Saints Spotlight: Dr Fergus Neville
Dr Fergus Neville is the Director of Postgraduate Research for the University of St Andrews Business School. In this month’s Saints Spotlight, he discusses his research on crowds, examining how people experience and behave in collective contexts.
How did your St Andrews story start?
In 2001, I crossed the Tay from Dundee to begin life as a St Andrews student studying Psychology and, 25 years later, I count myself very fortunate to still be working in this special place. Like many St Andrews students, I met my wife here, and now our children have begun their own educational journeys at school in St Andrews. After my undergraduate degree, I was a Bobby Jones Scholar at Emory University for a year, then returned to St Andrews for my Masters and PhD. After postdoctoral positions in the Schools of Medicine and Psychology, I took up a lectureship in the School of Management in 2019, which has since become the University of St Andrews Business School. So, while all my jobs have been at St Andrews, I’ve been employed in four different schools.
What are your current priorities at the University?
For the last two and a half years, I have been the Business School’s Director of Postgraduate Research (PGR). I love working with our PhD students across the Departments of Economics, Finance, and Management, and I undoubtedly learn more from them than they do from me. Since the merger into the Business School, we have prioritised building a cohesive PGR community. It’s inspiring to see the ways they support each other on what can potentially be an isolating journey.
What is the focus of your research at St Andrews?
I study group processes, with a particular focus on social identity and norms. A lot of my career has been spent researching crowds, including how people experience and behave in collective contexts. Since moving to the Business School, I have applied understandings of these processes to leadership and social influence in the worlds of business, sport, music, politics and public health. Right now, I am working on projects examining the role of shared social identity in shaping consumer behaviour during times of perceived shortage, and effective communication strategies with the public during evacuations and public health emergencies.
Tell us about your proudest achievement.
Academically, my proudest achievement has been the graduation of my first PhD student, Dr Meredith Schertzinger. It was her achievement rather than mine, but it was wonderful watching her develop into such a superb independent academic. Outside of work (and the obvious pride I have in my children), friends and I have set up Big Rock Records, which is a not-for-profit music collective. We host gigs and festivals in the local area and have been lucky to put on some incredible musicians. I’m very proud of the ways this daft hobby has brought together the local community to support artists to keep making and playing music. Despite the rumours, the shows are not organised for my data collection purposes.
Where is your favourite spot in St Andrews?
My wife and I met at a wedding in St Andrews, which we replicated on our own special day. So, I’ll say St Salvator’s Chapel and a walk down the Scores to Hotel Du Vin. Truthfully, it’s probably Aikman’s, but my wife might read this.