Brief BioI am a psychologist and a researcher, with expertise and interests in outdoor education, experiential learning, and personal development. I love working with people who strive to make the world a better place.
100 Word BiographyJames Neill is a lecturer in the Centre for Applied Psychology, with a passion for knowledge-sharing via teaching and research. I am particularly interested in the phenomena of human change. I am a former Outward Bound instructor, and a keen adventurer of mind, body and planet. I enjoy working with people who want to save the world. My university teaching has focused on personality, intelligence, developmental and social psychology, and research methods. Among other projects, I have created a popular online collection of group games and teambuilding activities.
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Background In BriefJames Thomas Neill (Wikipedia; b.1970) harks from Perth, Western Australia ("the most isolated city in the world"). I currently work as a full-time academic in the Centre for Applied Psychology at the University of Canberra (Australia). During 2005-2006 I have been working on a research grant from the Outdoor Education Group to develop a web-based program evaluation tool and research program for examining longitudinal and comparative personal, social and environmental outcomes of OEG's programs. I also teach Social Psychology and Survey Research and Design. My previous academic appointment was teaching outdoor education and research methods in the Department of Kinesiology at the University of New Hampshire (USA) (2001-2003). Prior to that I worked as an instructor and research coordinator at Outward Bound Australia (1988-1996). Qualifications
Publications
Background - Work & Study HistoryI grew up in Perth, enjoying an idyllic coastal urban Western culture, and thrived on sport, academics, and outdoor adventure. Since then I've been exploring, working in, and researching, various forms of adventurous learning and education. Following high school, I spent a summer fruitpicking, then worked for Outward Bound Australia over a period of 10 years (1988-1997), mainly as an instructor, research coordinator, and staff trainer. I also completed an undergraduate science degree, majoring in Psychology and minoring in Human Movement studies (University of Western Australia) (1989-1991). On an overseas trip, I worked for New York Outward Bound Center and sailed east-west across the Pacific Ocean with a youth crew aboard the 72ft ketch Sir Thomas Sopwith. Becoming increasingly fascinated with the psychological aspects of how people behave and change during adventurous experiences, I began collating and archiving Outward Bound and adventure education research in 1992. I completed an honors degree in psychology, with a thesis focusing on the effects of Outward Bound programs for adolescents at the Australian National University in 1994. After leaving Outward Bound, I tutored (1996-1998) and lectured (1999-2001) in psychology at the University of Canberra and Australian National University, specializing in research methods and personality and developmental psychology. In 2001, I moved to the USA to teach at the University of New Hampshire in the Department of Kinesiology. I taught research and professional literature topics in the graduate program, and outdoor education philosophy and methods, and backpacking in the undergraduate program. Since returning to Australia (mid-2003) I focused on parenting, part-time lecturing in psychology, research consulting, and working on my Ph.D. in Education. (More info about the thesis). In 2005, I returned to work full-time in the Centre for Applied Psychology, University of Canberra, where I teach social psychology and research methods. During 2005-2006 I have been working on a research grant from the Outdoor Education Group to develop a web-based program evaluation tool and research program for examining longitudinal and comparative personal, social and environmental outcomes of OEG's programs.
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 Instructing a 9-day Outward Bound expedition program for adults, North Queensland, Australia, July, 1990 |
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TeachingI have taught in three university departments:
I have convened (coordinated) university courses in the following areas:
I have tutored university courses in the following areas:
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 James tutoring in psychology, University of Canberra, 1999 |
 Teaching with offpsring#2, University of New Hampshire, USA, 2002 (they still use blackboards!) |
Research & PublicationsI have published or presented approximately 40 papers since the mid-1990's, all of which are available online. The focus of James' research has been on the psychological impact and processes of interventions such as outdoor education programs. The main topics have been:
You may be interested to view the 10 most popular publications.
Consulting
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