University of the West of England

Faculty Member, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences

Reader in Applied Psychology

About

Chris Alford, BSc, MSc, PhD, PGCHE graduated as a biologist but converted to Psychology through an MSc in Applied Psychology from Aston University, and later completing a PhD in Psychology at Leeds University.  He has held a number of academic positions at Aston and other Universities (e.g. Leeds, Warwick), and collaborative research with groups at Bristol, Loughborough and Oxford investigating sleep and fatigue in transport operations for the civil Aviation Authority, BAE Systems and the Ford Motor Company.  He set up the sleep laboratory at Leeds University, undertaking research for the pharmaceutical industry which he continued as Senior Research Fellow at Surrey University, before moving to UWE Bristol in 1992 where he is a reader in Applied Psychology and currently collaborates with Jeni Parker as part of the Dream Research Group.  He was a founding member of the British Sleep Society and an invited expert on the european research initiative - concerted action on methodology for analysis of the sleep-wakefulness continuum.  He has worked as a legal adviser and expert witness for sleep, drugs and driving related cases.  He is the author of over 70 conference papers and reports, as well as over 30 refereed articles, and is an invited speaker at national and international conferences.  He continues in sleep, performance and drug research, with current work in to the effects of sleep loss, extended performance, sleep disorders, stress, complementary medicine and neutraceuticals or functional foods.  He collaborates with Jeni Parker as part of the UWE Dream Research Group, and with Bristol based artists Luke Jerram and Dan Jones for sleep performance events.  Media appearances include the Open University, All in the Mind, and the Today programme.

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