Professor Dominic Richard Upton

National Teaching Fellow 2007 Professor Dominic Upton is Head of Psychology at the University of Worcester. He was appointed to a Personal Chair and Head of Department on arrival at the University in 2005 in recognition of his impact in raising the profile of excellence in learning and teaching across his discipline in addition to his outstanding research record. Dominic is particularly renowned for inspiring students who are not studying Psychology as their first subject but take it as part of a healthcare professional course. For example, on one module, he observed students interacting with clients or patients and suggested how psychological models and theories could be applied. As he comments, "This has provided students with a useful insight into the role of Psychology in their clinic." Students have described his sessions as some of "the best sessions I have had at University". For the first time in the 30-year history of the course, students rated the behavioural studies subjects taught by Dominic more highly in terms of enjoyment, interest and value to future career than any other course subject. Supporting diversity is a key concern for Dominic. He has introduced peer mentoring support systems to help mature students, part-time students and other under-represented groups in higher education, and has developed modules that students can work on if they are balancing studies with paid employment. He has encouraged colleagues to develop online tutorial material, enabling a "cuddlier approach to personal tutorials", as one colleague described it. This has increased self reflection in students and tutors and reduced student drop-out in the first year. A Fellow of the British Psychological Society and Chair of its Division of Teachers and Researchers in Psychology, he has worked with the Committee to introduce a range of activities to promote learning and teaching, including bursaries to attend relevant conferences, relaunching the Divisions journal and developing the newsletter and website. He has also been involved in the organisation and presentation of conferences, workshops and seminars related to teaching and learning across the country. Dominic has published across a range of topics, for diverse readerships including podiatrists, dieticians and speech therapists, and has had three textbooks recently published: 'Psychology for Nurses', 'A Podiatrists Guide to Research: A Users' Guide' and 'The Psychology of Lifestyle: Promoting Healthy Behaviour'.