Dr Camilla Elphick

Professional biography

Qualifications

PhD in Applied Cognitive Psychology (The University of Sussex in 2018, supervised by Graham Hole). The research used pupil size (pupillometry) to measure face recognition as ‘eyewitnesses’ looked at potential ‘suspects’ in lineups. This led us to believe that pupillometry could potentially be added to current police lineup procedures, to measure recognition as eyewitnesses make identification decisions. 

BSc (Hons, First Class) in Psychology (The Open University)

Affiliations

Associate Fellow of the HEA (2016)

Co-Director of the Harm and Evidence Collaborative (HERC)

Former Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS) representative for the Centre of Policing Research and Learning (CPRL)

Forensic Cognition Research Group (FCRG)

Founder of the WSS Psychology Lab

Research interests

My research interests focus on applying cognitive psychology to address real-world challenges and improve outcomes for individuals and communities.

My research has become focused on the psychological aspects of Wiedemann Steiner Syndrome (WSS). As the syndrome was first genetically identified in 2012, there was no published research on its psychological characteristics when I began working in this area. For this work, I set up the WSS Psychology Lab and I co-authored one published paper: Social Behavioral Profiles and Relationships in Wiedemann-Steiner Syndrome: Parent Reports on 25 Cases (Yuill et al., 2025). Stemming from work exploring the diagnosis experiences of families with WSS (in preparation) I am a co-author in the development of International Clinical Guidelines for the Management of WSS, led by Dr Wendy Jones. I currently hold funding from the WSS Foundation to lead a project exploring cognitive profiles of individuals with WSS, in the hope of identifying and building on areas of strength.

I also have research interests in policing and digital technology. In this capacity, I secured funding to develop pilot technology designed to measure memory strength, with the goal of improving eyewitness identification accuracy. I also contributed to a citizen forensics project at The Open University, which aimed to improve communication between citizens and institutions, such as the police. Through this work, I conducted research to inform the design and development of future digital policing technologies. Between 2017 and 2019, I worked with the start-up company All Turtles, applying psychological theories of memory to the development of Spot, which used natural language processing (NLP) to help people to document and report workplace harassment.

Teaching interests

I am a Lecturer in Psychology at the Open University, where I have contributed to the production of BPS accredited modules:

• D250 (co-chair): Applying Psychology (Level 2 undergraduate)
• D120: Encountering psychology in context (Level 1 undergraduate)
• DE100: Investigating Psychology (Level 1 undergraduate)
• DD210: Living psychology: from the everyday to the extraordinary (Level 2 undergraduate)
• D810: Critically exploring psychology (MSc in Psychology conversion)

I co-chaired the production of an OpenLearn course Open Research for Researchers.

I have also chaired the presentation of BPS accredited modules:

• D250: Applying Psychology (Level 2 undergraduate)
• DD802: Investigating Forensic Psychology (MSc in Forensic Psychological Studies)

I co-supervise a PhD student exploring how AI tools can be used to support people living with chronic illness.

Impact and engagement

I contribute to the development of international clinical guidelines for the management of Wiedemann-Steiner syndrome and organise research content for conferences hosted by WSS Foundation which aims to provide education, foster community, and stimulate research to improve the lives of everyone impacted by WSS.

I served as an academic advisor for the BBC Sounds podcast Bad People. In this capacity, I was interviewed for an episode on witnessing sexual harassment Hollywood Predator: Would you keep an open secret?​ and wrote a supporting article Weinstein: Why so many witnesses of sexual harassment stay silent.

I made a written submission to the Women and Equalities Committee Inquiry into Sexual Harassment in the Workplace (2018) and the Independent advisory group on emerging technologies in policing: call for evidence (2021).

I was also involved in policy work by Graham Hole and Gemma Briggs, which addresses the dangers of driving while talking on hands-free mobile phones (2018): Think talking on your hands-free while driving is safe? Think again and Tackling the dangers of using hands-free mobiles while driving.