Prof Bridgette M Bewick (PhD, CPsychol, FHEA)

Profile

I hold a Chair in Psychological health, wellbeing and education at the University of Leeds (UK) School of Medicine and I am a Chartered Psychologist (CPsychol). My portfolio of scholarship and research continues to advance our understanding of developing and implementing compassionate pedagogies, facilitating belonging, supporting wellbeing and reducing mental distress within higher education. 

I am a Fellow of the Leeds Institute for Teaching Excellence, my LITE Fellowship investigates how best to embody Pedagogical Wellbeing into the university curriculum.  I lead the University’s Pedagogical Wellbeing Network and seeded the ‘I belong Compassionate Curriculum Conversations’. I am the academic lead for ‘I belong Creative Connections’ – a University initiative that seeks to support student’s sense of belonging through shared experiences of arts and culture. I am an Academic Lead for Belonging at the University and one of the University’s world changers essayists.

My earlier field of research was addiction. I remain a world expert on the use of the Social Norms Approach. My significant contribution to the addiction field was recognised with the 2012 Society for the Study of Addiction Fred Yates Researcher of the Year Prize and 2013 University of Leeds Women of Achievement. My track record of high quality publications aided our understanding of how to incorporate personalised feedback and social norms messages into web-based interventions. I sought to understand how e- interventions can help intervene early and support positive behaviour change. 

I am a University of Leeds LGBT Role Model.

Responsibilities

• Lead School of Medicine Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity
• University of Leeds Belonging Academic Lead
• Academic Lead Compassionate Curriculum and Campus Network

Research interests

I am an international expert and innovator in improving the student experience and student wellbeing through developing, understanding and integrating inclusive and compassionate pedagogies. Current research and scholarship activity is focused on the following:

• Development, integration, and evaluation of inclusive pedagogies (e.g.pedagogical wellbeing, compassion, and belonging) in university curricula. 
• Understanding and supporting student positive mental health and wellbeing.
• Facilitating belonging in higher education for staff and students. 
• Development, implementation and evaluation of social norms approach interventions to improve health and wellbeing within higher education.
• Developing good practice in the development and implementation of the social norms approach.

Qualifications

• Doctor of Philosophy (School of Medicine, University of Leeds)
• MA Psychology (Auckland University, First class honors)
• BA Psychology and Education (Auckland University, equivalent of 1st class honors)
• University of Leeds Teaching Award Professional Standard 2 (ULTA-2)

Professional memberships

• British Psychological Society (Chartered Membership)
• Higher Education Academy Fellow

Student education

My leadership roles include School fo Medicine Lead for Equity, Inclusion and Diversity and University Belonging Academic Lead. 

Research groups and institutes

• Leeds Institute of Health Sciences
• Psychological and Social Medicine
• Health services research