UCL Div. of Psychology & Language Sciences (PALS)

🌍 Did you know the UK is set to rejoin the Erasmus student exchange programme? UCL has welcomed the news and is preparing to apply for participation, opening up new opportunities for students to study and learn across Europe. 👉 www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2026/ja...

👥 UCL has launched its new People Plan 2025–2028, setting out how the university will improve staff experience, support career development and create the conditions for everyone to do their best work. 👉 www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2026/ja...

🎉 UCL set a new Guinness World Record™ in its bicentennial year! Staff, students and community members decorated more than 400 greeting cards simultaneously - helping combat loneliness in local communities. 🔗 Find out more here: www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2026/ju...

🌍 Belonging in every language Meet Sannah Gulamani, whose career at UCL spans teaching, research and professional services - united by a belief that language is central to access, equity, identity and belonging. 🔗 www.ucl.ac.uk/about/search...

🧩 Up to 97% of autistic people over 60 may be undiagnosed. Dr Georgia Pavlopoulou (from UCL PALS) speaks to The Guardian about how families can better understand and support this often-overlooked generation as they age. 🔗 www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle...

🧠 Could your job affect how quickly your brain ages? Professor Hugo Spiers (from UCL PALS) discusses how our profession and work habits may shape brain health over time. 🔗 inews.co.uk/inews-lifest...

Those most eager to become managers may not make the best leaders. Prof Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic (from UCL PALS) speaks to USA Today about leadership, talent identification and why “confidence is overrated”. 🔗 eu.usatoday.com/story/money/...

📚 A new inquiry says the National Year of Reading should become a decade-long effort. Dr Jo Taylor (UCL Psychology and Language Sciences) spoke to The Guardian about why the type and complexity of what we read matters. 🔗 www.theguardian.com/books/2026/j...

📱 How much time are two-year-olds spending on screens? Research led by Dr Laurel Fish and Dr Marialivia Bernardi from UCL PALS found that two-year-olds watch television, videos or other digital content for an average of two hours a day. 📰 Read more: www.independent.co.uk/life-style/h...

🎭 UCL! The Musical 📅 24 November 200 years of history. One catastrophic mistake. Twenty-four hours to save UCL. UCL musical journey into the heart of our extraordinary institution — with reserved tickets available exclusively for UCL staff. 🎟️ www.ucl.ac.uk/events/event...

☕ A new reusable cup scheme is coming to UCL Ahead of the new academic year, UCL is launching an improved returnable cup scheme at selected cafés — making it easier to enjoy your takeaway coffee more sustainably. 🔗 Find out more: www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2026/ju...

👋 Welcome to UCL! From 21 September to 4 October, UCL is hosting a packed programme of Welcome and Induction activities to help new students find their feet, discover campus and get settled into life at UCL. 📍 Find out what’s happening, when and where: www.ucl.ac.uk/srs/news/202...

A new suite of educational tools to embed Google DeepMind’s no cost online global curriculum on how to build and fine-tune large language models (LLMs) has been developed by UCL and AIMS. 🔗 Find out more here: www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2026/au...

Black History Month 2026 – call for contributions for our Living History video Black students and staff are invited to contribute a short video or audio clip responding to questions around identity, pride, community, belonging & hopes for the future. 🔗 More here: www.ucl.ac.uk/engineering/...

🧠 Explore the science of the brain at the UCL200 Dementia Research Showcase 📅 18 Sept Meet UCL researchers, get hands-on with interactive exhibits & discover more about how the brain works - & the latest research helping us better understand dementia. 🔗 More: www.ucl.ac.uk/brain-scienc...

Despite increases in diagnoses in recent years, ADHD may still be under-recognised and under-diagnosed among adults in England, according to new research led by Professor Joshua Stott from UCL Psychology & Language Sciences. 🔗 Find out more: www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2026/ju...

A study led by Dr Patrizia Pezzoli from UCL PALS explores how experiences of childhood abuse or neglect can increase the risk of domestic abuse in adulthood, including through their impact on personality and mental health development. 🔗 Find out more: www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2026/ma...

Three fun challenges to help keep your brain healthy: Professor Dennis Chan from UCL PALS spoke to BBC Future about brain ageing, navigation and why identifying cognitive changes early can be so important. 🔗 Read more: www.bbc.co.uk/future/artic...

🧠 Ten weeks of cognitive rehabilitation can help people with long Covid symptoms such as brain fog return to work, hobbies and everyday goals, according to a new UCL-led clinical trial, led by Prof Chan (UCL PALS/ICN) & Dr Suarez-Gonzalez (UCL IoN). 🔗 www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2026/ju...

UCL’s Grand Challenge of Mental Health & Wellbeing has awarded eight ECR Catalyst Grants of up to £10k, supporting interdisciplinary projects that bring together research, innovation and real-world impact. 🔗 Find out more: www.ucl.ac.uk/grand-challe...

For the first time, UCL is offering dedicated accommodation exclusively for staff and PhD students, with brand-new apartments at Wharf House available from Sept. 🔗 Find out more about the accommodation, viewings and bookings: www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2026/ju...

UCL Illuminated has won Silver at the 2026 Heist Awards! The award recognises the creativity, collaboration and hard work behind UCL Illuminated - an immersive journey through 200 years of UCL history, projected onto the iconic Wilkins Building. 🔗 Find out more: www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2026/ju...

For 200 years, UCL’s campus has been a place for friendships, discoveries and world-changing ideas. Now, its refreshed historic spaces are ready to inspire the next generation - while preserving the character and heritage at the heart of UCL. 🔗 Read more here: magazine.ucl.ac.uk/summer-2026/...

A startup co-developed by UCL alumni has joined the = Y Combinator accelerator in San Francisco to develop an AI-powered personal health assistant for people living with chronic illness. A great e.g. of UCL ideas translating into real-world innovation. 👏 🔗 More here: www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2026/ju...

Meet the latest Faces of UCL! This series shines a spotlight on the staff working behind the scenes to keep UCL’s campuses safe, smart, resilient and sustainable - and helping the university run smoothly every day. 🔗 Find out more: www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2026/ju...

🌱 More than 200 staff and students came together at UCL East for the UCL Sustainability Awards 2026, recognising the people and projects helping drive positive environmental change across the uni 👏 Congrats to all the winners! 🔗 www.ucl.ac.uk/sustainable/...

Is creativity being crushed by AI - or transformed by it? Join a timely conversation at UCL’s Bloomsbury Theatre exploring how AI is reshaping debates around authorship, value, skill, ownership, access and cultural meaning. 📅 8 October 🔗 Find out more: www.bloomsburytheatre.com/event/2026/1...

🛠️ Creativity, curiosity and hands-on making at UCL East! Nearly 2,000 visitors joined this year’s Festival of Stuff, with activities ranging from making copper chains to discovering how fossils can reveal the story of deep time. 🔗 Find out more: www.ucl.ac.uk/ucl-east/new...

🔧 Technicians make it happen! For two days, the UCL Technical Showcase took over the Cloisters, celebrating the skilled technical staff who play a vital role in keeping research, innovation and education moving across UCL. 👏 A brilliant celebration of UCL’s technical community.

🎉 Congratulations to 21 PALS colleagues recognised in this year’s UCL academic promotions! Across PALS, we’re celebrating 4 new Professors, 13 Associate Professors / Principal Research Fellows, and 4 early career staff promotions. 🔗 Find out more: www.ucl.ac.uk/brain-scienc...

Congratulations also to Professor Courtenay Norbury from UCL PALS, who has been appointed to a national panel of experts by the Government to help ensure better support for children and young people with SEND in schools. 🔗 Find out more here: www.ucl.ac.uk/brain-scienc...

Congratulations to Prof. Neil Burgess from UCL PALS, who has been awarded a prestigious European Research Council (ERC) Advanced Grant for his project, Generative understanding of memory and planning. 🔗 Find out more here: www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2026/ju...

Prof. Saloni Krishnan from UCL PALS has been appointed as the new Chair of UCL’s Research Culture Community Steering Group (CSG). The CSG plays an important role in guiding and overseeing activity that supports a healthy and sustainable research culture. 🔗 More here: www.ucl.ac.uk/research/new...

UCL researchers, led by Prof. Jeremy Skipper from UCL PALS, have identified brain changes that may help explain why inner speech is sometimes experienced as an external voice in psychosis. 🔗 Find out more here: www.ucl.ac.uk/brain-scienc...

✨ Relive the spectacle of UCL Illuminated! To launch UCL’s bicentennial celebrations, the Quad was transformed through 3D projection mapping, light, music, storytelling and animation - bringing 200 years of UCL history, discovery and impact to life. 🎥 Watch here: youtu.be/JM5oD064fYo?...

As part of UCL’s bicentenary celebrations, the Faces of UCL initiative shares stories from across our community - recognising the staff, students, alumni and partners who have helped shape 200 years of research, education, innovation and impact. 🔗 Find out more here: www.ucl.ac.uk/about/ucls-b...

UCL has risen to joint 8th in the QS World University Rankings 2027, reaffirming its position as one of the world’s leading universities. The result marks UCL’s 15th consecutive year in the global top 10, highlighting the uni's continued international impact. 🔗 More: www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2026/ju...

Greener deliveries across UCL! UCL Logistics and Mail Services has launched an electric delivery bike to support faster, safer and more sustainable parcel deliveries across campus. 🔗 Find out more: www.ucl.ac.uk/estates/news... #GreenUCLPALS

Experiencing abuse or neglect in childhood can increase the risk of being victimised by a romantic partner in adulthood, partly through its impact on personality and mental health development, according to a new study led by Dr Pezzoli from UCL PALS. 🔗 Find out more: www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2026/ma...

UCL is continuing work to improve its digital services, with upcoming updates focused on more responsive student support and a more accessible campus. 🔗 Find out more: www.ucl.ac.uk/isd/news/202...

As part of a temporary trial, Gordon Street and Gordon Square West are now offering a vibrant new space for students, staff and visitors to pause, meet and connect at the heart of UCL. 🔗 Find out more here: www.ucl.ac.uk/estates/news...

In a recent NPR News feature, UCL PALS academics Dr Peters & Prof. Fleming discuss Megan’s move from the US to UCL, the opportunities available in the UK, & the importance of international collaboration in science. 🎧 Listen here: www.npr.org/2026/06/29/n...

Congratulations to Dr Megan Peters from UCL PALS who has been named a 2026 FENS-Kavli Network of Excellence Scholar. The honour recognises outstanding early-career neuroscience researchers for their scientific excellence, originality and leadership. 🔗Read more here: www.ucl.ac.uk/brain-scienc...

UCL200 Walking Tour - additional spaces available! Due to popular demand, additional spaces have been added for the next UCL200 Walking Tour on 15 July, as well as for future dates. 🔗 Find out more and book your place: www.ucl.ac.uk/about/campus...

Can UCL collectively be active for 200,000 minutes between 20th July and 3rd August? Let's make it happen, and have some fun doing so as part of the "UCL200 Active Challenge"! 🔗 Find out more here: studentsunionucl.org/ucl200-activ...

Students and staff visiting Wilkins Refectory this month may notice a new face behind the coffee counter. A robot barista has arrived on campus to serve coffee around the clock. 🔗 Find out more here: www.ucl.ac.uk/estates/news...

Congratulations to Prof Neil Burgess (from the UCL Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, which is part of UCL PALS) who has been awarded funding for his project "Generative understanding of memory and planning." 🔗 Find out more here: www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2026/ju...

Get your tickets for UCL! The Musical. Tickets are now on sale for this brand-new production created and performed entirely by UCL students and recent alumni and featuring tap-dancing Jeremy Benthams. 🔗 Find out more here: studentsunionucl.org/articles/ucl...

AI-generated voice clones were found to be easier to understand than human speakers in noisy environments in research led by Professor Patti Adank from UCL PALS. 🔗 Find out more here: www.ucl.ac.uk/brain-scienc...

Read UCL’s 2024–25 Annual Sustainability Report which highlights progress across carbon reduction, waste, research and education, while showcasing how staff and students are embedding sustainability into everyday university life. 🔗 Find out more here: www.ucl.ac.uk/sustainable/...