We were excited to welcome Dr Joe Bathelt as a new lecturer in July 2020. Welcome, Joe! Time to get to know you a bit more.

What made you choose Psychology at Royal Holloway?
Royal Holloway just is just the perfect place. The Department of Psychology has a stellar reputation and is home to many researchers who are famous experts in my areas of interest (child development, cognitive neuroscience). An added bonus is that my new colleagues are not only fantastic researchers but are also extremely nice people. The department is super welcoming and supportive. If that wasn’t enough, the campus is also amazing with the gorgeous Founder’s Building, the sleek new library, and the lovely parkland to catch fresh air.

Can you tell us a little about the research you will carry out at RHUL?
My research focuses on children with developmental disorders. I’m trying to figure out how variation brain development may help to disentangle behavioural problems that are common across developmental disorders. At Royal Holloway, I want to focus on how brain development and improvements in thinking skills during adolescence may enable some young people to compensate for earlier difficulties.

What do you think will be the best part of teaching our students?
I really look forward to supervising undergraduate research projects. The third-year projects are a great opportunity for the students to experience how research unfolds and bring in their creativity and insight. I can’t wait to see what exciting new projects the students’ will come up with.

What do you do outside of work?
In my spare time, I like to read mystery novels, work off some stress with long-distance running, get my prana flowing with some yoga, or simply enjoy spending time with family, friends, and, most importantly, my cat.