Building a stronger, more inclusive community in psychological science

Dr Diaz will serve a three-year term until 2028, making history as the first woman to hold this position in the section's 56-year history.

Dr Diaz is committed to fostering a welcoming and supportive environment where every member feels valued and empowered. One of her key initiatives will be celebrating the achievements of section members through new awards recognising outstanding contributions and innovative research. Additionally, she plans to share personal stories from members, highlighting their journeys to inspire others.

Equally important, Dr Diaz aims to cultivate a culture of openness by creating safe spaces where members feel comfortable sharing their perspectives.

A vision for the future

She said:

"As chair, I will champion the integration of mathematics, statistics, and computing into psychology, ensuring these fields are both accessible and inclusive."

She would do this through:

• Developing educational resources, mentorship programmes, and interdisciplinary collaborations.
• Amplifying diverse voices, particularly women and underrepresented groups, through speaker series and leadership opportunities.
• Advocating for the ethical use of AI and data science in psychological research.
• Supporting early-career researchers and promoting advanced computational methods in curricula.

"Together, we can create a dynamic and inclusive space where innovation in psychological research thrives. It is an honour to lead this mission," Dr Diaz added.

Dr Diaz is a lecturer in psychology with a particular focus on cognitive neuroscience. Her research explores human perceptual learning, neural plasticity, decision-making, and cognitive development. She is also interested in how the brain processes numerical information and its potential links to dyscalculia. For more about her work, visit: www.jessicadiaz.org