Profile
Cat Sebastian
Ready for questions!
My CV
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Education:
University of Oxford 2005-6; University College London 2006-9
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Qualifications:
BA Experimental Psychology, MSc Neuroscience, PhD Psychology (Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience)
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Work History:
University College London 2009-12, Royal Holloway University of London, 2012-present
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Current Job:
Reader in Psychology
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About Me
Psychologist, Mum, avid reader, wannabe foodie
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I’m based in Greater London with my partner and three-year old daughter, so the work-life juggling act is in full swing! Apart from family time, I love reading, spending time with friends, eating, and even sometimes cooking.
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I’m a Reader in Psychology at Royal Holloway University of London. As an academic and university lecturer, my role is split between teaching undergraduate and MSc students, managing our department’s PhD programme, and my own research. I direct the Emotion, Development and Brain Lab, and our research is aimed at understanding how young people learn to regulate or control their emotions, how this relates to mental health, and how brain development may contribute to this process.
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My Typical Day
The never-ending to do list!
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The great thing about being an academic is that there’s no such thing as a typical day, which makes for a very varied career. One day I will be in the lecture theatre, the next I could be running a neuroimaging project in the MRI lab, and the next I could be presenting our research at a conference anywhere in the world. However, most days are a mixture of meetings with students and my research group, helping my department to run smoothly, and of course, emails!
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What I'd do with the prize money
Boys: psychology, psychology: boys
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It is well-known that girls are underrepresented in STEM subjects, and efforts are rightly being directed at addressing this issue. However, there is one STEM subject for which this is not the case: Psychology. Most students on undergraduate Psychology courses are 75-80% female. Boys clearly think Psychology is not for them, yet no-one seems to see this as a problem. There is a growing mental health crisis amongst boys and men, and having more men with an understanding of mental health and psychology in general might be a positive thing. Having more trained male psychologists might also make it easier for men to seek professional help from mental health services. Finally, psychology is a broad and wonderful topic, encompassing everything from neuroscience to social interaction to memory to artificial intelligence. Many boys will never get the chance to explore these topics. I would suggest running a focus group and/or talks for schools aimed at understanding this phenomenon, and busting the myth that psychology is just for girls.
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My Interview
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How would you describe yourself in 3 words?
Paradoxically sociable introvert
What did you want to be after you left school?
For ages I wanted to be a historian like my parents, before realising I didn't particularly like studying it!
Were you ever in trouble at school?
I got a detention for hiding under the desk once. But basically no, I was a proper nerd.
Who is your favourite singer or band?
Another tough one. I would say maybe Sufjan Stevens.
What's your favourite food?
Anything spicy!
What is the most fun thing you've done?
Playing with my very silly three-year old
If you had 3 wishes for yourself what would they be? - be honest!
Well obviously world peace and a healthy family...but if I have one more then a couple more inches in height wouldn't go amiss
Tell us a joke.
How does NASA organise a party? They planet!
What topics do you work on?
My research looks at how young people learn to regulate or control their emotions, and how this relates to socioemotional wellbeing and mental health. In particular, I study reactive aggression: that is, aggression caused by threat, frustration or provocation, and which is associated with excessive emotional reactivity and poor emotion regulation. I work with both typically developing adults and adolescents as well as young people with conduct problems.
What methods do you use?
I use a variety of research methods from cognitive neuroscience and developmental psychology, including functional and structural neuroimaging, cognitive testing, and questionnaires.
Who was your favourite teacher?
I was lucky to have lots of excellent teachers! I had a great maths teacher whose enthusiasm for the beauty of the subject was really inspiring. I also learned a lot from my favourite English teacher about thinking things through for myself. But I decided not to study English at University as I worried it would ruin the pleasure of reading.
Me and my work
I’m a Reader in Psychology at Royal Holloway University of London. As an academic and university lecturer, my role is split between teaching undergraduate and MSc students, managing our department’s PhD programme, and my own research. I direct the Emotion, Development and Brain Lab, and our research is aimed at understanding how young people learn to regulate or control their emotions, how this relates to mental health, and how brain development may contribute to this process.
Typical day
The great thing about being an academic is that there’s no such thing as a typical day, which makes for a very varied career. One day I will be in the lecture theatre, the next I could be running a neuroimaging project in the MRI lab, and the next I could be presenting our research at a conference anywhere in the world. However, most days are a mixture of meetings with students and my research group, helping my department to run smoothly, and of course, emails!
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My profile link:
https://ias.im/u.163614
My Comments