Rikki started as a lecturer in the department in August. We caught up with Rikki to get to know more about them better.
What drew you to the Psychology Department at Royal Holloway?
I was initially drawn to the Department because of its reputation for supporting high-quality, cutting-edge research. When I interviewed for my current position, however, I was struck by how friendly the staff were, and I loved the collaborative approach to teaching. I felt instantly at home.
Since starting in August, I am pleased to say that feeling hasn’t gone away.
Your role at Royal Holloway / how do you contribute to teaching within the department?
Like most lecturers, my role involves some combination of research, teaching, and administrative duties.
This year, I will serve as the module coordinator for PS2120 (How Can Psychology Change the World? Clinical and Neuroscientific Perspectives) and will deliver a lecture on midlife brain health for PS3061 (Ageing Brain). I will also act as a final-year project supervisor and a personal tutor, providing both academic and pastoral support to students.
What is your research area and current projects?
Generally speaking, my work seeks to understand what happens to the brain as we age, the implications these changes have for cognitive functions such as memory, and the factors that might explain why some people are more (or less) likely to experience cognitive problems as they age.
My most recent research has focused on midlife and menopause. Midlife is often neglected in research on the ageing brain, which means that we know relatively little about changes related to midlife-specific events like menopause. Given that as many as two-thirds of women report experiencing “brain fog” during the menopausal transition, this represents a major gap in our understanding, one which I hope to help tackle in my research at Royal Holloway.
Besides research & teaching, what is your role in the department?
I’m the Environment Lead for the Combined Universities Brain Imaging Centre (CUBIC), which is based here at Royal Holloway. In essence, I’m the cheerleader for all things MRI!
I’m also the Health & Wellbeing convenor for the Department’s weekly seminar series and will be representing the Department on the BBSRC-funded London Interdisciplinary Doctoral Programme (LIDo).
What do you enjoy doing outside of work?
I love to travel to new places and try new things (mainly food), something that my wife and I do as often as time and money allows! On a normal day, though, I enjoy the simple things: spending time with family, walking my dog, listening to podcasts, and watching football.
