Building a psychology community

Read this article in Welsh

BPS Welsh Branch: Hello and welcome to our newly appointed Chair Dr Sharon Davis!

Sharon: Shw mae pawb!

We've loved getting to know you over the years, can you tell our members a little more about you? Perhaps starting with your academic background?

 I am a chartered psychologist. My first degree was from Goldsmiths College in London. I then journeyed to Cardiff University to do an MSc in Occupational Psychology (distinction) and whilst starting my PhD in Cardiff, my supervisor married and moved to Canada.

To find a supervisor who understood my research I moved to University of Gloucestershire to complete my PhD (thank you Professor Graham Edgar and Professor Di Catherwood). An interesting journey for sure but a worthwhile adventure.

How would you describe your work approach now?

I consider myself a mixed methods researcher whose epistemological and ontological stance on research (much like my working life) is one of pragmatism. As an applied researcher, working in real life work settings, finding the right method for the right moment at the right time with the right participants is always an interesting tension.

My last piece of research was looking at the decision-making process around the use of a cardiotocograph machine in the delivery of babies and sought to find out why human beings can, at times, be unreliable in this process.

That is incredibly interesting, thank you for sharing Sharon. Are you still involved with academia today?

Absolutely - My passion and interest in psychology is forever in my reading, writing and working life. I am a senior lecturer at the Open University in Wales and I also have the role as a staff tutor.

This role, peculiar to the OU, is where we are responsible for the psychology students across all levels of study at the OU in Wales, the associate lecturers that directly tutor the students, liaising with the student support teams and part of the central academic teams who develop and write the materials and books for the modules on our psychology and counselling degree courses and the virtual learning environments.

I am the chair of the final year BPS dissertation module which over 2,500 students are studying. This brings an array of interesting topics to work with. Life is never dull and why would it be when it is all about psychology.

Being part of the team in Wales gives me a unique and privileged position to work with other universities in Wales as well as employers and businesses.

We couldn't agree more. Tell us about your involvement with the BPS and what you are looking forward to doing as Chair of the BPS Welsh Branch?

I have been a member of the BPS for more than 20 years and would love to bring the BPS Welsh Branch to represent our psychology community in Wales.

There is so much talent and interesting people from all aspects of the psychology community, we may do different jobs, but we all love psychology. We are and will never be short of something to talk about.

This is something I am really keen to work on going forward. Working together as a community, bringing our trainees, divisions, students, employers and universities together to build this psychology community. Our new student ambassadors will add to this and I look forward to them being an integral part of our team. To discuss good practice and share research and interests across the board. Our trainees and students are our future psychologists. 

Sounds wonderful. Is there something we should keep an eye out for specifically this year?

Yes - please save the date: 10 June 2023 for our student and trainee conference in Swansea. Watch this space too as we are hoping to start a series of interesting talks to showcase the richness and depth of psychology in Wales and the research that supports this.

It is in the diary! Any final words to our members?

I am really excited and privileged to represent and chair the Welsh Branch of the BPS, thank you for this opportunity.

Thank you Sharon and welcome!