Ellie Maycock
PhD Student

Profile

Biography

I studied for my undergraduate degree in Psychology at Durham University, where I first became fascinated by the cognitive neuroscience of psychosis. While at Durham, I worked on the interdisciplinary ‘Hearing the Voice’ project, which deepened my interest in how different brain processes contribute to experiences like hallucinations. After graduating, I spent five years in various support roles, including as a mental health support worker, healthcare assistant, and crisis intervention worker. This work involved supporting adults with a range of mental health issues, including eating disorders, psychosis, and brain injuries. In particular, my training on trauma therapy prompted a passion for understanding how trauma reshapes brain functioning.

I went on to complete my Master’s degree in Neuroscience at UCL, where I interned at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, working with patients facing complex neuromuscular disorders. I then joined the University of Cambridge as a Clinical Research Assistant on an NIHR international study, coordinating the Cambridge site’s work on Alzheimer’s biomarkers in people with Down’s Syndrome. Alongside my PhD, I work part-time as a Research Assistant at the UCL Centre for Equality in Brain Sciences, contributing to the REPAIR Project, which addresses equity in academic funding processes to improve access for marginalized early-career researchers. I am passionate about widening access to brain science for individuals from underrepresented backgrounds, science communication, research co-production, and work that drives meaningful societal impact.

I'm thrilled to have been awarded a departmental scholarship at the University of York to pursue a PhD with Dr Clara Humpston and Professor Rob Dudley exploring the connection between trauma and hallucinations.

Career

• PhD in Psychology - University of York (2024 - present)
• Research Assistant – Centre for Equality in Brain Sciences, UCL (2023-present)
• Research Assistant – Cambridge Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities Research Group, University of Cambridge (2023-24)
• MSc Brain & Mind Sciences - University College London (2022-23)
• BSc Psychology - Durham University (2015-18)

Departmental roles

Graduate Teaching Assistant (2024-present)