Professor Anna Whittaker

Professor of Behavioural Medicine

Sport Faculty of Health Sciences and Sport University of Stirling Stirling FK9 4LA

Professor Anna Whittaker

About me

Professor Anna Whittaker is a Professor of Behavioural Medicine, and British Psychological Society Chartered Health Psychologist, working at the Faculty of Health Sciences and Sport, University of Stirling. She completed her PhD at the University of Birmingham in 2005, and then undertook post-doctoral research for one year before winning a prestigious 5-year Research Councils UK Fellowship. On completion of the fellowship in 2011 she was promoted to Senior Research Fellow, in 2012 to Reader in Behavioural Medicine, and to Professor in 2016.

She received the Herbert Weiner Early Career Award 2010 from the American Psychosomatic Society in recognition of importance and sophistication of research for this career stage. Professor Whittaker also won the Neal Miller Early Career Award from the Academy of Behavioral Medicine Research 2010 - a very prestigious award to research. In 2011 she became the inaugural winner of the award for outstanding contributions to research from the British Psychological Society Division of Health Psychology. In 2014 she received the Stress and Anxiety Research Society’s Early Career Award for her research on stress and anxiety.

In 2016 she was recognised as a Fellow of the British Psychological Society and in 2019 she was recognised as a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. In 2022 she was made Fellow of the Society of Biopsychosocial Science and Medicine (then American Psychosomatic Society).

Since joining the University of Stirling in 2019 she has annually been multiply nominated for Research Culture awards for Outstanding Mentor, Outstanding Research Leadership and Outstanding Research Culture Activity.

Award

Highly commended for Research Leader of the year.

Wall of Fame Research Culture Awards

Multiple nominations - outstanding research leader, mentor, collaborator, research activity

Special Commendation Outstanding Research Activity for REG

Special Commendation Outstanding Research Activity for REG

Academy of Behavioural Medicine Research Neal Miller Early Career Award

American Psychosomatic Society Early Career Award
Herbert Weiner Early Career Award for the importance and sophistication of research

British Psychological Society Division of Health Psychology Award for Outstanding Contribution to Research
British Psychological Society

Dean's Award
Dean’s Award. £2,000. Health MOT Pilot. CoI with PI: J Connelly and CoI E Hall.

Dean's Award
A before and after evaluation to measure the perceived effect of an intervention to improve ambulance clinical personal hydration habits during shift. CoI with PIs: N Rodriguez-Sanchez, & D Fitzpatrick.

Public Engagement Video Competition Winner
University of Birmingham

Ratcliffe Prize for best PhD in Life Sciences
University of Birmingham

Stress and Anxiety Research Society Early Career Award


Divisional / Faculty Contribution

Director of Post-graduate Research Studies
University of Stirling


Event / Presentation

Stirling Science Festival

ESRC IAASSS Festival of Social Science

ESRC IAASSS Festival of Social Science, Alloa


External Examiners and Validations

PhD examiner UCL
University College London

MSc Health and Management external examiner
University of Bedfordshire

PhD examining UCL
University College London

MSc Rehabilitation Studies examining
Aston University

PhD Examining Vriij University
Vrije University Amsterdam

External Examining PhD U Limerick
University of Limerick, Ireland

External Examining PhD U Limerick
University of Limerick, Ireland

External Examining PhD U Sydney
University of Sydney

PhD examiner Deakin
Deakin University

PhD examiner NUI Galway
University of Galway

PhD examining UCL
University College London

UG thesis external examining
St George's, University of London


Other Academic Activities

Secretary Treasurer - American Psychosomatic Society


Professional membership

American Psychosomatic Society

British Psychological Society Division of Health Psychology
British Psychological Society

International Affiliate of the Society for Health Psychology (Division 38, American Psychological Association)

Society for Psychophysiological Research

Stress and Anxiety Research Society


Professional qualification

Fellow of American Psychosomatic Society

Fellow of British Psychological Society
British Psychological Society

Senior Fellow of Higher Education Academy
Higher Education Academy


University Contribution

Birmingham Hero
University of Birmingham

https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/…eroes/index.aspx
Public engagement with research media campaign face

Nominations under the Research Mentor and Best Research Culture Event categories.
University of Stirling

Nominated for Research Leader of the year, Research Mentor and Best Research Collaborator
University of Stirling

Multiple nominations

Nomination for Outstanding Research Leadership & for Outstanding Research Mentor
University of Stirling

Nomination for Outstanding Research Leadership Nomination for Outstanding Research Mentor

Research Environment Group Chair and Vice Chair

Nomination for Best Research Leader 2020