People

Kathleen Vancleef

Associate Professor

Kathleen completed her PhD in 2013 at University of Leuven (Belgium) where she studied perceptual organisation with psychophysical and neuropsychological methods. She then moved to Newcastle University (UK). Under the lead of Prof Jenny Read, she developed and validated ASTEROID, a 3D vision test for children with lazy eye that works on a tablet. In 2018, she started her Stroke Association Postdoctoral Fellowship at University of Oxford (UK). In October 2021, she became an Assistant Professor in Cognitive Neuroscience at Durham University and was supported by an NIHR Advanced Fellowship. In 2024, she was promoted to Associate Professor.

Email her: kathleen.vancleef@durham.ac.uk

Jaclyn Ferraro

PhD student

Jackie Ferraro is a developmental neuroscience researcher from Pennsylvania, USA. After completing her undergraduate degree in Psychology at West Chester University (USA), she worked as a cognitive support therapist. Jackie moved to the UK in 2022 for her MSc in Cognitive Neurology at the University of Kent, followed by becoming a Research Assistant at the same university.

Now, Jackie is a doctoral student at Durham University on a Fight for Sight studentship. With her research, she aims to better understand why children with Cerebral Visual Impairment struggle in busy cluttered environments like class rooms, playgrounds, and shops.

Outside of research, Jackie has worked in theatre/video production, teaching and activities coordination.

Annie Hockaday

MRes Student

Annie is an aspiring clinical neuropsychologist with a strong academic background in Psychology and Education. She graduated with a First Class degree from Durham University, achieving outstanding marks in her dissertation research on perfectionism and emotion regulation.

Annie is currently an MRes student and researcher in the Visual Neuropsychology Lab, where she investigates visual attention deficits following stroke using neuropsychological assessment and EEG methods.

Outside of research, Annie is an active member of Team Durham Netball, where she enjoys training and competing with teammates.

You?

PhD student

Are you interested in our work? Why not join us. We are growing our team and would love to hear from you. You do not need a background in Psychology, we are an interdisciplinary team.

Together, we can apply for departmental studentships, the Durham Doctoral Studentships, Chinese Scholarship Council scholarships, NINE DTP, Fight for Sight studentships, Stroke Association Postgraduate Fellowship, NIHR doctoral fellowship, Dunhill Medical Trust doctoral training fellowship, British Heart Foundation PhD Studentships, Action Medical Research Training Fellowship. To start in October 2025, please get in touch in October 2024.

Photo credit: Marco Bellucci

You?

Postdoctoral researcher

To explore your own research interests and develop your own line of work, you can apply for Addison Wheeler Fellowships, British Heart Foundation fellowships, Dunhill Medical Trust postdoctoral fellowship, Stroke Association postdoctoral fellowship, Wellcome Trust Early Career Awards, Newton International Fellowship, Marie Sklodowska-Curie Postdoctoral fellowship, and others. Get in touch to hear how we can support you and your career.

Photo credit: Marco Bellucci

You?

Research assistant or Master student

Want to find out if a research career is for you? Want to get research experience for your application for a Clinical Psychology Doctorate course? Why not join us! We regularly have short and long term opportunities.

Paid summer internship schemes we can apply for are AVA Undergraduate Research Scholarship, BPS Undergraduate Research Assistantship Scheme. Deadlines for these are typically in March, so get in touch in January. Durham University students can join us through the Research Assistant Scheme or apply for a Laidlaw summer internship.

If you want to get a real feel of research and get a MRes on top, you can join us for a 1-year research project. There are several scholarships available with specific opportunities for students from developing countries and refugees.

Photo credit: Marco Bellucci