The University welcomed 50 curious future psychologists from a wide range of London schools and backgrounds to explore what the subject has to offer.
The event gave students in Year 12 and 13 the opportunity to delve into the world of psychological testing, gain the skills to analyse criminal minds and explore the mystery of neuroplasticity.
Student Ambassadors were involved throughout the day, helping visiting students with the science while also giving them an insight into university life. Bringing students in for days like this can hugely help them prepare for the next exciting chapter in their lives.
Psychology academics, with the support of the UK Student Recruitment and Outreach team, led the students through the day. To begin with, Alan Porter, Assistant Head of the School of Social Sciences, gave an overview of Psychology and its diverse applications and contributions to society. The budding psychologists then got the chance to experiment with psychological testing in an engaging session led by statistician and Lecturer Evren Raman.
Social Sciences Lecturer Dr Nikolaos Souvlakis was up next and revealed the skills required to analyse criminal minds, while Dr Haiko Ballieux, a Senior Lecturer in Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, delved into the mystery of neuroplasticity with the use of an intriguing ‘rubber hand illusion’.
The day, which was previously called Psych4Schools, also focused on health and wellbeing, by guiding students on how to use language, care and compassion in mental health settings, with the help of Dr Jo Birkett, a Social Sciences Lecturer at Westminster.
The day was a roaring success with the recurrent theme of feedback collected being that the students wanted more – a huge win for psychologists everywhere!
The day was organised by Dr Deborah Husbands, Outreach Co-ordinator for the School of Social Sciences, who said: “While outreach might be viewed as a fringe activity, it is vital that we continue to connect with our feeder schools and colleges to support student intake and inform employability prospects. Insight Days provide a fantastic opportunity for young people to connect with staff, current students and the university environment. I am grateful to the Outreach team, Alan Porter and Psychology colleagues for supporting this work.”
Speaking about the event Alan Porter said: “We were delighted to welcome Year 12 and 13 students to the School of Social Sciences to give them some hands-on experience with different kinds of psychology. The students were able to talk to clinical, counselling and forensic psychologists and to take part in Neuroscience and Cognitive Psychology research. They were able to go beyond what they can read in textbooks and experience what it is like to be a practicing psychologist.”
To find out more about what the University of Westminster has to offer, take a look at the upcoming Open Days.
