Staff Profile

Profile

Dr Emma Black is an Applied Educational Psychologist registered with the Health Care Professions Council (HCPC) and a Chartered member of the British Psychological Society (BPS), with extensive experience in both higher education and professional practice, including her role as a Principal Educational Psychologist. She is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA), recognised for her sustained leadership in programme and curriculum design, inclusive teaching practice, interdisciplinary collaboration, research supervision, and the mentoring of colleagues in evidence-informed pedagogy. In 2025, she received the Outstanding Contribution to Teaching in the Faculty of Medical Sciences award at Newcastle University, acknowledging her commitment to student success and her dedication to creating excellent, inclusive learning experiences.

In addition to her academic and practitioner roles, Emma Black serves as an educational consultant for Herstory Ireland, a non-profit organisation dedicated to equality-focused education and public history. Through this role, she contributes to inclusive curriculum development, creative public engagement campaigns, and educational resources that promote diverse narratives in Irish history and society. This work reflects her commitment to equity, inclusion, and societal impact.

Most recently, Emma has contributed to the educational design and outreach activities linked to ÉIRU, an award-winning citizenship initiative, co-produced with Cartoon Saloon. Her role has focused on ensuring the pedagogical integrity and psychological inclusivity of Herstory’s educational offerings by leading the integration of a social pedagogical approach into programme design. This ensures that learning experiences support not only cognitive development but also emotional, relational, and social growth.

Dr Emma Black’s research is grounded in applied educational psychology and shaped by a longstanding commitment to inclusion, social justice, and practitioner collaboration. Her work focuses on the development and implementation of psychologically informed approaches to education that are inclusive, trauma-sensitive, and contextually grounded. She aims to enhance learning, wellbeing, and life chances for vulnerable populations, particularly care-experienced young people, neurodivergent learners, and those facing systemic barriers to education.

Throughout her career, Emma has embedded research into practice across diverse settings, including educational psychology services, higher education, and interdisciplinary professional contexts. As Principal Educational Psychologist at i-pass UK, she led service-level evaluations, practitioner enquiry projects, and collaborative research with multi-agency partners. Her role involved translating psychological theory into effective strategies for practice, particularly for populations affected by trauma, displacement, or additional learning needs.

Emma’s published work spans topics such as inclusive education for care-experienced children, social pedagogy, and trauma-informed teaching. As a former Research Associate at University College London (UCL), she co-led the Promoting Achievement for Looked After Children (PALAC) initiative, supporting school-based practitioner research to improve outcomes for care-experienced children. This work has been disseminated nationally and internationally, informing CPD, whole-school development, and system-level change.

Her research leadership is exemplified by her co-direction of the first regional research project in the North East of England examining the education of care-experienced children. Conducted in collaboration with academic partners and local stakeholders, this project produced actionable insights for schools and policy-makers and remains widely cited across practitioner networks.

Selected Publications

Black, E., Bettencourt, M., & Cameron, C. (2017). Social pedagogy in the classroom. In D. Colley & P. Cooper (Eds.), Attachment and emotional development in the classroom: Theory and practice (pp. 203–215). Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

This chapter contributed significantly to the conceptualisation of social pedagogy in classroom settings, emphasising relational and trauma-informed approaches to teaching vulnerable learners. Widely cited across educational psychology and social care literature, it underpins contemporary trauma-informed and attachment-aware educational practices.

Bettencourt, M., Black, E., Bland, M., Borrell, V., & Middleton, S. (2018). Promoting the achievement of looked after children and young people in South Tyneside. University College London Press.

This was the first local authority-wide research project in the North East focused on care-experienced children’s education. It exemplifies Emma’s leadership in applied educational psychology research with direct community and policy impact, fostering trauma-informed practices and multi-agency collaboration.

Carroll, C., Black, E., & Bettencourt, M. (2019). The education of children in care in North East England. University College London Press.

This comprehensive mixed-methods study provided a nuanced understanding of care-experienced children’s educational experiences across the region. Its findings have informed regional policy and practice, influenced national organisations such as the National Children’s Bureau, and contributed to Department for Education policy documents.

Current Research

In her current academic role as Lecturer in Medical Education at Newcastle University, Emma continues to advance inclusive, practice-based research. She supervises master’s research projects, coordinates funded student-led university-wide research, and leads interdisciplinary research groups. Her current projects include an exploration of medical students’ experiences with dyslexia and an appreciative inquiry into neurodivergence in university classrooms, both reflecting her commitment to inclusive pedagogies, student voice, and systemic change in higher education.

Dr Emma Black is a committed academic working across the Masters in Medical Education and the MSc Clinical Science programmes. She leads the Leadership, Professionalism, and Governance module within the Medical Education programme, supporting medical professionals in developing effective leadership skills tailored to complex and evolving educational environments. In the MSc Clinical Science programme, Emma leads the core interdisciplinary module, which she has transformed from a poorly rated component into a highly successful and sought-after CPD opportunity. This module brings together trainees from Medical Physics and Physiological Sciences and covers key topics such as Public Health, Population Health & Health Inequalities, Public Involvement and Quality Improvement in Healthcare Science, Effective Communication in the Workplace, and Leadership.

Emma applies psychological theories of learning, motivation, and development to advance curriculum design, foster interdisciplinary collaboration, and support pedagogical innovation across educational contexts. Her work bridges research and practice to enhance teaching effectiveness, learner engagement, and programme development. She has designed and hosts a successful MedTech Innovation event that connects education, healthcare, and industry. Additionally, Emma is a revisiting keynote speaker for the PGDE Secondary Teacher Training Programme at Newcastle University, where she contributes to the development of future educators.