Dr Victoria Simms
Research Director - Psychology
- School
- School of Psychology
- Research Institute
- Psychology Research Institute
- Campus
- Coleraine campus
- Telephone
- +44 28 7012 4395
- v.simms@ulster.ac.uk
- Location
-
Room G209
Cromore Road
Coleraine
Co. Londonderry
BT52 1SA
Dr Victoria Simms is a developmental psychologist with a specific interest in how children's thinking changes over time. Victoria's research program focuses mainly on the development of mathematical cognition, both in typical and atypical populations. Victoria also researches cognitive and educational outcomes of children who were born very preterm. Victoria's work aims to develop effective interventions to ensure that children can fulfil their educational potential.
Dr Victoria Simms graduated from Queen's University Belfast with a degree in Psychology (2005) and subsequently a PhD in Developmental Psychology (2009). Victoria completed a series of Post-Doctoral positions at Heriot Watt University (2008-2009), Queen's University Belfast (2009-2011) and University of Leicester (2011-2013). Victoria joined Ulster University in 2013. Victoria was awarded the Neil O'Connor prize from the British Psychological Society for her work with very preterm children in 2015.
Research funding to date
| Year | Research |
|---|---|
| 2017 | Ulster University- Research Challenge Fund: Brain mechanisms related to processing of numerals: a magnetoencephaplography study (PI, £24,996 with Hubert Cecotti and Girijesh Prasad, Ulster University) |
| 2016 | Nuffield Foundation: Interventions to improve mathematical achievement in primary school-aged children: A Systematic Review (PI, £62,034 with Camilla Gilmore, Loughborough University and Seaneen Sloan, Queen’s University Belfast) |
| 2015 | British Academy: The influence of domain general abilities on number development in Williams syndrome and Down syndrome: evidence from eye tracking (CI, £9,897 with Jo Van Herwegen, Kingston University and Annette Karmiloff-Smith, Birkbeck, University of London) |
| 2015 | Action Medical Research: Mathematics learning disabilities from childhood to adolescence: New evidence and intervention for very preterm children (CI, £217,490 with Samantha Johnson and Rose Griffiths, Leicester University; Camilla Gilmore, Loughborough University; Lucy Cragg and Heather Wharrad, University of Nottingham; Neil Marlow, University College London) |
| 2014 | ESRC Social Science Festival Public Engagement Fund (PI, £700 with Jennifer Hanratty, Gary McKeown and Matthew Rodger, Queen’s University Belfast) |
| 2012 | University of Leicester Equipment Fund (CI, £2325.60 with Samantha Johnson, University of Leicester) |
Current Research
Dr Victoria Simms, Psychology Research Institute, talks about her research into how children’s thinking changes over the years, in particular how they understand maths.
Research Opportunities with Dr Victoria Simms
| Title | Closing Date | |
|---|---|---|
| Eye see what you are thinking! Use of eye tracking to understand young children’s mathematical processing Funded PhD Opportunity | Monday 18 February 2019 | View Details |
| The effects of moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity on cognitive function in adult populations Funded PhD Opportunity | Monday 18 February 2019 | View Details |