Elida Cena

I am a Chartered Psychologist and a Fellow of Higher Education Academy. I completed my undergraduate studies, BA (Hons.) in Psychology and MA in Gender and Psychology both in Malaysia. I moved to the UK in 2014 where I completed my PhD (2014-2017) at Edge Hill University. In December 2018, I took up the position of Lecturer (Education) at Queen’s University Belfast.  

My research interests are interdisciplinary crossing the fields of migration studies and psychology. I am broadly interested in studying migrant children and adults, their adjustment processes, belonging and practices of inclusion and exclusion, identity and wellbeing. In my PhD thesis, I have examined the experiences of return migrants and their children following the economic crisis and the ways they reconstruct a sense of belonging upon return. I use qualitative research methods and I have a particular interest in using creative methods in researching children and young people. I am currently collaborating with colleagues on a project exploring academic experiences and acculturation processes of international students at QUB. 

I teach and coordinate two modules at Masters level:

PSY7063 Qualitative research methods, theory and application I
PSY7064 Qualitative research methods, theory and application II

I teach in two modules at Undergraduate level:

PSY2067 Psychological methods [Qualitative research]
PSY2066 Core Psychology II [Developmental Psychology]

I currently co-supervise two Doctorate students from the Doctorate in Educational, Child and Adolescent Psychology [DECAP] programme

Supervision

Personal tutor for Level 1 students
Thesis supervisor for Year 3 students and Msc students in Psychological Science (Conversion)

Chartered member (CPsychol) British Psychological Society

Adviser of Studies for Undergraduate Students

BPS Member of the Division of Academics, Researchers and Teachers in Psychology

BPS Member of the Qualitative Methods Section

Northern Ireland representative to BPS

Member of the European Society for Psychological Learning and Teaching (ESPLAT)

Internationalisation champion