A multidimensional research project.

Last summer, Mrs Homerston (Director of The Mind Lab) and Dr Tim Hopthrow (Professor of Psychology at The University of Kent) applied for funding from The Royal Society to support a research project they wanted to run at Simon Langton Girls’, titled ‘Environmentally Minded’.

Just before the summer holidays, they were delighted to hear that the application was successful and plans are now underway.  Mrs Homerston and Dr Hopthrow will work with 6^th Form Psychology students to assess whether road signs with a psychological message can encourage drivers to reduce engine idling and therefore improve air quality. This research is exciting and important because previous research suggests that poor air quality has a wide range of negative effects on people’s health and cognitive ability, including students’ educational outcomes.

Students will have the opportunity to plan and facilitate the study using wearable air quality devices to examine air pollutants. They will also be involved in disseminating and publishing the findings.