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Dr. Ria Vaportzis

Associate Professor

Area
School of Social Sciences
Faculty of Mgmt, Law & Social Sciences
E-mail
E.Vaportzis@bradford.ac.uk
Phone
+441274235554
Dr. Ria Vaportzis
5 research projects
30 publications

Biography

I hold an Honours in Psychology from the University of Melbourne, and a PhD in Psychology from Monash University. My PhD thesis investigated dual-tasking in healthy ageing and Huntington's disease.

While doing my PhD, I worked as a teaching associate at Monash. Upon completion of my studies, I stayed at Monash and was involved in three multinational clinical studies in Huntington’s disease.

I got my first job as a postdoctoral researcher at Heriot-Watt University. My project, Tablet for Healthy Ageing, investigated the potential of tablet computers to improve the health and wellbeing in older adults.

Following the Tablet for Healthy Ageing project, I was a Research Co-Investigator on a Velux Stiftung funded project, The Intervention Factory (also at Heriot-Watt). The Intervention Factory, considered community-based activities (e.g., computers, physical activity, handicraft, languages) as potential interventions for cognitive ageing.

I then joined the Psychology team at the University of Bradford. I led the Back Onside project that aimed to improve health outcomes in vulnerable people through physical activity (funded by UKRI HEIF). I am currently involved in two projects - one as principal investigator - that investigate perspectives of services users and clinicians on electronic mental health records (funded by UKRI Brad-ATTAIN and NIHR).

In addition to my psychology qualifications, I hold qualifications in languages, sports journalism, personal training, and dancing.



Research

My main research interests lie within the broad field of cognitive psychology. I am particularly interested in interventions that may improve cognition, mental health, quality of life and wellbeing of older adults to help them live independently for longer.

Research projects

Teaching

I am the module leader for Conceptual Issues in Psychology and Mental Health (PSY4012), Cognitive Psychology and Psychobiology (PSY5018), Cognitive Psychology (PSY5008/PSY7010) and Sandwich Year - Study Abroad Experience (PSY5000-Z)

PhD students

2024. Rosemary Awele Ebigwei Omeda. Rumination, worry and self-esteem as factors in depression and anxiety among hypertensive patients in Nigeria. Principal supervisor.

2023. Ammarah Ikram. Perspectives of minority ethnic groups on OpenNotes for mental health. Principal supervisor.


Modules

  • Sandwich Year - Study Abroad Experience - PSY5000-Z
  • Conceptual Issues in Psychology and Mental Health - PSY4012-B

Professional activities

  • Monash University - PhD (Psychology)
  • University of Melbourne - BA(Hons in Psychology - 1st Class)

  • University of Bradford - Assistant Professor (10 December 2021)
  • Heriot Watt University - Postdoctoral Research Fellow (24 November 2014)
  • Monash University - Research Assistant (25 November 2013)

  • External examiner: New York College of Athens (15 April 2019)
  • External examiner - Cardiff Metropolitan University:
  • External examiner: Burnley College (6 April 2020)

  • Higher Education Academy, Fellow (15 January 2021)
  • British Psychological Society, CPsychol (15 August 2015)

Publications

  • What keeps you sharp? People’s views about preserving thinking skills in old age

    Niechcial, MA; Vaportzis, E; Gow, AJ (2019)

  • The type of concurrent task affects dual-task performance in Huntington’s disease

    Vaportzis, E; Georgiou-Karistianis, N; Churchyard, A; Stout, JC (2014)

  • Dual task performance in Huntington's disease: Comparing choice reaction time tasks

    Vaportzis, E; Georgiou-Karistianis, N; Churchyard, A; Stout, JC (2012)

  • Dual task performance in Huntington's disease using cancellation and auditory tasks

    Vaportzis, E; Georgiou-Karistianis, N; Churchyard, A; Stout, JC (2012)

  • The effects of Huntington’s disease and task difficulty on dual-task performance

    Vaportzis, E; Georgiou-Karistianis, N; Churchyard, A; Stout, JC (2011)