Dr Lizann Bonnar
Deputy Associate Principal
Psychology
Personal statement
I joined Psychology at 一本道 in 2004, following a MA (Hons) and PhD in Psychology at the University of Glasgow. My PhD was in cognitive psychology, specifically visual attention and recognition.听 Although my research background is in experimental design and quantitative research methods, I have learned to use qualitative methods with students in a range of projects. Recent research projects with taught students are in the area of student mental health and sense of belonging amongst students who are traditionally under-represented in higher education. I am also engaged in collaborative projects with colleagues and students on equality, diversity and inclusion across the student journey.
In addition to my role in the Department of Psychological Sciences and Health, I am Deputy Associate Principal for Learning, Teaching and Assessment (since August 2025). As part of this role, I lead the University's Assessment and Feedback Working Group (since 2013), Generative-AI - Learning, Teaching and Assessment working group (since 2023), the Careers and Employability Working Group, and I co-convene the Student Experience Committee with the Strath Union President.听
Externally, I have previously been a member of the Undergraduate Education Committee (UEC) of the British Psychological Society (2015 - 2025) and have led a working group of this committee on advancing equality, diversity and inclusion in the discipline through a review of the Standards for Accreditation of UG and Conversion level degrees. I have also been a member of the QAA Subject Benchmark Statement Advisory Panel for Psychology (2023). I am currently a member of the Scottish Careers Collaborative.
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Prize And Awards
- Recipient
- 17/11/2023
- Recipient
- 17/11/2023
- Recipient
- 13/2/2023
- Recipient
- 8/11/2022
- Recipient
- 11/2022
- Recipient
- 11/2022
Publications
- , ,
- Sustainability Symposium 2023 (2023)
- Ali Daniyaal, St George Sara, ,
- (2022)
- Johnstone Avril, , , Booth Josie N,
- Pilot and Feasibility Studies Vol 5 (2019)
- , Mooney Patricia
- 4th Community Psychology Festival (2018)
- , Parker Nicola, Kane Hannah, Bowen Claire
- British Psychological Society Community Psychology Festival (2018)
- , , ,
- 3rd International Enhancement In Higher Education Conference 3rd International Enhancement in Higher Education Conference (2017)
Teaching
Currently I am module leader for the final year C8437 Psychology Work Placement class, and supervise several honours and MSc dissertation projects each year. I've previously taught/assessed across the BPS accredited curriculum at UG and PGT levels, with a focus on research methods and quantitative data analyses.听
Professional Activities
- To be assigned
- 10/3/2026
- To be assigned
- 10/3/2026
- Speaker
- 11/4/2025
- Participant
- 11/1/2024
- Speaker
- 14/12/2023
- Invited speaker
- 24/11/2022
Projects
- Bovis, Christopher (Principal Investigator) Barton, Karen (Co-investigator) Bonnar, Lizann (Co-investigator) Cumming, Staci (Co-investigator) Gould, Helyn (Co-investigator) Hasty, William (Co-investigator)
- 01-Jan-2025 - 01-Jan-2026
- Bonnar, Lizann (Principal Investigator) Morse, Tracy (Co-investigator) Williams, Manuela (Co-investigator) Gallou, Eirini (Co-investigator)
- Staff from the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences and the Centre for Sustainable Development participated in the British Academy/Students Organising for Sustainability UK SHAPE (Social Sciences, Humanities and Arts for People and Environment) Impact Project. The project sought to support the local community of Townhead and Ladywell to address some of their sustainability challenges. As a first activity, students worked with community leaders to engage with the wider community via an exhibition in the Village Hall on Townhead and Ladywell: Past, Present and Future.
- 01-Jan-2022 - 06-Jan-2024
- Bonnar, Lizann (Principal Investigator) Jack, Kate (Principal Investigator)
- The pandemic has impacted every aspect of our education provision and exacerbated existing inequalities in the student population (e.g., digital divide). However, there are signs of encouragement in analyses of progression, award (Advance HE, 2021) and retention data in parts of the sector. Discussions are focusing on the potential positive impact of mitigations put in place to support students through the pandemic. At 一本道, retention has increased by 2.9% in the pandemic years and in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences (HaSS) alone, this has increased to 5%. The aim of this project is to understand the drivers behind this increase. In the first year, the project will seek to identify the factors behind increased retention in HaSS and learning from this pilot, will extend the aim to understanding retention in the other three faculties in Year 2. The project will apply an equalities lens. In developing an enhanced understanding of student retention, the project seeks to advance equality, diversity and inclusion so that all students have the opportunity to flourish through each stage of the student journey.
- 20-Jan-2022 - 30-Jan-2023
- Bonnar, Lizann (Principal Investigator) Jack, Kate (Principal Investigator)
- This project seeks to understand student attainment during the pandemic. It will apply an equalities lens to the data, in order to identify any award/attainment gaps.
- 20-Jan-2022 - 30-Jan-2023
- Bonnar, Lizann (Principal Investigator)
- 拢1000 of funding received to support two student interns to develop resources to support decolonisation of curricula across the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
- 01-Jan-2022 - 30-Jan-2023
- Strachan, Scott (Principal Investigator) Bonnar, Lizann (Principal Investigator)
- Secured fully funded PhD from Centre for Sustainable Development鈥� 鈥淧edagogies and assessment of C21 competencies for sustainable futures鈥� - co-produced proposal and co-supervising student with Lizann Bonnar from School of Psychology
- 01-Jan-2022 - 30-Jan-2025
Contact
Dr
Lizann
Bonnar
Deputy Associate Principal
Psychology
Email: lizann.bonnar@strath.ac.uk
Tel: Unlisted