Psychology PhD researcher, offering relaxed lessons and support up to university level.

Find out more about Ryan

• When did you develop an interest in your chosen field and in private tutoring?

  My interest in tutoring was first sparked whilst studying for my Psychology Master's degree at Birkbeck, University of London. A number of times I was able to give advice and offer guidance to my fellow students and lab partners. I found this to be immensely rewarding and a fun way to enhance my own knowledge.

• Tell us more about the subject you teach, the topics you like to discuss with students (and possibly those you like a little less).

  Psychology and cognitive neuroscience: How and why do human beings do what they do? What drives us to survive and thrive and binge-watch multiple episodes within our complex environments? Are we in complete control, or are we being controlled by our big brains and biological makeup? What is actually happening when things go wrong, and how can grasping a better understanding of the brain make a difference?
  
  In short, every topic within the scope of human behaviour fascinates me.The possibilities are vast and within them exists the exciting potential to improve the lives of our fellow humans.
  
  My previous research topics were attentional control theory; anxiety; worry and ruminative thinking; adaptive working memory training; and electrophysiological event related potentials linked to attention and error-monitoring.
  
  Below is the title of a paper that I worked on with two amazing colleagues. It was recently published in the scientific journal, Behaviour and Research Therapy.
  
  "Rethinking cognitive training: The moderating roles of emotional vulnerability and perceived cognitive impact of training in high worriers"

• Did you have any role models; a teacher that inspired you?

  My dissertation supervisor Professor Nazanin Derakhshan: The work that she continues to do at Birkbeck on Attentional Control Theory (ACT), and through her breast cancer charity BRiC (Building Resilience in Breast Cancer Center) are unbelievable. Naz is a constant reminder that hard work in the world of cognitive neuroscience can have a huge positive impact on people's lives.

• What do you think are the qualities required to be a good tutor?

  Above all a good tutor must be sensitive to the needs of their students. Different students learn in different ways and at different speeds, and so a tutor must adjust their style accordingly. In general I find a calm, friendly and positive attitude works best to create a productive atmosphere. Also a good measure of patience and a sense of humour go a long way.

• Provide a valuable anecdote related to your subject or your days at school.

  Read the whole journal article from start to finish: Under the looming shadow of deadlines it was always tempting to skim and skip to the parts of papers that seemed relevant. From my own trials and tribulations I have found that taking the time to read a paper in depth is invaluable. Time spent critically analysing the research method and even the author's writing style, will strengthen the quality of your own essays and papers, making you a better researcher. Simply picking out the results and conclusions for an essay will not increase your fundamental understanding of a topic, and it will probably cause you more stress when it comes to constructing your own conclusions.

• What were the difficulties or challenges you faced or still facing in your subject?

  Statistics: I was never a great mathematician, and mental arithmetic was the bane of my schoolboy existence. However, I have always been relatively skilled at making things -baking and building lego were my favourite childhood pastimes. Once I overcame my learned fear of numbers, I realised that statistics in psychology is much like following a recipe or instructions. It is simply a case of following the formulas, plugging the numbers into the calculator in the correct order, and making a beautiful chart at the end of it. This does not mean that I am now a master of statistics. I still practice and reinforce my understanding of the theory, all the time. Nevertheless, I now know how to use a powerful set of tools. I know that with a bit of careful work I can use the various methods of statistical analysis to test my theories.

• Do you have a particular passion? Is it teaching in general or an element of the subject or something completely different?

  Music: I won't go into too much detail, but I make a kind of electronic synth-pop in my spare time. If you want the name of the band, then you'll have to ask me in person.

• What makes you a Superprof (besides answering these interview questions :-P) ?

  Whether it's part of my inherent nature or from the nurture that I've been lucky enough to receive (probably a bit of both), I feel and show a great deal of care for my students. I want them to enjoy their learning experience, and to know that I will do everything that I can to support them along the way.