University News Last updated 02 July
Birmingham City University’s (BCU) Dr Jessica Ann Diaz has become the first female chair of the Mathematical, Statistical and Computing Psychology Section as part of the British Psychology Society (BPS).
Dr Diaz, a Psychology Lecturer, said: “I’m honoured to be the first woman to chair this BPS section in its 56-year history.
“I want to champion the integration of mathematics, statistics and computing into psychology and its research, to make sure these fields are accessible and inclusive for every voice.
Dr Diaz will focus on four key areas during her term, including:
- Developing educational resources, mentorship programmes, and interdisciplinary collaborations;
- Amplifying diverse voices, particularly women and underrepresented groups, through speaker series and leadership opportunities;
- Advocating for the ethical use of AI and data science in psychological research;
- Supporting early-career researchers and promoting advanced computational methods in curricula.
She is currently working on a new research project to which is hoping to improve on current EEG research and provide a clearer understanding of how children’s brains process numbers.
Dr Diaz will hold the position until 2028.
President of the British Psychological Society Dr Roman Raczka said: “We are delighted to welcome Dr. Jessica Diaz as the new Chair of the BPS’s Mathematical, Statistical and Computing Psychology Section.
“She brings a wealth of experience to the role, and we look forward to working with her in what is set to be an exciting new chapter for the Division.”
Dr Diaz will host her first event on Thursday 24 July on Machine Learning Applications in Psychology Using Large Datasets. Find out more here.