Professor Debbie Mills
Emeritus Professor

Affiliations
Links
- http://bbcd.bangor.ac.uk/visit.php.en
BBCD Lab Website
Contact info
Director for Research at Tir na n'Og Child Development Centre and Nursery
Phone: +44(0)1248 388572Email: d.l.mills@bangor.ac.ukRoom 130, Brigantia BuildingPenrallt Road, School of PsychologyBangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2AS
Professor Debbie Mills is a member of the Cognitive Neuroscience Research Institute
Research
Brain and language development, Williams syndrome, interactions between genes, brain, and behaviour
Professor Debbie Mills is a member of the Cognitive Development Research Institute
Contact Info
Director for Research at Tir na n'Og Child Development Centre and Nursery
Phone: +44(0)1248 388572Email: d.l.mills@bangor.ac.ukRoom 130, Brigantia BuildingPenrallt Road, School of PsychologyBangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2AS
Professor Debbie Mills is a member of the Cognitive Neuroscience Research Institute
Overview
Prof Mills' is interested in the effects of experience on brain plasticity and cognition across the lifespan. Current projects include the effects of bilingualism and lifestyle factors on executive functions in a) children from 1 to 4 years of age, and b) adults over age 65. In another line of research she studies links across genes, brain, and social cognition in neurodevelopmental disorders such as Williams Syndrome. Her research uses a combined behavioural and brain imaging (EEG/fMRI) approach to examine the neurobiology of language and cognitive development.
Teaching and Supervision
Professor Mills is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA)
She is currently Module Organiser for the MSc module Biological Bases of Neurodevelopmental Disorders and teaches on the MSc Research Methods in Bilingualism module and UG module on Langauge and its Disorders.
In previous years she was Module Organiser for Methods in Event-related Potentials, and undergraduate modules in Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience and Infancy.
Professor Mills regularly supervises research students at the undergraduate, masters, and doctoral levels.
Current PhD research students include: Caitlin O'Riordan
Postgraduate Project Opportunities
I am currently accepting applications for PhD, MPhil, and MRes students for projects on 1) Neurobiology of the effects of experiential factors, such as bilingualism, on executive functions in older adults, and 2) Bilingual vocabulary development and speech perception. Students with self- or external funding are welome. I am also interested in PhD researchers applying forESRC Wales DTP studentships in Bilingualism or Psychology.
Education / academic qualifications
- BA , Psychology
- PhD , Psychology
- MA , Educational Psychology
Research outputs (56)
- Accepted/In press
Brain lateralization for perceiving direction of motion is reversed in Williams syndrome and related to BUD23: Genetic Influence of BUD23 on Reversed Brain Lateralization and Motion Perception in Williams Syndrome
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
- Published
Attention facilitates three-dimensional shape from shading
Research output: Contribution to conference › Poster › peer-review
- Accepted/In press
Gender in teacher-student interactions: Another factor in spatial ability development and STEM affiliation
Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review
Projects (4)
Does learning a second language as an adult keep your brain young?
Project: Research
Linking gene expression with social brain activity
Project: Research
Lexicon development in bilingual toddlers
Project: Research