University of York Professor wins prestigious national psychology award
A psychology professor from the University of York has been named as the newest winner of the prestigious British Psychological Society Presidents' Award.
Professor Beth Jefferies has been recognised for her renowned work on the neural basis of memory and language, as well as the impressive contribution she's made to the field of cognitive neuroscience.
With an academic career spanning two decades and internationally celebrated research that's been cited thousands of times, Beth's work has inspired researchers, student and colleagues alike.
On receiving the Presidents' Award, Jefferies said:
"I am thrilled and honoured to receive the President's Award. I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to my current and former lab members - this prize reflects their hard work and ingenuity.
"I am also deeply grateful to my collaborators, who have shared stimulating ideas and helped make our research such a joy. I'm fortunate to have the enduring support of my family, particularly my partner Paz, who has made significant sacrifices to support my career. I have also benefited enormously from the supportive environment at York and my wonderful colleagues."
Professor Jefferies has worked at the Department of Psychology at the University of York since 2007 and received her PhD in Neuropsychology at the University of Bristol.
Her current research explores the large-scale neural organisation underlying memory-guided and controlled cognition. This includes analysing the ways in which we retrieve different meanings for words and objects depending on our current goals. She also looks at the context we encounter words and objects, and the way in which this changes in stroke aphasia.
Chair of the Research Board and member of the Presidents' Award judging panel, Dr Richard Stephens, said:
"Professor Beth Jefferies' application for the BPS Presidents' Award stood out. Beth's innovative research into memory and distributed brain networks, combining brain imaging with neuropsychological studies of dementia and stroke, is underpinned by major grants including ERC, BBSRC, and Wellcome.
"Beth's leadership is evident in her being Chair of the Society for the Neurobiology of Language, successful PhD supervision, mentoring and her department's Gold Athena SWAN award. Her public engagement with stroke survivors further demonstrates the impact and inclusivity of her work".
As part of the award win, Beth will receive lifetime membership of the British Psychological Society.