Dr Katie Rakow's research interests include student and lecturer wellbeing. Her PhD explored the role of the virtual learning environment on the wellbeing of undergraduate students in higher education.

She enjoys working collaboratively, using qualitative and quantitative methods, and teaching psychology to undergraduate students. Katie is currently working with Dr Nicola Byrom’s team as a Research Associate on the U-Belong project to understand and help reduce loneliness among first year undergraduate students.

Katie holds a PhD from King’s College London, which was funded by the LISS-DTP ESRC and included a placement with Student Minds, the UK charity for student mental health.

Since July 2016, Katie has been a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. Her work sits within the student mental health and education research theme at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience.

Research interests

• Student and lecturer wellbeing
• Loneliness and social connection
• Social cognition 
• Motivation
• Learning and teaching
• Impact of technology on student and staff wellbeing
• Theoretically-driven and evidence-based applied research
• Public health