Dr Lisa Marzano

Biography

Lisa Marzano is Professor of Psychology and Theme Director for Equity and Improvements in Health and Wellbeing. Formerly a Research Fellow at the Oxford University Centre for Suicide Research, Lisa has worked in suicide and self-harm prevention for over two decades, drawing on a variety of methods and disciplinary approaches. She currently leads an established programme of research focusing on suicides in public locations which has informed a range of preventative initiatives (including the award-winning Small Talk Saves Lives campaign, as well as national and international media guidelines to promote responsible reporting of sui­cide). In 2019 Lisa was recognised by Universities UK as a “Nation's Lifesaver” for “saving lives and making a life-changing difference to our health and wellbeing”, and received a “Lifesaver Award” from Transport for London.

Education and Qualifications: 

2004-2007 PhD in Psychology, Middlesex University, funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC).

2002-2004 MSc in Social Science Research Methods (also satisfying requirements of the MSc in Forensic Psychology), Middlesex University, funded by the ESRC.

1998-2001 BSc (Hons) in Psychology with Criminology, Middlesex University. 

Current and Previous Posts: 

From 2012 Professor of Psychology (from 2023) and Theme Director for Equity and Improvements in Health and Wellbeing (from 2022), Middlesex University 

2007-2012 Postdoctoral Researcher, Centre for Suicide Research, University of Oxford and Research Associate, Green Templeton College, University of Oxford 

2005-2010 Guest Psychology Lecturer, Universities of Oxford and Brighton 

Advisory and Board Membership Roles: 

In addition to providing expert advice on suicide prevention to a range of organisations (e.g. the Met and British Transport Police, the National Police Chiefs Council and National Crime Agency; the Behavioural Insights Team, Cabinet Office; The Independent Press Standards Organisation; Samaritans; National Highways; ProRail (Netherlands) and Lifeline (Australia)), Lisa is a member of:

•  Suicide & the Media Taskforce, International Association for Suicide Prevention and WHO Media Guidelines for the Reporting of Suicide Revision Group
• National Near to Real-Time Suspected Suicide Surveillance Leadership Group (Office for Health Improvement and Disparity, UK Government
• Security Consortium for the Prevention of Suicide                                                   
• Safer Public Spaces Network
• The Railways Suicide Prevention Programme Board                                        
• Thrive London Suicide Prevention Group and Self-Harm Monitoring Task Force
• Beachy Head Operational Response Group
• Editorial board BMJ Mental Health (Digital Mental Health Section Editor; 2016-23)        
• Samaritans’ Research Ethics Board (Chair, 2018-22)

Teaching

Lisa teaches on a range of undergraduate and postgraduate psychology modules, including introductory psychology and research methods modules, and more specialised mental health, critical forensic and applied social psychology teaching. 

She currently supervises four PhD students:

Peter Frost (with funding from the Met Police). Suicide Prevention during the Covid-19 Pandemic. An exploration and evaluation of real time surveillance systems to monitor and reduce suicides. (Director of Studies)

Danny Holmes: Mental Health in Elite Football. (Supporting Supervisor) 

Steven MacDonald-Hart: Evaluating the effectiveness of Suicide Intervention First Aid (SIFA), a train-the-trainer gatekeeper initiative. (Supporting Supervisor)

Jude Smit: Students’ lived experiences of attempted suicide in further and higher education. (Director of Studies)