Dr Sofia Barbosa Boucas
Reader (Education) in Psychology

Summary

Dr Sofia Barbosa Bouças is a Reader (Education) in Psychology at Brunel University London, known for her extensive contributions to Psychology and Education. She joined Brunel in January 2018, bringing with her a wealth of experience from notable academic institutions.

Dr Barbosa Bouças has held research and teaching positions at the University of Reading and the University of Southampton, where she contributed significantly to the fields of Psychology and Health Sciences. In 2013, she transitioned to a Lecturer in Health Psychology at Oxford Brookes University, followed by a role as a Senior Lecturer in Psychology at Buckinghamshire New University in 2015.

Her research encompasses a wide range of topics, including Learning & Teaching Innovation in Higher Education, Academic and Transferable Skills, Student Experience and Satisfaction, Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI), Widening Participation, Student Success, AI in Higher Education, Assessment and Feedback, and Student Engagement. Dr Barbosa Bouças has a strong publication record in peer-reviewed journals and has delivered invited lectures nationally and internationally, actively promoting inclusive and innovative teaching practices.

In addition to her research, Dr Barbosa Bouças has held numerous leadership roles, including Programme Lead for BSc Psychology, BSc PSychology & Anthropology, and BSc Psychology & Sociology, Chair of Panels and Boards of Examiners, and member of various strategic committees at Brunel. She is dedicated to fostering an inclusive academic environment and advancing the field of Psychology through her teaching and mentorship.

Dr Barbosa Bouças continues to be a driving force in Education, combining her research expertise with a commitment to student success and academic excellence.

Qualifications

• Degree/Licenciate [Licenciatura] in Psychology specialising in Psychotherapy and Counselling; University of Lisbon [Universidade de Lisboa], Portugal
• MSc in Research Methods in Psychology; University of Reading, United Kingdom; MSc Dissertation title: “Implementing intentions in a cognitive context.”; Supervisor: Professor Judi Ellis
• PhD in Psychology; University of Reading, United Kingdom; PhD Thesis title: “The beneficial effects of implementation intentions on goal attainment: Automaticity, cue activation, and commitment.”; Principal Supervisor: Professor Judi Ellis; Second Supervisor: Professor Laurie Butler
• Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching in Higher Education (PCTHE); Oxford Brookes University, United Kingdom

Responsibility

CURRENT - BRUNEL UNIVERSITY LONDON:

• College of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences (CHMLS) Equality, Inclusion and Diversity (EDI) Committee Member; CHMLS Staff Equity Workstream Member; Staff Neurodiversity Champion for CHMLS (May 2024 - Present)
• Department of Life Sciences Athena Swan Working Group Member (April 2024 - Present)
• Psychology Admissions Tutor (Interim); Psychology Clearing Decision Maker (August 2023 - Present)
• Division of Psychology Doctoral Candidates Progression Review Panels Member (July 2023 - Present)
• Research Methods for Research in Education Lead (Part of the CHMLS Education Research Hub) (March 2023 - Present)
• Associate Fellowship (AFHEA) and Fellowship (FHEA) Submissions Reviewer (December 2021 - Present)
• Academic Professional Development Unit (APDU) Advisory Group Member (July 2021 - Present)
  • Brunel Learning and Teaching Festival 2022 Task and Finish Group Member (February - May 2022)
• University Education and Student Experience Committee (formerly University Education Committee) Member (June 2021 - Present)
• Psychology Inter-Professional Learning (IPL) Champion (September 2020 - Present)
• CHMLS IPL and Multi-professional Learning (MPL) Group Member (September 2020 - Present)
• Recruitment Panels for Academic Positions and Academic Roles Member: Department of Life Sciences Recruitment Panel Member; Department of Health Sciences Recruitment Panel Member; Brunel Medical School Recruitment Panel Member; Department of Education Recruitment Panel Member (February 2020 - Present)
• Mental Health First Aider (May 2019 - Present)
• CHMLS Education Hub “Open Teaching” Project Lead (August 2023 - Present)
  • College of Health and Life Sciences (CHLS) “Open Teaching” Project Working Group Lead (July 2019 - March 2020)
  • Brunel Educational Excellence Centre (BEEC) Educational Enhancement “Open Teaching” Project Working Group Member (February - June 2019)
• Division of Psychology Teaching Observations Lead/Co-Lead (January 2019 - Present)
• Programme Design Review Panel Member (December 2018 - Present)
  • Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering Design Review Panel Member (February 2022)
  • Common First Year in Engineering and Re-approval of Undergraduate Engineering Programmes Review Panel Member (February 2019)
• Recognised Programme Developer (RPD) (December 2018 - Present)
• Board of Examiners Chair 
  • BSc Occupational Therapy (June 2021 - Present)
  • BSc Sports, Health and Exercise Science (September 2018 - July 2019)
• Panel of Examiners Chair 
  • BSc Occupational Therapy (June 2021 - Present)
  • BSc Sports, Health and Exercise Science (September 2018 - July 2019)
• Psychology Teaching Exercise Framework (TEF) Lead (August 2018 - Present)
• British Psychological Society (BPS) Accreditation Liaison (August 2018 - Present)
• Psychology Academic Skills Lead (August 2018 - Present)
• Mentor for Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice (PgCAP), AFHEA, FHEA Candidates (June 2018 - Present)
• CHMLS Education Days - Division of Psychology Sessions Lead/Co-Lead and Coordinator/Co-Coordinator (January 2018 - May 2022; March 2023 - Present)
• CHMLS Education Days Co-organiser (January 2018 - May 2022; March 2023 - Present)
• Psychology Board of Studies and Panels of Examiners Member (January 2018 - Present)
• Brunel Psychology Education Research Group Member (January 2018 - Present)
• Centre for Cognition and Neuroscience (CCN) Member (January 2018 - Present)
• Division of Psychology Academic Presentation Panels Member (January 2018 - Present)
• Support Groups and Staff Networks Membership
  • Menopause Staff Support Group (May 2024 - Present)
  • Women’s Equality Staff Network (May 2024 - Present)
  • Working Families Staff Network (May 2024 - Present)
  • AURORA Alumnae Staff Network (February 2024 - Present)
  • Neurodivergent Staff Network (December 2023 - Present)

CURRENT - EXTERNAL:

• Chief External Examiner for Psychology Programmes, Coventry University, United Kingdom (November 2023 - Present)
  • External Examiner for Psychology Undergraduate Programmes, Coventry University, United Kingdom (March 2021 - October 2023)
• Brunel Pathway College (BPC; formerly London Brunel International College - LBIC) Psychology Liaison Tutor (July 2023 - Present)
• Governor for Harrow, Richmond and Uxbridge Colleges (HRUC; formerly Harrow College and Uxbridge College - HCUC) (August 2022 - Present)
  • Quality Curriculum and Student Committee Member
  • Curriculum Enhancement Working Group Member
  • Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Committee Member

PAST - BRUNEL UNIVERSITY LONDON:

• Elected University Senate Member
  • Representing CHMLS Readers and Professors (August 2022 - August 2024)
  • Representing CHMLS Lecturers and Senior Lecturers (August - September 2021)
• CHMLS Postgraduate Researcher Conference Judge (January 2024)
• Psychology Research Participation Pool (SONA System) Administrator (Interim) (November - December 2023)
• University Framework for MRes Degrees Task and Finish Group Member (March - May 2022)
• CHMLS Education Hub (formerly Educational Excellence Hub) Lead (January - May 2022)
• Psychology Academic International Exchange Programme Coordinator (July 2021 - May 2022)
• “University Student Representatives” Project Group Member (June 2021 - May 2022)
• CHMLS Team-Based Learning (TBL) and Interactive Teaching Working Group Member (October 2020 - May 2022)
• CHMLS Assessments Working Group Member (October 2020 - May 2022)
• CHMLS Online Learning Working Group Member (October 2020 - May 2022)
• CHMLS Impact of COVID-19 Working Group Member (October 2020 - May 2022)
• CHMLS Peer-Evaluation of Teaching Working Group Member (October 2020 - May 2022)
• Brunel Academy for the Transformation of Teaching Fellow (August 2019 - May 2022)
• Brunel Academy for the Transformation of Teaching Steering Committee Member (February 2019 - May 2022)
• Division Of Psychology Away Days Lead/Co-Lead and Organiser/Co-Organiser (August 2018 - May 2022)
• Psychology Academic Misconduct Investigator (January - July 2018; December 2021 - May 2022)
• BSc Psychology FHEQ Level 5 and Level 6 Coordinator (September 2020 - December 2021)
• BSc Psychology, BSc Psychology & Anthropology, and BSc Psychology & Sociology Programme Lead (August 2018 - December 2021)
  • BSc Psychology, BSc Psychology & Anthropology, and BSc Psychology & Sociology Panel of Examiners Co-chair (August 2018 - December 2021)
  • Department of Life Sciences Management Board (DMB) Member (August 2018 - December 2021)
  • Psychology Student Experience Committee (SEC) Member (August 2018 - December 2021)
• British Psychological Society (BPS) Prizes Liaison (August 2018 - December 2021)
• University Education and Student Experience Strategy - Active and Blended Learning Enabling Group Member (September - November 2021)
• Psychology National Student Survey (NSS) Champion (August 2018 - August 2021)
• Consultant to Dr Nelli Ferenczi, Lead of the Psychology Awarding Gap Working Group (August 2020 - February 2021)
• University Assessment Descriptors Task and Finish Group Member (November - December 2020)
• Psychology Board of Studies Chair (August 2018 - August 2020)
• CHLS “Teaching Evaluation” Project Working Group Lead (February 2019 - March 2020)
• Department of Life Sciences Senior Tutor (July 2018 - January 2020)
  • Extenuating Circumstances (ECs) Panel Chair (July 2018 - January 2020)
  • Department of Life Sciences Management Board (DMB) Member (July 2018 - January 2020)
  • Department of Life Sciences Promotion Panel Member (July 2018 - January 2020)
  • Department of Life Sciences Probation Panel Member (July 2018 - January 2020)
  • Department of Clinical Sciences Probation Panel Member (July 2018 - January 2020)
  • Department of Clinical Sciences Recruitment Panel Member (July 2018 - January 2020)
  • Department of Life Sciences (Division of Biosciences and Division of Environmental Sciences) Recruitment Panel Member (July 2018 - January 2020)
  • Student Experience Committee (SEC) for the Division of Biosciences, the Division of Environmental Sciences, and the Division of Sport, Health and Exercise Sciences (SHES) Member (July 2018 - January 2020)
  • Panels and Boards of Examiners in the Department of Life Sciences Member (July 2018 - January 2020)
  • Longstanding Conditions and Chronic Illnesses Policy Working Group Member (March - August 2019)
  • Policy, Process and Procedure Review - Abeyances Working Group Member (May - July 2019)
  • ECs Operational Best Practice Group Member (May 2019)
• “Life Sciences Expansion” Project - Retention, Engagement, and Pastoral Care Work Stream Co-Lead (November 2018 - December 2019)
• Psychology Peer-Assisted Learning (PAL) Coordinator (August 2018 - September 2019)
• University Academic Governance Working Group Member (February - August 2019)
• Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice (PgCAP) Professional Conversations Panel Member (December 2018)
• Board of Examiners Deputy Chair - BSc Sports, Health and Exercise Science (FHEQ L6) (June - August 2018)
• Panel of Examiners Deputy Chair - BSc Sports, Health and Exercise Science (FHEQ L6) (June - August 2018)
• Consultant for the new Sports, Health and Exercise Science (SHES) Undergraduate Programmes (July 2018) 
• PgCAP Working Group Member (March - May 2018)

PAST - EXTERNAL (Since joining Brunel University London):

• In2STEM Programme (formerly In2science Summer Programme) Co-Host and Facilitator (July 2024)
• Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) Psychology Subject Benchmark Statement (SBS) Review Advisory Group 2023 Member (Published September 2023) (Janaury 2022 - November 2023)
• External Examiner for MSc Psychology & Neuroscience of Mental Health and MSc Applied Neuroscience; Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN); King’s College London; United Kingdom (May 2021 - September 2022)
• BSc Neuroscience Programmes External Assessor Panel Member, Middlesex University, United Kingdom (May 2022)
• Department of Psychology Periodic Review External Reviewer Panel Member, University of Liverpool, United Kingdom (June 2021)
• External Academic Advisor Panel Member for Course Validation/Re-Approval for BSc Psychology, University of Suffolk, United Kingdom (April 2021)
• London Brunel International College (LBIC) Psychology Liaison Tutor (March - May 2019)