Sarah Stevenage is a cognitive psychologist, working and teaching in the area of human perception and memory. She brings novelty and interactivity to her teaching sessions by using flipped learning methods alongside principles of transparency in learning and teaching. Her teaching is described by her students as showing ‘infectious enthusiasm’ and ‘unlike anything else’. Her very personal use of the Human Book approach shows how it is possible to take what many students consider to be a dry topic, and turn it into something that stays in the mind long after students leave the class. She has inspired her students towards postgraduate level study and beyond, with one alumna now a Professor of Forensic Psychology and known worldwide for their contribution in their field.
As a committed leader, Sarah is privileged and proud to hold the role of Associate Dean for Education. She provides inspirational leadership to colleagues across the university, playing a pivotal role in the successful shift online during the pandemic, and in the successful shift to new and improved methods of delivery and engagement since the pandemic. Sarah provided clear ‘just-in-time’ resources for all university staff who wanted to improve their own practice. A ‘change one thing’ campaign then enabled change without overwhelming colleagues and students alike. Sarah has also steered a coordinated set of initiatives which seek to understand issues of diversity and inequality within higher education. With students as partners, she has championed change by responding to financial barriers to study, highlighting the inequities resulting from regulations, and by destigmatising for students the process of asking for help with the powerful strapline ‘you deserve it’.
Sarah completed her degree and PhD at the University of Exeter under the supervision of Dr Ian Gordon – himself an inspirational teacher and mentor. She moved to Southampton in 1993, building a reputation as a student-centred educator and innovator. She has been recognised through six student-nominated awards as ‘Most Engaging Lecturer’ within her faculty. In 2017, Sarah was proud to gain national recognition for her sustained contribution to education through Advance HE Principal Fellowship.