Rachel, who passed away in January following a prolonged battle with breast cancer, joined Anglia Ruskin in 1997 as a Lecturer in Psychology in what was then the School of Life Sciences.
During her time at Anglia Ruskin, Rachel was instrumental in the development of both the Department of Psychology and the Faculty of Science and Technology.
As Programme Leader and then Head of Department (2012-18), Rachel facilitated the department’s British Psychological Society accreditation, served as Chair of the Faculty Research Ethics Panel, led preparations for Anglia Ruskin’s successful Athena SWAN award and helped thousands of students achieve their undergraduate and postgraduate degrees.
Speaking about her influence on psychology at Anglia Ruskin, Acting Head of Department Dr Daragh McDermott said: “Rachel was incredibly dedicated to her subject, to Anglia Ruskin, and to each and every one of her students.
“Her commitment to the Department was unparalleled and the staff and students’ achievements to date are in many respects down to her passion and enthusiasm for psychology at Anglia Ruskin University.
“Rachel truly thought Anglia Ruskin was a fantastic place to work and to study, and she is missed dearly by everyone who knew and worked with her.”
After the unveiling of a plaque in Anglia Ruskin’s new Science Centre on the Cambridge campus, Vice Chancellor Professor Iain Martin said: “Rachel was truly passionate about teaching Psychology at Anglia Ruskin, so we hope this is a fitting tribute to a much-missed colleague. We were delighted that Rachel’s family were able to join us for the occasion.”
Image: Staff were joined by Rachel’s two sons, sister and mother for the unveiling of a plaque