{"id":504,"date":"2025-02-23T21:23:52","date_gmt":"2025-02-23T21:23:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/pedagogical-research-pcls\/?page_id=504"},"modified":"2026-03-13T13:32:13","modified_gmt":"2026-03-13T13:32:13","slug":"people","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/pedagogical-research-pcls\/people\/","title":{"rendered":"People"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_section][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Meet Our Team<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/3″][vc_single_image image=”599″ style=”vc_box_border_circle”][vc_column_text]Rachel Pye<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

PRaES Group Co-Lead<\/span><\/em>
\nAssociate Professor<\/span><\/p>\n

I am interested in assessment, especially for large groups, and am currently working in a student-partnered project on this topic. My other interest is on how and why people believe ‘neuromyths’ and how this can affect education.<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/3″][vc_single_image image=”731″ style=”vc_box_border_circle”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

Alana James<\/span><\/h3>\n

PRaES Group Co-Lead<\/span><\/em>
\nProfessor<\/span><\/p>\n

My research is primarily focused upon wellbeing in university students. I have investigated the experiences of students with mental health conditions or who are autistic, including experiences of the transition out of university and the effectiveness of university support.<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/3″][vc_single_image image=”711″ style=”vc_box_border_circle”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

Lydia Yee<\/span><\/h4>\n

Lecturer<\/span><\/p>\n

I am interested in finding ways to enhance students\u2019 academic engagement, as well as helping international students adjust to studying in the UK.<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][\/vc_section][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/3″][vc_single_image image=”485″ style=”vc_box_border_circle”][vc_column_text]Melissa Snaith<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Lecturer<\/span><\/p>\n

Improving the quality of supervision and training in cognitive behavioural therapy.<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/3″][vc_single_image image=”732″ style=”vc_box_border_circle”][vc_column_text]Emma Pape<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Lecturer<\/span><\/p>\n

My main interest is in decolonising the curriculum and bridging the awarding gap.<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/3″][vc_single_image image=”402″ style=”vc_box_border_circle”][vc_column_text]Denis Persichini<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

PhD Student<\/span><\/p>\n

My research focuses on employability within higher education, specifically on how students perceived their readiness for the job market and its connection to their mental health and personal attitudes. I am examining diverse student populations, including those from varied socioeconomic backgrounds and international students.<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/3″][vc_single_image image=”736″ style=”vc_box_border_circle”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

Paul Jenkins<\/span><\/strong><\/h1>\n

Associate Professor<\/span><\/p>\n

I am interested in mental health and how this can affect student outcomes, and how it can be supported. I am also interested in how students are assessed.<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/3″][vc_single_image image=”735″ style=”vc_box_border_circle”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

Amanda Branson<\/span><\/strong><\/h1>\n

Associate Professor<\/span><\/p>\n

I am interested in employability and how to support and enhance career literacy. I am also interested in how assessment can be used to support learning.\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/3″][vc_single_image image=”747″ style=”vc_box_border_circle”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

Zola Dean<\/span><\/strong><\/h1>\n

Lecturer<\/p>\n

I am primarily interested in student wellbeing and how this relates to the student experience in Higher Education. This includes how students perceive and experience assessments, and how they engage with their programme more generally. I am also interested in how students can be supported and empowered to effectively engage with their programme, in order to help them succeed in achieving their academic goals.\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/3″][vc_single_image image=”748″ style=”vc_box_border_circle”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

Mirjana Sokolovic-Perovic<\/span><\/strong><\/h1>\n

Associate Professor<\/span><\/p>\n

I am interested in supporting student transitions to university, in supporting international students, and in technology-enhanced learning.<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/3″][vc_single_image image=”854″ style=”vc_box_border_circle_2″][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

Sam Szade<\/span><\/strong><\/h1>\n

PhD Student<\/span><\/p>\n

My research examines the experiences of neurodiverse students in UK universities, particularly those with autism. I have an interest in the rise in self-diagnosis\/identity of neurodiversity amongst teenagers and young people.<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/3″][vc_single_image image=”857″ style=”vc_box_border_circle_2″][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

Karen Cross<\/span><\/strong><\/h1>\n

PhD Student<\/span><\/p>\n

My research explores how autistic university students experience identification, disclosure, and support within UK higher education. It focuses on 3 student groups: those diagnosed while studying, those seeking diagnosis, and those who self-identify without pursuing formal assessment. Study findings aim to understand how universities can create more equitable and inclusive systems of support.<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/3″][vc_single_image image=”869″ style=”vc_box_border_circle”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

Jaweria Ehsan<\/span><\/strong><\/h1>\n

Placement Student<\/span><\/p>\n

I am supporting research within the PRaES group, and am particularly interested in the experiences of university students with chronic health conditions.<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/3″][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/3″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

[vc_section][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Meet Our Team[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/3″][vc_single_image image=”599″ style=”vc_box_border_circle”][vc_column_text]Rachel Pye PRaES Group Co-Lead Associate Professor I am interested in assessment, especially for large groups, and am currently working in a student-partnered project on…Read More ><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":219,"featured_media":237,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"__cvm_playback_settings":[],"__cvm_video_id":"","footnotes":""},"coauthors":[14],"class_list":["post-504","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nPeople - Pedagogical Research and Educational Scholarship (PRaES)<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/pedagogical-research-pcls\/people\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"People - 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Pedagogical Research and Educational Scholarship (PRaES)","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/pedagogical-research-pcls\/people\/","og_locale":"en_GB","og_type":"article","og_title":"People - Pedagogical Research and Educational Scholarship (PRaES)","og_description":"[vc_section][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Meet Our Team[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/3″][vc_single_image image=”599″ style=”vc_box_border_circle”][vc_column_text]Rachel Pye PRaES Group Co-Lead Associate Professor I am interested in assessment, especially for large groups, and am currently working in a student-partnered project on...Read More >","og_url":"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/pedagogical-research-pcls\/people\/","og_site_name":"Pedagogical Research and Educational Scholarship (PRaES)","article_modified_time":"2026-03-13T13:32:13+00:00","og_image":[{"width":902,"height":839,"url":"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/pedagogical-research-pcls\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/342\/2024\/09\/PRaES_iconv2.png","type":"image\/png"}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Estimated reading time":"3 minutes","Written by":"Alex Daykin"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/pedagogical-research-pcls\/people\/","url":"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/pedagogical-research-pcls\/people\/","name":"People - 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