Fern Mitchell
Lecturer in Psychology / Departmental Administrator
Fern is a full-time member of staff in the Psychology Department at Wrexham University. Fern has been the Departmental Administrator since 2017 and now works part-time in this role alongside being a Programme Leader for three WGU Online MSc Psychology programmes. Fern is a Lecturer on the BPS accredited BSc Psychology programme and holds a BSc (Hons) in Psychology from Bangor University.
Fern is currently working towards the completion of an MPhil; using Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis to explore parental experiences of informal science learning and family engagement at a science discovery centre. Fern has worked in various roles in Higher Education over the last 11 years including, Careers and Employability, Inclusion services, Administration, Quality and Regulations, Research and Lecturing. Outside her role at WU, Fern has also volunteered for organisations supporting students in crisis, and for survivors of rape and sexual abuse. Fern currently sits on a Board of Directors for a Social Enterprise in Wales which provides psychological services to families in need.
Research Interests
Informal learning
Science Capital
Sedentary/active working
Conservation
Public perceptions of science
ACEs, trauma and attachment styles
Neurodiversity
Research Projects
| Title | Role | Description | From/To |
|---|---|---|---|
| ‘Xplore! Science Discovery Centre: A qualitative exploration of parental experiences of informal science learning and family engagement | Researcher | Project for MPhil candidacy | 21/09/2020 |
Honors and Awards
| Date | Title | Awarding Body |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Best Presentation: Xplore! Science Discovery Centre: A qualitative exploration of parental experiences of informal science learning. | British Psychological Society |
| 2024 | Winner of the Visualising Research Competition (2022) | Wrexham University |
| 2019 | Awardee of Development of Education, Learning, Teaching and Assessment (DELTA) Fund | Wrexham University |
Professional Associations
| Association | Function |
|---|---|
| British Psychological Society | Graduate |
Committees
| Name | Description | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Research Concordat at Wrexham University | 2022 - Present | |
| Keystones Family Support Ltd | Member of Board of Directors and Secretary: Administrative support to a social enterprise that seeks to promote wellbeing, safety, and good mental health in the children, families, and carers. | 2021-2024 |
Employment
| Employer | Position | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Wrexham University | Psychology Administrator | 2017 - 2024 |
| Wrexham University | Lecturer in Psychology | 2022 - 2024 |
| Wrexham University | Research Assistant (Secondment) | 2020 - 022 |
| Wrexham University | Senior Quality and Regulations Officer (Secondment) | 2019 - 2020 |
Education
| Institution | Qualification | Subject | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wrexham University | Master of Philosophy candidate | ‘Xplore! Science Discovery Centre: A qualitative exploration of parental experiences of informal science learning’ | 2020 |
| Bangor University | BSc (Hons) Psychology | Psychology | 2012 - 2015 |
Outreach Activities
| Title | Description |
|---|---|
| Conference presenter: A qualitative exploration of parental experiences of informal science learning’ | ‘Xplore! Science Discovery Centre: A qualitative exploration of parental experiences of informal science learning’ for the BPS Welsh Branch Connecting Communities conference hosted at University of Wales, Trinity St. David; Swansea, South Wales |
| 'Psych Talks' presenter | ‘Xplore! Science Discovery Centre: A qualitative exploration of parental experiences of informal science learning’ for the Psychology Department’s seminar series ‘Psych Talks’ at Wrexham University, Wrexham, North Wales. |
| Successful Job Sharing | ‘Successful Job Sharing’ co-presented with Nicola Sciarrillo for ENGAGE! Staff conference at Wrexham University. |
| Why Psychology graduates are so employable | Speaker at the Wrexham University Psychology Department Enrichment Week: ‘Why Psychology graduates are so employable’ in 2021. |
| A qualitative approach to research methods, using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) | ‘A qualitative approach to research methods, using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA)’ for the Research Capacity Building Collaboration (RCBC) symposium for nursing, midwifery and allied health professionals, hosted at Holt Lodge, Wrexham, North Wales. |
| ‘Xplore! Preparing for a Future Generation: Developing a model for ongoing evaluation’ | ‘Xplore! Preparing for a Future Generation: Developing a model for ongoing evaluation’ for ENGAGE! Staff conference at Wrexham University. |
| The Role of Music in Recovery and Wellness in Mental Health | Facilitation of a workshop for Level 6 Mental Health and Wellbeing students at Wrexham University to explore the value in songwriting and music in Mental Health. Students worked in groups to create lyrics based around the module content and I collated the ideas to create a song which was performed at the end of the session. |
Programs/ Modules Coordinated
| Title | Subject |
|---|---|
| The Skills You Need | FY301 |
| Contextual Studies | FY302 |
| Work Based Learning | PSY621 |
| Study Skills for Psychology | PSY406 |
| Study Skills for Psychology | PSY425 |
| Research Proposal | PSYON704 |