On Saturday 26 April 2025, a delegation of 10 psychology students and five staff from the School of Psychological Science at the University of Bristol attended the South West Undergraduate Conference (SWUC) at the University of Exeter. This annual event, which is sponsored by the South West branch of the British Psychological Society (BPS), is an opportunity for final year psychology undergraduates to showcase and celebrate their dissertation research in a supportive and authentic conference context.

Our delegates joined over 100 students and staff from all seven South West universities (Bristol, UWE, Bath, Bath Spa, Plymouth, Plymouth Marjon, and Exeter), as well as several representatives of the BPS. Collectively, the students presented over 40 research posters and 40 research talks.

The day also included an opening speech by the president of the BPS, Dr. Roman Raczka, a fascinating careers panel, a keynote presentation by Dr. Luke McGuire about the developmental moral psychology of human-animal intergroup relations, and lots of opportunities for networking. It concluded with a prize ceremony, where Meghan Whitehouse (University of Plymouth) and Bailey Ajayi (University of the West of England) were awarded the prizes for best oral presentation and poster respectively. These were very well deserved.

In 2026, SWUC will be hosted by the University of Bath. To quote Dr. Michael Smyth, one of the staff representatives from the University of Bristol, “I’m already looking forward to it!”