Dr Iain Garner PhD, MBA, PgCert
Dean of College, Social Science and Arts
Summary
As Dean of the College of Social Sciences and Arts, Iain provides senior leadership and the overall strategic direction for the college.
About
The college is constructed from four large academic institutes: Sheffield Institute of Law and Justice, Sheffield Institute of Education, Sheffield Institute of Social Sciences and Sheffield Creative Industries Institute.
Before this role, Iain was the Associate Dean for Business and Enterprise (2019-2022), Head of the Department for Education Childhood and Inclusion (2013-2019) and Director of International and Market Development (2010-2013).
Iain has actively worked transnationally and with businesses building strong academic relationships and designing awards to work in various contexts.
Iain’s academic background is in Psychology, and he built his academic career within the discipline, actively researching various applied psychology areas. At the same time, Iain designed and delivered awards from Foundation to Doctoral level, working with tens of thousands of students.
Teaching
College of Social Sciences and Arts
Research
In the field of forensic psychology I'm particularly interested in perception and crime, whether from the first-person perspective of an eyewitness, or how crime is perceived in the media.
This area of forensic investigation is particularly challenging to teach because of how perception is psychologically constructed and how this 'constructed understanding' can cause problems for an adversarial legal system.
For example, how can a court identify an honest witness's mistaken account if the witness completely believes their memories to be accurate?
A similar issue develops around the media's portrayal of crime which shapes the wider society's understanding of what crime is, who perpetrates crime and how crime is solved.
Such media presentations have a strong influence on society's understanding, but they can be inaccurate. This leads to the consideration of whether such misunderstandings create further problems when trying to address crime.
Publications
Journal articles
White, N., Garner, I., & Rumbold, J. (2024). Designing Effective Scripts and Resources to Support Simulated Practice, Using Basic Life Support as an Exemplar. Journal of Modern Nursing Practice and Research, 4 (2). http://doi.org/10.53964/jmnpr.2024010.
White, N., Rumbold, J., & Garner, I. (2024). Enhancing Cardiac Arrest Skills: Exploring Student Nurses’ Journey through Mental Simulation to Self-efficacy. Journal of Modern Nursing Practice and Research, 4 (2). http://doi.org/10.53964/jmnpr.2024006
Marsden, R., Francis, J., & Garner, I. (2019). Use of GFCF Diets in children with ASD. An investigation into parents' beliefs using the theory of planned behaviour. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. http://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-019-04035-8
Fawcett, H. (2016). The Effect of Evidence Timing and Witness Motivation upon Juror Evaluations of Alibi Witnesses and Defendants. Psychiatry, Psychology and Law, 23 (4), 575-587. http://doi.org/10.1080/13218719.2015.1081317
Cashdan, A., & Garner, I. (2015). Psychology and religion [1]. Psychologist, 28 (8), 607.
Al Ali, O.E., Garner, I., & Magadley, W. (2012). An Exploration of the Relationship Between Emotional Intelligence and Job Performance in Police Organizations. Journal of Police and Criminal Psychology, 27 (1), 1-8. http://doi.org/10.1007/s11896-011-9088-9
Garner, I., o Al-Ali, O., & Megadley, W. (2010). Personality Profile of Effective Police Officers: An Exploratory Study. Arabpsynet Journal, 25, 174-180.
Garner, I., & Nollent, A. (2009). Implementing Internationalisation’. Enhancing Learning in the Social Sciences, 2 (1).
Tang, N., Garner, I., & Nollent, A. (2008). Internationalisation, a case study. Learner Autonomy Case Studies, 1.
Garner, I., Maltby, J., & Lord, J. (2001). Developing virtual support for students. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 17 (2), 217-218. http://doi.org/10.1046/j.0266-4909.2001.00174.x
Garner, I. (2000). Problems and Inconsistencies with Kolb's Learning Styles. Educational Psychology, 20 (3), 341-348. http://doi.org/10.1080/713663745
Maltby, J., Garner, I., Alan Lewis, C., & Day, L. (2000). Religious orientation and schizotypal traits. Personality and Individual Differences, 28 (1), 143-151. http://doi.org/10.1016/s0191-8869(99)00090-2
MALTBY, J. (1999). SOCIAL INTERESTS AND EYSENCK'S PERSONALITY DIMENSIONS. Psychological Reports, 85 (5), 197. http://doi.org/10.2466/pr0.85.5.197-200
Maltby, J., Macaskill, A., Day, L., & Garner, I. (1999). Social Interests and Eysenck's Personality Dimensions. Psychological Reports, 85 (1), 197-200. http://doi.org/10.2466/pr0.1999.85.1.197
Garner, I., & Maltby, J. (1997). Developing virtual support for students. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 1.
White, N., Garner, I., & Rumbold, J. (n.d.). Designing Effective Scripts and Resources to Support Simulated Practice, Using Basic Life Support as an Exemplar. Journal of Modern Nursing Practice and Research, 4 (2), 10. http://doi.org/10.53964/jmnpr.2024010
Conference papers
White, N., Garner, I., & Rumbold, J. (2022). Design of a functionally equivalent mental simulation protocol for learning cardiac arrest skills [Abstract only]. International Journal of Healthcare Simulation, 2 (S1), A28-A29. http://doi.org/10.54531/JODG4926
White, N., Rumbold, J., & Garner, I. (2022). A study into the perceptions of pre-registration nurses’ use of mental simulation for learning cardiac arrest skills [Abstract only]. International Journal of Healthcare Simulation, 2 (S1), A24-A25. http://doi.org/10.54531/DVYN3727
Garner, I. (2020). Post Traumatic Zoom disorder: coping, learning, and thriving in an online workplace. In Executive Leadership Network Conference.
Garner, I. (2019). Toxic masculinities: Not what the good guys do? A reflection on Higher Education Leadership. In Executive Leadership Network Conference.
Garner, I., & Stevenson, J. (2016). The BME degree attainment gap: The black hole of institutional delusion. In Higher Education Close up 8. International conference, Lancaster, UK.
Garner, I., Al-Ali, O., & Megadley, W. (2010). An examination of the Relationship between Personality, Emotional Intelligence and Occupational stress: Results from the UAE Police. In International Congress of Applied Psychology, Melbourne, Australia, 11 July 2010 - 16 July 2010.
Garner, I. (2010). Project internationalization: The view of SME employers. In British Psychological Society Annual Conference proceedings, London, UK.
Garner, I., Al-Ali, O., & Megadley, W. (2009). Personality, cognitive ability and emotional intelligence as Predictors of Police Academy Performance: Results from the UAE Police. In Conference of the Society for Police and Criminal Psychology.
Garner, I., Al-Ali, O., & Megadley, W. (2009). An investigation of the relationship among personality, cognitive ability, emotional intelligence, and counterproductive workplace behaviours: Results from UAE Police. In Industrial and Organisational Psychology Conference, Sydney, Australia.
Garner, I., Al-Ali, O., & Megadley, W. (2009). An exploration of the relationship between personality, cognitive ability, emotional intelligence and job performance: Results from the UAE police. In European Congress of Work and Organizational Psychology.
Garner, I., Al-Ali, O., & Megadley, W. (2009). Psychological Testing and the Selection of Police Officers at Abu Dhabi Police: An Exploratory Study. In Conference of the International Association of Muslim Psychologists, Sharjah, UAE.
Moore, D., Francis, J., Garner, I., & Reidy, L. (2008). Spontaneous Allocation of Attention to Faces in Adults with ASD. In International Meeting for Autism Research.
Garner, I., & Reidy, L. (2006). Autism Into Higher Education - Discussion of the pathways and limitations facing those with ASD who wish to go on to Higher Education. In Aim Higher (UK).
Garner, I. (2006). Student perceptions of PodCasting. In Sheffield Hallam University Learning and Teaching Conference proceedings.
Garner, I., Francis, J., & Wales, K. (2002). An Evaluation of a Short Message System (SMS) to support Undergraduate Student Learning. In European Workshop on Mobile Learning and Contextual Learning.
Garner, I., & Lillis, T. (2001). Construction of academic argument in undergraduate writing. In International Writing Conference proceedings.
Garner, I., & Nollent, A. Project Internationalisation. In C-SAP Conference, C-SAP Conference.
Book chapters
Taylor, C., Harris-Evans, J., Garner, I., Fitzgerald, D., & Madriaga, M. (2018). Measurement imperatives and their impact: Academic staff narratives on riding the metric tide. In Equality and differentiation in marketised higher education: A new level playing field?. (pp. 171-194). Palgrave Macmillan: http://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-78313-0
Theses / Dissertations
Stacey, J.M. (2024). Adults studying GCSE mathematics in Further Education: Self-efficacy, anxiety, and examination grades. (Doctoral thesis). Supervised by Garner, I., & Rowlett, P. http://doi.org/10.7190/shu-thesis-00643
Al-Ali, O.E. (2011). Police selection via psychological testing : A United Arab Emirates study. (Doctoral thesis). Supervised by Garner, I., & Magadley, W.
Moore, D.J. (2010). The social cognition and attentional preferences of autistic adults. (Doctoral thesis). Supervised by Reidy, L., Francis, J., & Garner, I.
Beardon, L. (2008). Asperger Syndrome and perceived offending conduct: a qualitative study. (Doctoral thesis). Supervised by Garner, I., & Senior, P.
Internet Publications
Garner, I., & Hodgson, R. (2025). Are staff with professional industry expertise proper academics? Do academics who work outside universities make HE more inclusive or reinforce hierarchical structures.
Other activities
I carry out consultancy and am a member of the British Psychological Society.
I'm an academic representative on the University Strategic Marketing Development Group, and a chief academic for university graduation ceremonies. I also help manage the recruitment of students who declare criminal convictions.
Media
My research interests include eyewitness testimony and applied forensic psychology. I am part of the Psychology Research Group at the University.