A true crime enthusiast who began studying Forensic Psychology at the University of Chester is now aiming for a career in research and academia, having gone “above and beyond” in her studies.
Libby Nielson, 21, from Chester, worked hard to broaden her psychology knowledge and became a Student Voice Representative for the University, a Student Ambassador for the British Psychological Society, as well as presenting her own research at the Showcase of Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) conference. She will graduate at Chester Cathedral later this year while returning to the University for further research studies.
Why study in Chester?
Libby explained why she chose Chester: “After looking at a variety of local universities, including those in Liverpool and Manchester, I found the University of Chester stood out to me as a university that treated students as more than just their grades, and every time I went to an open day, I felt the staff and students were so welcoming and saw me as an individual, not as another head to count for metrics.
“I have had a great fascination with true crime since I was about 10 years old. I originally considered a career in law, but once I started studying A-level psychology, I found my interests, while still being forensic/criminal, aligned more with understanding the people involved with the crime I was learning about, rather than defending it in court. I also found the idea of studying human behaviour to be intriguing.”
She became interested in research
Throughout her studies, Libby developed a strong interest in research. Supervised by the School of Psychology’s Dr Pizza Chow and Dr Janine Carroll, Libby designed and conducted a study investigating the lived experience of people with long Covid. Libby, who took on the project as an extracurricular activity, said: “Because of this study, I was able to make connections with the Long Covid Support charity, where I now volunteer on the influencing and research team with a focus on health advocacy. With this support I will also be hoping to publish this study in the coming year.”
Libby’s dissertation supervisor, Dr Annie Scudds, explained further research Libby carried out: “Libby designed and conducted an experiment examining the impact of music on cognitive performance, earning a first class mark for her work. She later presented her findings at the Showcase of Undergraduate Research Experience conference, which I attended as a very proud supervisor.”
Libby added: “Through these experiences, I’ve not only developed my confidence as a researcher but I’ve also had the opportunity to discover new knowledge and to fill a genuine gap in scientific literature. That’s something I never thought I would be able to do this early into my university experience, but choosing to conduct research in topics that are very close to my heart makes it feel like the experience is even more important.”
Student Voice representative and an internship in data analysis
Additionally, since completing her course, Libby has begun a graduate internship, hosted by the University, at a local care home, where she works as a data analyst. Libby said: “My health psychology and developmental psychology modules have also helped me greatly in this, as they taught me how to approach health and old age by looking at the individual and their circumstances, instead of just a dataset.”
As well as her studies, Libby took up the offer from her Personal Academic Tutor, Dr Clea Wright, to become a Student Voice Representative, which saw her help other students and take part in open days, leading her to become a Student Ambassador for the British Psychological Society (BPS). Libby said: “For me, taking these opportunities, as well as two of the internships from the CareerHub, means I’ve not only been able to develop my competency professionally, but also give back to the community.
“I’ve been the Student Ambassador for the BPS for the past year, alongside final year student Meg Hilton. We’ve assisted in every open day and applicant day between September and April, hosted a stall at the psychology careers conference, ran a Microsoft Teams group to provide students with updates of upcoming BPS events and news, and designed and hosted two careers workshops in collaboration with the University’s Careers and Employability team.
“It has been a wonderful experience to represent an organisation I admire greatly for their contributions to the field of psychology, and I feel hopeful Meg and I were able to provide support to our fellow students by sharing our resources and bridging the gap between such a large organisation and the student body.”
Setting work-life boundaries with some help those around her
With all the activities, Libby admitted she felt at times she ‘piled on’ too much work at once, but support from Clea, Annie and her friends helped her set more healthy work-life boundaries.
Looking ahead, Libby will be returning to the University for a Master of Research (MRes) programme, where she hopes to conduct further research on music therapy and its efficacy for those with dementia. Libby added:
“After this, I hope to continue my research in this field by pursuing a PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) with the University of Chester, to allow me to dive deeper and explore research I’m passionate about. A career in research and academia is what I want to do when I finish my studies, and it feels like something that is not only enjoyable for me, but also feels purposeful.”
Libby added: “The entire psychology department are amazing people and I cannot praise them enough. They are incredibly friendly and show a genuine passion for helping others learn.”
Clea said: “Libby is an outstanding student in every way. Her academic capabilities are exceptional and she is one of our highest achieving students. Libby is committed to everything she does and works incredibly hard to always achieve her best. She is proactive in ensuring high standards are always met, a very compassionate and caring person, and works well with other students and staff.”
Liz Whelen, Undergraduate Programme Director for Psychology, added: “Libby will be receiving the Psychology division prize for both her exceptional academic performance and what she has contributed to the department. She has throughout her degree gone above and beyond.”
Pictures provided by the University of Chester.
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