Today we introduce Dr Jacqui Hutchison. Jacqui received both an MA (2011) and PhD (2015) in Psychology from the University of Aberdeen. Following her PhD Jacqui joined Abertay University as a post-doctoral Research Fellow before returning to Aberdeen in 2017 where she is now the Undergraduate Programme Coordinator for Psychology. Get to know Jacqui a little more here:
What words of advice do you have for others?
Believe in yourself and don’t be afraid to make mistakes. While it doesn’t feel great to make a mistake, we can learn a lot about ourselves in how we deal with them. You might also surprise yourself and find you are much more capable than you first thought. It might be a cliché but it’s also true!
What is your favourite book?
The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. I’ve read this book so many times and every time I read it, I love it a little bit more. It’s set in Barcelona, and the writing transports you there while you read it.
What drew you to your current profession?
I came to university as a mature student after another lifetime working in the civil service. I never intended to go into academia as a profession I just wanted a change of direction. It was challenging as I had a young family, but I found I loved being in this environment. The more I was around the more I wanted to learn. Then I was fortunate enough to do a PhD where I had the opportunity to do some teaching alongside my research. That was probably the moment I knew that teaching was my real passion. I loved supporting others in their learning, and I had some fantastic people around me who helped me make that a reality. Sometimes it takes a while to find what you really want to do, but for me the windy path I took and all the experiences I had along the way helped me get to where I feel I belong.
What is your favourite part of your job?
This is probably not surprising but it’s working with students. I’m lucky getting to work with students across their degree and to see them develop their skills. The absolute best part of my job is that moment when you see something just click into place for someone and you can see their confidence grow. That is truly special.
What does a typical day look like for you in your role?
I’m really lucky as my job is so varied so a typical day is hard to describe. During any one day I can be developing teaching materials, delivering a lecture or working with small groups of students in tutorials. I am also responsible for the undergraduate programme which involves working with staff and students to make sure the programme runs as it should. Although the majority of my role is teaching, I also continue to be active in my own research field, so I have many research projects on the go which involves running experiments and writing research papers. It’s all go!
Coffee or tea?
100% Coffee
Mountains or beach?
Beach – I live by the water and couldn’t imagine living anywhere else.
Jeans or comfy clothes?
Comfy clothes every time.
Book or movie?
Book
Drive or fly?
Drive – I do love a road trip.
Phone call or text?
Text – contrary to first impressions I don’t like talking too much!
Laundry or dishes?
Laundry – can’t beat a good drying day!
Shopping online or in a store?
In store – I love looking at food.
Dr Jacqui Hutchison
School of Psychology
