Gemma Graham

I am a Principal Lecturer in Forensic Psychology and Student Engagement Lead within the School of Humanities and Social Science at the University of Brighton.

My work is centred on enhancing the student experience—creating inclusive, engaging learning environments where students feel they belong and are supported to thrive academically and personally. I lead on strategic student engagement initiatives across the School, contributing to decision-making on education and student experience, and developing approaches that position students as active partners in their learning.

I have a strong track record in designing and delivering innovative, research-informed teaching. I led the development of Forensic Psychology as a new discipline at Brighton, embedding applied, interactive and technology-enhanced approaches, including the use of eye-tracking and immersive tools to bring learning to life.

I am a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and have been recognised through multiple awards for teaching, collaboration, and partnership with students. I am particularly committed to advancing equity and belonging in higher education, ensuring all students have the opportunity not just to succeed, but to feel valued, confident, and connected.

My research sits at the intersection of cognitive psychology, applied forensic contexts, and higher education practice, with a growing emphasis on student engagement and partnership.

My early work focused on visual attention and memory in applied settings, particularly how individuals attend to and interpret CCTV footage. Using eye-tracking technology, my doctoral research and subsequent publications examined fixation behaviour and change blindness, contributing to our understanding of attention in real-world investigative contexts.

Alongside this, I have developed a sustained programme of research exploring student engagement, belonging, and partnership in higher education. This includes leading and collaborating on projects that position students as active contributors to curriculum design and educational enhancement, with a particular focus on co-creation and innovative pedagogical approaches such as “eduthons”.

I am also involved in collaborative research exploring the experiences of adults bereaved as children, working in partnership with external organisations to better understand long-term impacts and inform support provision.

My work has been presented at national and international conferences and published in peer-reviewed journals, with ongoing projects focused on pedagogical innovation and enhancing the student experience through research-informed practice.

Other research interests:

• Psychological impact of crime
• Coercive control and stalking

I'm happy to supervise PhD students on a range of topics broadly relating to Forensic Psychology and Cyberpsychology. I am especially interested in supervising students adopting an Eye Tracking methodology.

I am an Eye Tracker advisor to both internal and external research projects. I have successfully contributed to the setting up of exciting collaborations.

Recent/current projects I have advised on:

• investigating how novice and expert pharmacists inspect drug charts
• evaluating student engagement with blended learning technology in lectures
• use of eye tracking and physiological measures to ascertain anxiety levels and awareness of deceptive tactics whilst evaluating email scams and corresponding behaviour