Vicki is an Associate Professor in Psychology. She holds a PhD from the School of Social Work at UEA. Her PhD looked at violence in teenage intimate relationships using a mixed methods approach. Prior to her PhD, Vicki worked as a Supervisor and Researcher in a research social enterprise which formed part of a wider charitable organisation in Great Yarmouth.

Vicki is an experienced qualitative researcher with a specific interest in the undergraduate student experience, focusing on student belonging, inclusion and engagement in higher education. She is passionate about student-teacher partnerships and using student-informed research to develop inclusive and supportive teaching practices and to enhance the academic and personal development of undergraduate students. With Dr Jen Coleman, Vicki is the recipient of a 2024-25 UEA University Fellowship in Inclusive Teaching and is undertaking a student-led project exploring student experience of the undergraduate psychology classroom.

Vicki's broader research interests include peer and intimate relationships in adolescence and early adulthood, Child and Adolescent to Parent Abuse (CAPVA), domestic violence/intimate partner violence and criminality with a focus on gender based issues.

PhD Title: Understanding young people’s experiences and views of partner violence in teenage intimate relationships.

Drawing on feminist criminology and feminist qualitative psychology, Vicki's PhD research explored young people’s experiences and views of teenage intimate partner violence. The research was undertaken using a mixed method framework combining qualitative and quantitative approaches; a quantitative online self-completion survey and a series of predominantly single gender qualitative focus groups with young people aged 16-19. 

PhD research supervisors:

Prof Marian Brandon

Dr Jane Dodsworth

Qualifications

PhD Social Work, University of East Anglia

PG Cert in Higher Education Practice, University of East Anglia

PG Cert Online and Distance Education, The Open University

MA Research Methods, University of Nottingham

BA Hons (First Class) Sociology and Criminology, University of Derby

Teaching experience

Lecturer in Psychology, UEA (August 2018-2025).

Associate Lecturer (Social Science) The Open University (April 2010-2019).

Associate Tutor, School of Psychology, UEA (January 2011-May 2018).

Lecturer in Health and Social Care and Health Studies, City College Norwich (August 2015-February 2016).

Research experience

Research Associate (qualitative) on the PERFECTED Study, Norwich Medical School, UEA (January 2017-August 2018).

Senior Research Associate, School of Psychology, UEA (April 2014-May 2015).

Research Team Leader and Senior Researcher, Priory Research Services, Great Yarmouth Community Trust (August 2009-September 2010).

2025- Present Deputy Director of Employability - Internships and Volunteering

2024-Present Year 2 Student Partnership Officer

2021-2024 Deputy Chair School of Psychology Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee

2019- 2021 Disability Liaison Officer

2018-2019 INTO Liaison Officer