Prestigious psychology title for Teesside academic

Teesside University academic Professor Anna van Wersch has received the prestigious title of Fellow of The British Psychological Society (BPS).

This title, which recognises a significant contribution to psychology, is the highest designation the Society can bestow. It demonstrates outstanding contribution to the advancement or dissemination of psychological knowledge or practice through research, teaching, publications or public service.

Professor van Wersch is based in the University’s School of Social Sciences & Law and is a member of the Social Futures Institute.

The Dutch-born academic’s research interests include psychosocial aspects of the aetiology and prevention of breast cancer, communication in health care, stress and coping, psychological aspects of complementary and integrated medicine, body and embodiment, and medical unexplained symptoms (MUS) and psychology.

Her research in recent years has looked at women’s experiences of breast cancer, Britain’s binge drinking culture and improving sex education in British families and the education system.

Internationally, she currently works with colleagues from the University of Toulouse on facilitations and inhibitions towards the introduction of the male contraceptive pill, with the University of Paris and with the University of Groningen in the Netherlands on adherence to clinical breast cancer guidelines in primary care and with the University of Twente in the Netherlands on binge drinking among young people.

Professor van Wersch said: 'I was over the moon when the BPS awarded me with this individual honour. The award means a lot to me.

'Personally I see it as a crown on my continuous love and interest for psychology as a social science and professionally, as an important contributor towards my esteem factors for the Research Exercise Framework (REF) and for both the Psychology Section and my MSc Health Psychology programme, for which I have been the programme director for 14 years.'

She added: 'Before starting as a senior lecturer in psychology at Teesside University in 1997, I worked for five years as a social oncologist research manager at the Daniel den Hoed Cancer Clinic in Rotterdam, where I developed and managed four projects on a quarter of a million pounds research grants budget aiming to integrate social-psychological knowledge into clinical cancer care.

'Before that I was based in Northern Ireland where I obtained my first ESRC (Economic and Social Research Council) grant to study the social psychological aspects of sport and exercise behaviour in adolescents. Together with the award of a fellowship at the Institute of Irish Studies, I used this research for the completion of my PhD at the Queen’s University of Belfast in 1991.'

She added: 'Regarding research achievements during my career as a psychologist, in collaborations with colleagues I have brought in over £800,000 research grant money and disseminated my psychological work through three books, nine book chapters and over 50 research publications. Regarding teaching, along with being a lecturer for under and postgraduate psychology modules, I have supervised to completion 11 PhDs, nine Clinical Psychology doctorates and over 100 undergraduate and 100 MSc theses.'

She added: 'I have been a member of the British Psychological Society (BPS) Division of Health Psychology Training Committee since 2001 and as such, I have accredited over 30 programmes at more than 15 British universities. In addition, I have been a member and deputy chair of the Admission Committee of the BPS.

'I thought at first that the BPS was rewarding me as a Fellow due to the committee work I had accomplished for them over the years, but then I read the award was to recognise me as an internationally respected expert in health and sports and exercise psychology, which was a lovely surprise.'

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