs of their GenZ swimmers, an evaluation of the UKSI Mental Health Strategy, and a prevalence study into coach mental health and wellbeing within swimming in the UK.
Prof. Christian van Nieuwerburgh
Prof. Christian van Nieuwerburgh is an academic, consultant, and executive coach. He is Professor of Coaching and Positive Psychology at the Centre for Positive Health Sciences at RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences (Ireland).
In recognition of his contributions to the fields of positive psychology and coaching, he is Principal Fellow of the Centre for Wellbeing Science at the Melbourne Graduate School of Education of the University of Melbourne (Australia) and Honorary CollectivEd Fellow of the Carnegie School of Education at Leeds Beckett University (UK).
Also known as “Coach on a Motorcycle”, Christian is a certified executive coach and is well published in the academic literature on the topics of coaching and positive psychology.
He has authored, co-authored and edited numerous books in the field of coaching, most notably An Introduction to Coaching Skills: A Practical Guide (2014, 2016, 2020). His latest books are Your Essential Guide to Effective Reflective Practice (2025, with David Love) and Radical Listening: The Art of True Connection (2025, with Robert Biswas-Diener). Follow Christian on Instagram (@coachonamotorcycle), on his YouTube channel (@coachonamotorcycle) and on his website (coachonamotorcycle.com).
Panel Discussion:
How can we use psychology to make a difference to individuals, communities and places? And how do we evidence this?
Many students choose to study psychology because they want to help people. But how do psychologists actually achieve this? While some may apply their psychology knowledge by becoming practitioners, others may focus on furthering our understanding of the human mind and behaviour through research endeavours (and of course some will combine both of these).
In addition to using psychology to make a difference, increasing emphasis is being placed, in both research and practice settings, on the importance of providing evidence of the impact that the work of psychologists is having.
The aim of this panel is to discuss the skills, opportunities and approaches that panel members have in both using their psychology and their reflections on how evidence of impact can be collected.
Panel members:
- Dr Erica Bowen (Professor of Forensic Psychology and Chartered Coaching Psychologist)
- Dr Amy Burton (Associate Professor of Qualitative Health Research, Chartered Health Psychologist and Academic)
- Dr Sian Ferguson (Occupational Psychologist)
Dr Amy Burton
Dr Amy Burton is a Health Psychologist and Associate Professor of Qualitative Health Research. Amy specialises in the use of qualitative and participatory methods to explore health-related experiences with research spanning topics including breastfeeding, hereditary angioedema (HAE), cleft palate, diabetes, and chronic pain.
Through participatory research approaches, Amy's work has had a wide-ranging impact. For example, influencing local breastfeeding support, national cleft care, and the work of charity HAE UK. Amy is also committed to making a difference to participants through engaging them as co-researchers, and many have developed new research skills, built confidence, and felt empowered to make a difference within their communities.
Sian Ferguson
Sian Ferguson specialises in leadership assessment and development, partnering with organisations to address the complexities of today’s business environment. As Consulting Director at Gadby, she leverages her extensive experience, including roles at Kincentric/Spencer Stuart and a global assessment firm. Sian has worked with major organisations like the BBC and Nationwide Building Society, driving executive-level assessments and cultural transformation.
As an executive coach, Sian helps senior leaders optimise their potential, navigating the challenges of modern organisations. She focuses on refining leadership styles, enhancing decision-making, and fostering self-awareness, enabling leaders to lead with resilience, agility, and impact in the ever-changing and challenging world of business.
Want to speak to one of the team?
Contact us at [email protected].