Gemma Graham

I am the BA (Hons) Psychology and Criminology Course Leader, and module coordinate Psychology of Security and Forensic Psychology. My strengths lie in creating engaging and innovative teaching materials and I have a proven track record of delivering excellence in teaching. As well as Psychology of Security and Forensic Psychology, I currently deliver lectures and seminars in Cyberpsychology, Psychology, The Body and Individual Differences and supervise final year undergraduate dissertations.

I like to provide students with an engaging and interactive learning environment. For example, I designed and ran interactive Psychology of Security seminars, where students design cybercrime campaigns in the Explore Studio Space at Falmer. The studio has the latest in classroom technology and is a truly flexible learning environment, created for flipped learning activities. Using innovative technology such as padcasters, green screen and iMotion with Lego led to the students showcasing their engaging and creative cybercrime campaigns. The students praised the use of the Explore Studio within the module.

My research investigates how people attend to CCTV footage, particularly when instructed to focus on specific features in the footage and witnessing different severity of crimes. This research is important as CCTV footage is used as evidence in court, however, very little is known about the behavioural characteristics of the CCTV observer, and the strategies applied by observers when visually attending to CCTV footage.

I am trained in using a range of eye trackers and have integrated eye tracking technology into many research projects, including tracking people’s eyes as they observe CCTV footage. Eye-tracking technology is a growing field used to detect eye movements and analyse human processing of visual information in both the lab and in natural environments. The data is innovative and informative, allowing researchers a unique insight into how we attend to and understand the world around us.

My other research interests include:

• Online deviance and cybercrime
• Forensic risk assessments
• Psychological impact of crime
• Change blindness

I'm happy to supervise PhD students on a range of topics broadly relating to Forensic Psychology and Cyberpsychology. I am especially interested in supervising students adopting an Eye Tracking methodology. Current PhD projects I am supervising address the following:

• Terror Management Theory approaches to climate change communication (Joe Rennie-Taylor)

I am an Eye Tracker advisor to both internal and external research projects. I have successfully contributed to the setting up of exciting collaborations.

Recent/current projects I have advised on:

• investigating how novice and expert pharmacists inspect drug charts
• evaluating student engagement with blended learning technology in lectures
• use of eye tracking and physiological measures to ascertain anxiety levels and awareness of deceptive tactics whilst evaluating email scams and corresponding behaviour