Dashboard – I'm a Scientist 2024

About Me:

I live with my partner and 3-year old daughter near Bristol/Bath. I love being silly with my daughter, 80s music and going for a run, and I wish I could go skiing more often!
My pronouns are:

he/him
My Work:

I’m a social psychology lecturer at Bath. I study how we can bring groups of people together who are seen as deeply divided (for example, Leave & Remain voters, young & old, women & men).
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I study how we can bring people together because we have previously found that people actually have a lot more in common than they think. So, although we often think that some groups are very different from each other (for example, Republicans and Democrats in the US), we have found that people actually agree on very fundamental things like the importance of helping others. Showing people how similar they actually are has a lot of positive effects, including giving them more hope, making them talk to each other more openly, making them feel happier and more connected to others.
My Typical Day:

My daughter typically wakes me at 7am (or often earlier) and I get her ready for nursery and drop her off. I start work at around 9am. My days at work are quite varied which I’m grateful for, because I would get bored easily doing the same thing over and over! For example, I might analyse a study for an hour or two, meet students to discuss their research project, give a one-hour lecture on helping behaviour (and answer a lot of emails in between those things). I finish at around 5pm, pick up my daughter, and relax in the evenings or maybe find the energy for a run!
What I'd do with the prize money:

I would use the money for public engagement activities. At a previous event, we tested a game that shows people their true similarities with others. People told us they found these similarities really surprising and they loved the game. It would be great to get a chance to keep developing the game and showing it to more people – maybe at schools next?

Candidate CV questions (extra)

Education:

I went to school in Germany and finished in 2006.
Work History:

I worked in a retirement centre for 9 months after school. At the time, all 18-year old boys/men had to do a year of military service or a replacement. I definitely didn’t want to be a soldier! So I helped out in a retirement centre which was hard work but overall a good experience, and made me want to do (clinical) Psychology.

I then studied Psychology in the Netherlands (Nijmegen) from 2007-2012 and found my passion in social psychology research. After my PhD in Cardiff 2012-2015, I did a postdoc in Bath and started as a lecturer in 2021.
Current Job:

Lecturer at University of Bath since 2021

My Interview
- What did you want to be after you left school?
  
  I didn't know what I wanted to do after school, so I first worked for 9 months in a retirement centre. This helped me realise that I find people fascinating which led me to studying psychology!
  
  Were you ever in trouble at school?
  
  I was always late to class (waking up is hard) and I won the "number 1 latecomer" award
  
  If you weren't doing this job, what would you choose instead?
  
  I really don't know, maybe an average ski instructor?
  
  Who is your favourite singer or band?
  
  Billy Ocean (80s music)
  
  What's your favourite food?
  
  chocolate
  
  If you had 3 wishes for yourself what would they be? - be honest!
  
  more time in a day, being healthy, (more wishes)
  
  Tell us a joke.
  
  I was born and raised in Germany so can't do jokes, sorry!