Dr Susan Lagdon is a Senior Lecturer in Psychology (Mental Health) at Ulster University and a Fellow of the UK Higher Education Academy. She completed her PhD in 2016, which examined intimate partner violence, mental health, and service experiences in Northern Ireland.

Susan is currently Co-Chair of the Northern Ireland Forensic Managed Care Network and serves on the Tertiary Education Learning Forum (TELF) Sub-Committee on Ending Violence Against Women and Girls. She is also a member of the British Psychological Society.

Her research focuses on domestic and sexual violence and abuse, including coercive control, with particular emphasis on the mental health impacts of interpersonal trauma and the availability, accessibility, and effectiveness of support services for victims. Susan employs mixed-methods approaches in her research, with a strong commitment to participatory methodologies and stakeholder engagement to inform and guide the research process.

Susan has led several funded research projects addressing violence and abuse. These include the Healthy Young Adults Relationship (HYAR) Project, funded by the Medical Research Council’s Public Health Intervention Development (PHIND) Fund; the COSHARE (Consent, Sexual Violence, Harassment, and Equality in Higher Education) project, delivered in partnership with the University of Galway and funded through the HEA’s North–South Research Programme; and the Coercive Control Awareness and Response Initiative (CARI) funded by The Executive Office. The CARI project supported the development of the Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes public awareness campaign and a pilot professional training initiative.

Beyond her research, Susan is deeply committed to teaching and supervision at Ulster University. She supervises undergraduate and postgraduate students and currently serves as the Year 3 Tutor within the School of Psychology. Susan delivers teaching on Advanced Research Methods and the Forensic Psychology and Crime modules.

Susan also contributes her expertise as a member of several advisory committees and boards related to violence prevention, mental health, and safeguarding.