Meet Heather

Find out about Heather Taylor's career journey from taking three degrees at Sussex (BSc, MSc, PhD) to becoming a Senior Lecturer in the School of Psychology.

"At age 16, I left my non-selective state school in Greater London with a few GCSEs. As a result of my limited achievements at school, I considered myself relatively ‘non-academic’ and so went on to do an apprenticeship in painting and decorating.  However, while working in construction in my mid-to-late twenties, I had a change of heart and decided to give myself a second chance at education. I took an Access to Higher Education course at college, and to my surprise did well enough to secure myself a place on the Psychology BSc at Sussex. Although I did not know it at the time, this was when the University of Sussex became ‘home’ for me!

After I had completed my undergraduate degree, I went on to take my master's degree here on the MSc in Foundations of Clinical Psychology and Mental Health.  This opened up the opportunity for me to do a PhD in Psychology working with both academics and a digital mental health provider to investigate the benefits of mindfulness training.  And now I work as a Lecturer – with “Dr.” in front of my  name - in the very same School I studied in.

 Since becoming a lecturer, I have mainly taught the Foundation Year Psychology program, where every year I welcome bright and enthusiastic students to our university who (like me) may not have achieved their full potential at school or may have decided to return to education later in life. I truly love my job because it allows me to support and encourage students from different backgrounds to realise their full potential, just as my Sussex teachers did for me."