Staff profile

My research interests are in early mother-infant interaction starting prenatally from around 12 weeks of gestational age. I am currently working on the effect of maternal stress and depression on infant cognitive, emotional and social development.

Press Contacts

• prenatal to postnatal development
• fetal development
• premature infant development
• maternal stress and depression
• mother-infant interaction

• 2022: expert member on the Social Sciences panel for the Irish Research Council Laureate Awards (IRCLA) 2021/22: Starting and Consolidator Laureate Awards Programme | Funding | Irish Research Council
• 2021: Athena Swan Equality Assessment panel:
• 2020: Athena Swan Equality Assessment panel:
• 2017: Invited address Royal Society of Psychiatrists: Invited address Royal Society of Psychiatrists ( Nov 2017)
• 2017: Invited CPD accredited lecture: Invited CPD accredited lecture entitled: Fetal development and the effects of 4D scanning on prenatal attachment: making the fetus a person Nottingham Small Steps Lottery funded program (2017). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXVuEBz0Uaw&feature=youtu.be
• 2017: Invited plenary address,The Japan Academy of Neursonology,Japan: June 2017, Takamatsu, Kagawa, Japan: The 36th Annual Congress of The Japan Academy of Neursonology: invited plenary address entitled: The potential of assessing fetal neurobehavioral development using the Fetal Observable Movement System (FOMS)
• 2017: Athena Swan Equality Assessment panel: Athena Swan Equality charter mark Assessment panel assesing 4 Departments/Universities Feb 2017
• 2017: Athena Swan Race Equality Charter Mark review panel: Athena Swan Race Equality Charter Mark review panel Feb 2016
• 2017: Member of the Inner Assessment Board Irish Research Council for the Humanities and Social Sciences (IRCHSS): Member of the Inner Assessment Board Irish Research Council for the Humanities and Social Sciences (IRCHSS) Postdoctoral Assessment Board (2014, 2017) reviewing Marie Curie postdoctoral fellowship applications meeting 12 and 13 April 2017 in Dublin at the headquarter of the Irish Research Council
• 2016: Associate Editor Infant and Child Development:
• 2016: Distinguished memorial lecture, Society for New Fetal Medicine and Science, Japan: November 2016, Otsu Japan: The 4th Conference of the Society for New Fetal Medicine and Science: “distinguished memorial lecture “ entitled: The untapped potential of using ultrasound to improve research and clinical practice
• 2016: Invite talk International Marcé Society Australia: Sept 2016, The International Marcé Society for Perinatal Mental Health: Melbourne, Australia: invited talk entitled: The effects of prenatal maternal stress and smoking on fetal behaviour.
• 2016: Invited Plenary Speaker: Society for New Fetal Medicine and Science, Otsu, Japan
• 2015: written evidence for NHS strategy: written evidence can be found under: NEWS and Resources/Parliament page
• 2015: Houses of Paliament: Evidence to the AAPG conception to age 2
• 2014: Editorial Board European Journal of Developmental Psychology:
• 2013: Govenor and member of the Appointments and Remuneration Committee:
• 2013: International Assessment Board evaluating the Irish Research Council for Humanities and Social Sciences (IRCHSS) Government of Ireland Postdoctoral Fellowships 2013: Asssessing postdoctoral grant applications (1-3 years) including ELEVATE Marie Curie International Mobility Postdoctoral Fellowship
• 2012: International Assessment Board (IAB) evaluating the Irish Research Council for Humanities and Social Sciences (IRCHSS) Government of Ireland Postdoctoral Fellowships 2012:
• 2012: Govenor TEWVMember of the Appointments and Remuneration Committee: Govenor of the Tees, Esk and Wear Valley NHS foundation trust. Member of the Appointments and Remuneration Committee. Member of the improving experience of carers sub-committee.
• 2011: International Assessment Board (IAB) evaluating the Irish Research Council for Humanities and Social Sciences (IRCHSS) Government of Ireland Postdoctoral Fellowships 2011: Invited member to serve on the board of the IRCHSS postdoctoral fellowships.