CV

EDUCATION

2013-2017

PhD Psychology, Centre for Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Birkbeck, University of London. Thesis: “An Empirical and Computational Investigation of Variable outcomes in Autism Spectrum Disorders”. Supervised by Professor Michael Thomas and Professor Tony Charman.

My doctoral research aimed to investigate the variability observed in the profiles of autistic children, our ability to predict this variability based on measures in early infancy, and the underlying mechanisms that generate this variability. I combined the analysis of the of data from the world’s largest prospective, longitudinal dataset of children with an increased familial likelihood of autism, with data generated from computational models that I designed and created. I analysed complex datasets with sophisticated longitudinal modelling techniques. I received funding for this research from a Bloomsbury Colleges Scholarship.

2010-2012

MSc Cognitive Neuroscience (Distinction) - University College London & Birkbeck, University of London.

Dissertation: Tool Use and the Flexibility of the Body Schema in Typically Developing Children. Supervised by Dr Andrew Bremner.

2006-2009

BSc(Hons) Psychology, Goldsmiths, University of London.

EMPLOYMENT

June 2021 - Present

Lecturer in Psychology & Education, Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh.

I currently teach and coordinate a number of modules on a range of courses around inclusion, diversity and child development and supervise a range of undergraduate and postgraduate projects.

I sit on a number of research and ethics committees including the school acadmic board, I am the co-lead for the school research seminar series, and a member of the research enhancement team.

Please see relevant sections below for detailed information, and the research section for current projects.

January 2018 - June 2021

Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Salvesen Mindroom Research Centre, University of Edinburgh.

I led an ESRC-funded project investigating the effects of bilingualism on cognitive and social development in children with and without autism. This included designing and implementing four novel eye tracking paradigms for use with minimally verbal children, and designing parent interview tools.

January 2017 - December 2017

Postdoctoral Research Assistant, Centre for Brain and Cognitive Sciences,Birkbeck, University of London.

This aim of this research project was to assess motor abilities and identify possible differences in cerebral lateralisation in children with and without autism.

Jan 2017 - May 2018

Associate Lecturer in Psychology, Birkbeck, University of London.

September 2009 - August 2014

Teaching Assistant (full time: 2009-2011, 0.3 FTE: 2011-2015)

RESEARCH

Current research interests

I am a developmental psychologist and my research focuses on two main areas: (1) Using longitudinal methods to understand early differences in cognitive development, and the subsequent effects on later developmental outcomes. (2) eliciting children’s voices to inform best practice in educational and family settings. This strand of my research is Informed primarily by my experience as a teaching assistant. In both areas I implement novel and engaging methodologies to include children who are frequently excluded from research, including minimally verbal children and children with intellectual disabilities.

Central to this work is a commitment to involving the communities that I study in the research process; ensuring this research has a strong participatory ethos and is of direct and practical relevance to those it affects. I achieve this through a comprehensive programme of dissemination, dialogue and partnership activities. I am also a strong advocate of public engagement and community outreach; ensuring that research is accessible to the public, to policy makers and practitioners, and – importantly – to stakeholders.

Peer-reviewed articles and preprints under review

See Publications tab or Google Scholar

Published protocols

Davis, R. Montgomery, L., Rabagliati, H., Sorace, A., Fletcher-Watson,S. Charting the impact of bilingualism on social attentional preferences in children with and without autism. Open Science Framework: DOI: 10.17605/OSF.IO/75PHW.

Montgomery L., Davis, R., Chondrogianni, V., Sorace, A., Rabagliati, H., & Fletcher-Watson, S. The effects of bilingualism on executive inhibitory processes in children with autism. Open Science Framework: DOI 10.17605/OSF.IO/DPSV4

Research grants and awards

Research Grants:

2022-2023: Understanding the impact of bilingualism for autistic children. Fondation International de la Recherche Appliqué sur le Handicap (FIRAH). Awarded to: Rachael Davis, Sue Fletcher-Watson & Antonella Sorace. Role: PI.

2022: Imagination Agents. Catalyst Arts & QMU research fund. Awarded to: Helen Burns, Rachael Davis, Suzie Dick. Role: Co-I.

2018: Motor biases and cerebral lateralisation Waterloo Foundation, Child Development Scheme. Awarded to: Gillian Forrester, Rachael Davis, Brenda Todd. Role: Co-I.

2017: Creating computational models of interventions to understand variability in autism. Birkbeck Wellcome Trust Institutional Strategic Support Fund. Awarded to: Rachael Davis and Michael Thomas. Role: PI

Public engagement grants:

2022: Growing up autistic and bilingual - information for families. University of Edinburgh, CAHSS Knowledge Exchange and Impact Grant. Awarded to: Bérengère Digard & Rachael Davis. Role: Co-PI.

2021: University of Edinburgh Public Engagement Fund Awarded to: Rachael Davis, Bérengère Digard. Role: Co-PI.

2017: Bloomsbury Doctoral Training Programme – Won support to run one-day conference “Interdisciplinary approaches to Developmental Disorders”. Awarded to Rachael Davis and Michael Thomas.

Awards:

2022: BPS Early Career Conference Bursary Scheme for attendance at the 13th Autism Europe conference.

2017: Nancy Lurie Marks Family Foundation Cold Spring Harbor Laboratories Summer School Travel Award.

2015: Birkbeck, University of London Travel grant for attendance at BPS developmental conference.

Selected conference presentations and invited talks (since 2019)

2022: Invited session chair: supporting families marginalised by ethnicity, culture, language or finances - Autism Europe conference 2022.
2022: Autism and Bilingualism: A thematic analysis of practitioner perspectives and experiences: Autism Europe, selected poster presentation.
2022: Workshop: Conducting participatory research with non-speaking autistic children and young people: Warwick University, invited speaker.
2022: Neurodiversity & bilingual families - access to information and support: Autistica Research fesival, selected for poster presentation.
2022: Autism and Bilingualism: A thematic analysis of practitioner perspectives and experiences: Autistica Research fesival, selected for poster presentation.
2022: Autism and Bilingualism: A Thematic Analysis of Practitioner Perspectives and Experiences: International Society for Autism Research. Selected for poster presentation.
2021: Autism Bilingualism, and cognitive development: NHS RHCYP Grand Round, invited speaker.
2021: Charting the impact of bilingualism on social attentional skills in autistic and non-autistic children. International Society for Autism Research. Selected for poster presentation.
2021: Charting the impact of bilingualism on development in autistic and non-autistic children. University of Edinburgh Psychology Society seminar series, Invited speaker.
2021: A Multilevel Understanding of Bilingualism and Autism: Five Years of the Salvesen Mindroom Research Centre, Invited speaker.
2020: Autism Bilingualism, and cognitive development: Invited Speaker, Mathematics MSc Seminar series, University of Edinburgh.
2020: Measuring social cognition in children with learning difficulties - Invited speaker at Psycholinguistics Workshop, Middle East Technical University,Turkey. *
2020: Understanding social cognition in autistic children, International Society for Autism Research. Selected for poster presentation *
2020: Meeting in Language and Autism (MOLA) Selected for oral presentation *
2019: Literature Reviews and Methods, 101: Invited speaker, Nuts and Bolts of research, University of Edinburgh.
2019: Autism and Bilingualism: Poster presentation at Salvesen Mindroom Research Centre Inaugural lecture.
2019: Charting the impact of bilingualism on social development for children with and without autism. Oral presentation, Flux conference, New York.
2019: Charting the impact of bilingualism on social development for children with and without autism. Poster Presentation, Autism Europe, Nice.
2019: Autism and Bilingualism workshop, in association with McGill University, Montreal, Canada. Invited expert panel member for stakeholder workshop.
2019: Charting the Impact of Bilingualism on Social and Communicative Development in Autistic Children. Poster Presentation, International Society for Autism Research, Toronto, Canada.
2019: Bilingualism Matters annual conference, Edinburgh, Invited speaker 2019: Autism and Bilingualism, Invited speaker, Institute of Education. London.

* Delayed due to Covid-19, but will be presenting at a later date.

Selected Public Engagement Activities

2021: Ran a workshop on autism and bilingualism for clinicians: (over 150 attendees). Link
2021:** Ran a workshop on autism and bilingualism for educators (over 100 attendees. Link
2020:** Autism and Bilingualism. Selected for Pint of Science, Edinburgh (delayed until November).
2020: Selected to contribute as part of an expert panel on the production of a bilingual measure for researchers (in addition, I am co-author on journal article).
2019: Statistics for non-researchers: Invited one-day course leader (also designed the course)
2019: Autism and Development. Invited Speaker, Phoenix School network, London.
2019: Autism and Development, Invited speaker, Signet Training Programme, London.
2019: Autism and Bilingualism. Invited Speaker, Bigland Green Primary School, London.
2019: Organised Research party for participants of Autism and Bilingualism Study.
2018: AMASE Research Podcast, Invited guest speaker.
2018: Autism and Bilingualism: Invited blogpost for Bilingualism Matters.

TEACHING

Teaching expertise

In addition to my current lectureship at QMU, I have taught on a range of undergraduate and postgraduate courses at the University of Edinburgh, Birkbeck, University of London and University College London, as an associate lecturer and guest lecturer. I wrote or adapted all lectures and courses that I have led. This includes:

• Module coordinator for the 4th year Dissertation Module on Education courses (QMU)
• Module Coordinator for Learning Across the Lifespan (year 2 Education, QMU)
• Lecturer, Difference and Diversity (year 3 Education, QMU)
• Lecturer, Foundations of Psychology (year 1 Psychology, QMU)
• Lecturer, Child Development (year 2 Education, QMU)
• Lecturer, Education in the 21st Century (year 1 Education, QMU).
• Lecturer, MSc Neuroscience elective course, Psychological Theories of ASD The University of Edinburgh (2018, 2019, 2020)
• Seminar leader, Introduction to Research methods, BSc Psychology, Birkbeck, University of London (2017)
• Associate Lecturer, Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience of Typical and Atypical Development, MSc Cognitive Neuroscience. Birkbeck, University of London (2018)
• Associate Lecturer, MSc Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience MSc, Birkbeck, University of London (2018, 2019)
• Guest lecturer, Fundamental Debates in Cognitive Science MSc course, Birkbeck, University of London (2017, 2018)
• I developed and led a 10-week undergraduate Child Development course for the University of Glasgow

Supervision

I am currently supervising one PhD student at QMU. I have supervised 10 BSc and MSc students to completion at QMU, The University of Edinburgh and Birkbeck, University of London, all within autism, developmental psychology or education research.

PhD student projects:

• Mairéad Murray: Contemporary Exploration of Children’s Leisure Experiences (2021-Current).

Selected postgrad and undergrad students project titles:

• Understanding the views of parents of neurodivergent, bilingual children (2021/2022)
• Understanding the experiences of autistic and gender diverse adults (2021/2022)
• Understanding the school experiences of autistic children (2021/2022)
• Systematic Review: the effects of bilingualism on cognitive development (2020/2021).
• Investigating the impact of bilingualism on social communicative skills in autistic children (2020/2021)
• Teacher Identification of autism by gender, needs and symptomology: a vignette-based study (2019/2020).
• Parental mediation of pre-schooler’s digital technology use in China and the UK: A cross-cultural comparison study (2019/2020).
• Exploring practitioners understanding of the impact of bilingualism of autistic children. (2018/2019)

LEADERSHIP AND MARKERS OF ESTEEM

Academic service

2022: Member of the School Academic Board Committee, QMU.
2022: Member of the QMU Scottish Enhancement Theme (expertise in neurodiversity).
2022: Co-organiser of the Psychology, Sociology & Education Research Group at QMU.
2021-Present: Co-organiser of the QMU Early Career Researcher network.
2021-Present: Committe member, School Research & Innovation Enhancement Group, QMU.
2021-Present: Member of the Ethics committee, QMU
2019-2021 Organiser of the Rising Star Seminar Series, a quarterly seminar series for early career researchers based within Europe and working in the fields of Education and Developmental Psychology to discuss their work and careers to date.
2017: Secured funding to organise a one-day UK-based conference: Interdisciplinary approaches to understanding Autism Spectrum Disorders. University of London. This included eight academic speakers who are world-leaders in their fields, and over 100 attendees.

Markers of esteem

2020: Selected for Ingenious Women, 2020 – a competitive networking initiative and leadership training course, for Early Career Researchers in Scotland.

2020: Invited founding member of the SOFAR network - A UK-wide interdisciplinary network of women in STEMM

2019 - Present: scientific advisor and committee member: Scottish Government’s Understanding Autism programme. I was selected as the only researcher in Scotland for an advisory role in thisgovernmental committee. I have two main roles: The first is to co-produce a national media campaign to increase understanding of autism in the general population across Scotland. The second is assessing grant applications and allocating funding to Scottish charities who aim to increase opportunities for inclusion for autistic people living in Scotland.

SERVICE TO THE WIDER COMMUNITY

Reviewing work

I regularly review manuscripts for the following journals: Autism, Autism in Adulthood, Autism & Developmental Language Impairments, Autism Research, Developmental Science, Frontiers in Psychology, Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, Perspectives in Psychological Science & Research In Autism Spectrum Disorders.

Membership of external organisations

I am a member of the International Society for Autism Research (INSAR).
I am a Chartered member of the BPS (Developmental section)

CLINICAL TRAINING

• I am trained in the delivery of the Autism Diagnostic Observational Schedules (ADOS), a diagnostic tool for autism (2018)
• I am trained in delivery of the Bayley scales of Infant Development (2017)