upcoming pact talks
We hold fortnightly PaCT Lab talks on Wednesdays in Northumberland Building:
NB207 (Eye Tracking Lab, 2nd Floor Corridor), 11am-12pm. Please note the revised meeting time.
PaCT talks are open to all Northumbria Psychology Staff and Students and all CCAI CDT researchers – please feel free to come along!
*** christmas break ***
14th Jan ’26
Cybersecurity and AI-intergrated Mental Health Services – Thomas O’Fee
Thomas will present his ideas for his PhD research looking at Cybersecurity in AI-intergrated Mental Health Services/Tools.
28th Jan ’26
Meaningful Engagement in Advanced Dementia (MEAD) – Dr Kandianos Sakalidis
Kandianos will present the final outcomes of the MEAD project.
11th Feb ’26
Double Dividend of Safety Project – Dr Richard Brown
Richard will discuss initial findings from the Lloyd’s Register Foundation funded project exploring the relationship between global perceptions of safety and health behaviours, as well as the development of a digital dashboard for exploring and communicating research findings – doubledividendofsafety.org
25th FEB ’26
Women’s Renegotiation of Home and Work Boundaries During the Pandemic and Beyond – Dr Lisa Thomas
The COVID-19 pandemic rapidly disrupted traditional boundaries between work and home, creating blurred spaces for employees worldwide. Home became infiltrated with work, and new workspaces afforded a window into private domestic life. Women were also burdened with greater responsibility for domesticity and childcare provision. Little is known about how this ‘new normal’ of blurred work/home spaces affected employee well-being, career progression, and family dynamics. This study asks: ‘How did UK women renegotiate spaces of work and home in response to the pandemic?’
11th March ’26
Exploring AI and Menstrual Conditions in Menstrual Tracking Apps – Faye Doughty
Faye will discuss findings from her first PhD studies exploring AI and menstrual conditions in menstrual tracking apps.
25th March ’26
Understanding the Challenges of using Digital Technology for Menopause Information – Dr Liz Sillence
Liz will discuss findings from a CDC funded project examining the challenges women face using digital technology for menopause information and highlight issues of resource evaluation and representation.
Previous talks (2024-25 Academic year)
Working Age Technology Project – Prof Arlene Astell
The first sign of cognitive changes associated with Mild Cogntiive Impairment (MCI) or dementia can manifest at work. Arlene talked about her study exploring the experience of people working with MCI or dementia and how technology can support them.
AcademAI – Dr Richard Brown
Richard presented the AcademAI project (Richard Brown, Liz Sillence & Dawn Branley-Bell) looking at AI usage, attitudes, and literacy of Northumbria University staff and students, and plans take the project forward to monitor AI use in higher education and research.
Online communication, digital technologies, and youth mental health – Dr Maria Tibbs
Maria joined PaCT lab this month as an Innovation Fellow on the Centre for Digital Citizens (Safe Citizen Theme), during this talk she introduced her previous research on online communication, digital technologies and youth mental health.
BeReal – Dr Lisa Thomas
Lisa presented the BeReal study, exploring how young people use the platform for authentic self-presentation.
Misinformation in Dementia – Rahul Venkatesh
Rahul discussed his plans for his PhD research exploring the misinformation landscape in the context of dementia.
Digital hoarding – Dr Liz Sillence
Providing an overview of ongoing digital hoarding work including employee hoarding and students and their digital data.
Exploring Women’s Engagement with Different Technologies to Access Digital Menopause Information – Dr Alison Osborne
Alison provided an update on the menopause and digital information study conducted as part of the Centre for Digital Citizens (Well Citizen Theme). Including women’s experiences of using websites, podcasts and online groups/forums to find menopause information. The findings from this study focus on the motivations, affordances, affective factors and agency of accessing digital menopause information.
Sexism/Homophobia Online – Dr Genavee Brown
Genavee presented her work on online sexism and/or group communication amongst LGBTQ people.
ECR Bidding opportunities: RIS support and training – Scott McGee
Scott from Northumbria University’s Research Development Team discussed opportunities, support, resources and training available for ECR’s. This session also provided time for questions and queries in an informal setting.
Impact Workshop – Lucy Moorcroft
Due to the popularity of the last PaCT impact workshop, Lucy returned to give an extended version! Lucy is an Impact & Engagement Officer within Northumbria’s Research and Innovation Service (RIS). She hosted this workshop on impact, including what it is and how to evidence it.
iSupport-PD – Dr Helen Cartner
Helen will be presenting a feasibility RCT of a website-based support/information intervention for carers of people with Parkinson’s and cognitive impairment.
Introduction to NortHFutures project: Exploring and Evidencing Food Insecurity and Eating Distress in the North East of England – Claire Murphy-Morgan
Claire will be outlining the aims and objectives of this new research project in collarboation with Teesside University, Eating Distress North East (EDNE), Bay Food Bank (North Tyneside) and Trussell Trust (Teesside) Plenty of opportunities for questions and suggestions!
Meaningful Engagement of Nonverbal Individuals Living with Dementia – Dr Kandianos Sakalidis
An update on the MEAD project and the tool for assessing meaningful engagement of nonverbal individuals living with dementia.
Remote Intervention to Investigate Chewing Efficiency – Dr Helen Cartner
In progress report on the Remote Intervention to Investigate Chewing Efficiency (RIICE) project.
Evaluating ‘My Stroke Companion’: Enhancing Stroke Survivors’ Knowledge, Promoting Healthy Living, and Reducing Secondary Stroke Risks – Dr Stephen Dunne
Stephen will be talking about a digital health project he is currently running evaluating a tool for people who have experienced a stroke and is keen to get feedback on the project so far.
Evaluating mobile apps for sun protection: content analysis and user preferences in a two-part study – Dr Angela Rodrigues
Angela will be talking about her recently published study looking at mobile apps for sun protection focusing on behaviour change techniques and usability.
A Tale of Two (NortHFutures) Projects! – Claire Murphy-Morgan
Claire will present preliminary findings from two NortHFutures funded projects: The first exploring storytelling methodologies to support young people with long term conditions to inform health service design and improvement, and the second, exploring food insecurity and eating distress in the North East.
Implementation and Impact of a Social Prescribing Group Consultation Intervention to Reduce Frequent Attendance to Primary Care General Practice – Colin Stephenson
Colin will be talking to us about his PhD research exploring the impact of social prescribing interventions in addressing the unmet physical and/or psychological needs of frequent attenders in primary care general practice.
Heteronormativity in Literature – Brontë Rapps
Brontë will discuss her findings from her first official PhD study, the analysis conducted, and next steps to inform future studies.
Introduction to Spirituality in The Digital Age Research Group (SiDA) – Claire Murphy-Morgan
Claire will introduce an new research group idea as part of PaCTs programme, focusing on exploring how the digital and virtual world intersects with and influences our spirituality, and our sense of the metaphysical. How does AI and evolving virtual and digital technologies impact on worship, spiritual practice and how we share our beliefs and experiences for phenomena currently outside the reach of mainstream science?