Kathy Parkes, MA, MSc, PhD, FBPsS

Reader in Applied Psychology

Principal Investigator, HSE Research

mailto:kathy.parkes@psy.ox.ac.uk

Research interests

The main focus of my research is occupational stress, but the work is broadly based, and extends into the fields of organizational psychology, health psychology, and individual differences. Psychosocial work characteristics, shift work, performance, psychological well-being, and physical health, together with the roles of individual and environmental factors in work stress processes, are major areas of interest.  

The research aims to combine a strong academic approach with ‘real-world’ relevance, appropriate to the needs of the outside organizations concerned. In addition to academic dissemination of the research in publications and conference papers, findings and recommendations are reported directly to the organizations concerned and, through the Health and Safety Executive, to the wider industrial community.  

Recent work has been primarily concerned with the psychosocial environment, human factors, working time arrangements, and health in the UK oil and gas industry, both onshore and offshore; a series of reports and other publications for managers, occupational health professionals and safety specialists has been prepared.

From October 2008 to December 2009, I will be visiting the University of Western Australia as a Gledden Senior Fellow.

Graduate students

Past graduate students have completed D.Phil or M.Sc degrees in a range of research areas related to occupational stress and health; details can be found here.