Christopher Barker

About

I have been working at Kingston University since 1996. I have also worked at Middlesex University, Birkbeck College and Royal Holloway. At Kingston I ran the Psychology Department from 2000 to 2008 during which time we started the first single honours psychology course, gained accreditation by the British Psychological Society, started our first BPS conversion Graduate Diploma, ran our first MSc course and made a highly successful return in our first UK Research Assessment Exercise (now REF). I was the Deputy Head of School for a number of years as well as the Acting Head of School. I most recently spent a decade on the Faculty Management Group as the Director of Student Affairs.

I have taught (and written) many modules but my areas of greatest teaching interest are Abnormal Psychology and Research Methods.

Outside the University I have acted as an external examiner and external consultant, reviewer and adviser at multiple Universities across Europe, China and Russia.

Before coming to Kingston I worked for a number of years at the Ministry of Defense in a Helicopter Research Group, as a Psychiatric assistant on the children's ward of a psychiatric hospital, as a busker around Europe and as a research assistant in Chicago.

My areas of research interests include Spider Phobia and Emotional Disorders. I have also looked at learning to read braille in blind and sighted children as well as fears in blind children. I have acted as a reviewer for the journal, Cognition and Emotion and for the ESRC as a reviewer of grant applications.