Sam Andrews

Biography

My research interests centre on the application of developmental, cognitive, and social psychology to inform and improve practice and public policy. In particular, I am interested in the interface between psychology, criminal law, and/or the family. My research has primarily involved the evaluation of the quality of forensic interviewing and courtroom questioning of vulnerable witnesses. I am currently Principle Investigator of an Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) New Investigator Grant (£302,664, 2019-2021), investigating the use and effectiveness of special measures in child sexual abuse cases.

Education:

• 2014: BA (Hons). Politics, Psychology, and Sociology. University of Cambridge. 1st Class.
• 2017: MA. Psychology. University of Cambridge.
• 2017: PhD. Psychology. University of Cambridge. "Child Victims in Scottish Criminal Courts", funded by an Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) studentship. Supervised by Prof. Michael E. Lamb.
• Current (part-time): Graduate Diploma in Law. BPP University. Funded by a Career Guarantee Scholarship and the Cohen Award for Outstanding Academic Excellence.
• Current (part-time): MA Higher Education Practice. Keele University.

I am accepting applications for PhD and Masters students.

I am avalible to serve as an expert witness.

Research and scholarship

Funding & grants awarded – total (£383,822): 

• 2019-2022: Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), New Investigator Grant – “Special Measures for Vulnerable Witnesses: Use, Effectiveness, and Improvement” (£302,664, PI).
• 2019: Research Support Fund, School of Psychology, Keele University (£1,847).
• 2018: Research Support Fund, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Keele University (£5,000).2018: Impact Accelerator Fund, Keele University (£2,500).
• 2017: Research Support Fund, School of Psychology, Keele University (£1,340).
• 2017: Research Support Fund, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Keele University (£2,979).
• 2014 - 2017: Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) competitively attained PhD. Studentship (£18,989 per year, totalling £56,967).
• 2016: Graduate Research Fund awarded by Sidney Sussex College (£1,000).
• 2016: Free master class place awarded by the International Investigative Interviewing Research Group (iIIRG). 
• 2016: Santander Mobility Grant (£600).
• 2016: American Psychology-Law Society (AP-LS) Minority Affairs Committee Diversity Travel Award (£375). 
• 2016: Parry Dutton Student Fund awarded by Sidney Sussex College (£1,200). 
• 2016: American Psychology-Law Society (AP-LS) Continuing Education Workshop Grant (free workshop).  
• 2015: Economic and Social Research Council Research Training Support Grants (ESRC RTSG). Discretionary funding – research (£3,000).
• 2015: Economic and Social Research Council Research Training Support Grants (ESRC RTSG). Discretionary funding – statistics (£600).
• 2014: Parry Dutton Student Fund awarded by Sidney Sussex College (£1,000). 

• 2014: Postgraduate Search Bursary Competition - Winner (Law category) (+ £1,000). 

• 2014: Sidney Sussex Undergraduate Research and Professional Experience Grant (£1,000).
• 2013: Sidney Sussex Tutor's Study Award (£500).
• 2013: L.A. Hamlyn Travel Prize (£250).

Honours & awards

• 2017: Nominee for the American Psychology-Law Society (AP-LS) Dissertation Award.
• 2014: Academic Exhibition awarded by Sidney Sussex College, University of Cambridge.

• 2014: American Psychology-Law Society (AP-LS) Undergraduate Paper Award – 2nd place.

• 2013: Honorable mention from the European Association of Psychology and Law (EAPL) for the publication “The effects of age and delay on responses to repeated questions in forensic interviews with children alleging sexual abuse”. First-authored and published in Law and Human Behavior during my second-undergraduate year. 

Reviewing

• Journals: Applied Cognitive Psychology; Behavioral Sciences and the Law; Child Abuse and Neglect; Journal of Interpersonal Violence; Journal of Police and Criminal Psychology; Law and Human Behavior; Psychology, Crime, and Law; Psychology, Public Policy, and Law; Translational Issues in Psychological Science.
• Conferences: American Psychological Association; American Psychology-Law Society; European Association of Psychology and Law; International Investigative Interviewing Research Group. 

Professional memberships

• American Psychological Association – Division 1, General Psychology.
• American Psychological Association – Division 7, Developmental Psychology.
• American Psychological Association – Division 37, Society for Child Health and Family Policy and Practice.
• American Psychological Association – Division 41, American Psychology-Law Society (AP-LS).
• American Psychological Association – Division 43, Society for Couple and Family Psychology.
• British Mensa (membership gained in 2011).
• British Psychological Society – Chartered Membership.
• Cambridge University Psychology Society and Cambridge University Law Society.
• European Association of Psychology and Law (EAPL).
• International Investigative Interviewing Research Group (iIIRG).

Teaching

Teaching:

• Academic Mentor
• PSY10033 – Introduction to Developmental and Social Psychology (Seminar Leader; Core Marker).
• PSY10034 – Introduction to Biological and Cognitive Psychology (Seminar Leader; Core Marker).
• PSY10036 – Introduction to Research Design for Psychology (Lecturer; Lab Leader; Core Marker).
• PSY20046 - The Psychology of Crime, Investigation, and Punishment (Module Leader; Lecturer; Core Marker). 
• PSY30061 – Final Year Research Project (Supervisor; Second Marker).
• PSY30126 – Psychology of Developmentaliance (Lecturer; Core Marker).
• PSY30123 - Faces Forgetting and Forensic Psychology (Lecturer; Core Marker).
• PSY40046 – Advanced Study in Child Development (Lecturer).
• PSY40015 – MSc Dissertation Supervision (Core Marker).
• PSY-40071 - Advanced Study in Child Development.

Current PhD student (primary supervisor):

• Megan Hermolle (1st year) - "Understanding Rape Myths in the United Kingdom". Second supervisor, Prof. Claire Fox. 

Current undergraduate research students:

• Beth Cornish - "Can providing a rationale for question repetition improve the quality of children's responses when recalling details of an experienced event?"
• Lillie Grant - "What coping mechanisms are most effective when dealing with stressors associated with incarceration?"
• Kim Steele - "Childhood sexual abuse and the consequential effects on trust in adult survivors". 
• Amy Ratcliffe - "Young adults' perceptions of future relationships: A comparative study on the effect of parental relationship and gender". 
• Yaren Kaya - "Contributions of forensic interviews and court examinations to children's evidence in alleged sexual abuse cases". 
• Rosie Spriggs - "How does the presence of additional evidence influence mock juror perceptions of children's credibility?"
• Katie Rice - "How is resilience fostered in adults who have been maltreated as children?"
• Charlotte Humphreys - " The effectiveness of rehabilitative procedures according to first-hand accounts from male ex-offenders". 
• Lydia Beech - "Police perspective: A qualitative report of the psycholoigcal implications of historic sex abuse".
• Louise Paterson - "Widowed fathers: An exploration into experiences of single parenthood, support, and bereavement". 
• Amy Quinn - "Secondary trauma in police officers who forensically interview alleged victims of child maltreatment".

Further information

I currently sit/contribute on the following:

• Faculty of Natural Sciences Ethics Committee
• School of Psychology Ethics Committee (Vice Chair)
• Psychology Graduate Research Committee
• School of Psychology Research Committee (Early Career Representative)
• Keele Institute for Social Inclusion, Supporting Communities (Deputy Theme Lead)
• Technical Innovation Group (Developmental Research Group Representative)
• School of Psychology Open Day Team

Roles

• Member of University or School Research Ethics Committee
• Research Group Leader (Developmental Psychology Research Group)