Educational Background

Ph.D., Psychology, School of Criminology and Criminal Justice, University of Portsmouth, UK

M.Sc., Forensic Psychology, Department of Psychology, University of Winchester, UK

PGCertHE., Learning and Teaching in Higher Education, University of Winchester, UK

B.Sc., Psychology and Cognition, Department of Psychology, University of Winchester, UK

Professional Experience

Academic HUMINT Affiliate: National Crime Agency, UK

Academic Assocation: National Police Cheif Council, Intelligence Practice Research Consortium (NPCC IPRC), 

Academic Expert Fellow (Security): SPRITE+

Academic Associate: Collaboration of Forensic Interviewing

Deputy Director: Centre of Forensic Interveiwing

Working Group Member: ImpleMendez COST project https://implemendez.eu/

Assistant Editor: Journal of Applied Operational Intelligence

Selected Publications

1. Holubova, A., Brown, W., Palace, M., May, B., Tejeiro, R., & Terbeck, S. (Under Review). Un(desirable) Traits? The Dark Tetrad in Different Academic Majors. Learning and Individual Differences.
2. Palace, M., May, B., Bokszczanin, A., O’Brien, F., Shortland, N., Chopra, J., Misra, N., Tully, J., Jackson, R., & Ingale, S. (Under Review). Individual Predictors behind Attitudes to Knife-carrying in Schoolboys in England, India and Poland. Journal of School Violence.
3. May, B., Palace, M., Milne, R., Shortland, N., Dalton, G., Meenaghan, A., Fryatt, L., Shawyer, A. (Under Review). An Exploratory Thematic Analysis of the Decision Challenges Faced by Emergency Responders during the 2017 Manchester Arena Attacks. Studies in Conflict and Terrorism
4. May, B., Milne, R., Bull, R. (2024). Applying Cognitive Psychology to Crime Investigation. In D. Groome. (Ed) An Introduction to Applied Cognitive Psychology.
5. Bull, R., May, B. Milne, R. (2024). What is memory? In R, Milne & R. Bull. Investigative interviewing: Psychology and practice.
6. May, B., Milne, R., Dalton, G., Meenaghan, A., Shawyer, A. (2024). An exploratory study on manifesting decision-inertia in a 360-degree immersive terrorist incident. Cognition, Technology and Work.
7. Stanier, I., Nunan, J., & May, B. (2024). An exploratory study into cell approaches for intelligence collection from detainees within an English Police Custody Suite. Policing: A Journal of Policy and Practice, 18, paad103.

Recognition & Awards

Outstanding Assistant Professor 2024, University of Winchester

Research

Dr. May's research spans multiple critical areas:

1. High-Stakes Decision-Making: Dr. May investigates the psychological and operational factors influencing decision inertia during high-pressure situations, such as responses to terrorist threats. His work aims to identify and mitigate the cognitive effects that can paralyze decision-makers in moments when swift and effective action is crucial.

2. Covert Intelligence Elicitation and Ethical Forensic Interviewing Practices: Dr. May explores innovative techniques for gathering intelligence in covert operations, balancing the need for effective information extraction with adherence to ethical standards. His research contributes to refining interrogation methods that are both humane and effective, ensuring that intelligence gathered in sensitive operations is reliable and ethically obtained.

3. Countering Misinformation and Disinformation Campaigns: In an era where misinformation can have significant non-kinetic effects on national security, Dr. May’s research focuses on strategies to counter disinformation. His work is particularly concentrated on the implications of these campaigns in defense and security, developing countermeasures to protect societies from the destabilizing effects of false information.

4. Anti-Violence Campaigns: Addressing the issue of youth violence, Dr. May’s research emphasizes the prevention of knife and gun violence among young males. His work seeks to understand the underlying causes of this violence and develop interventions that can reduce its occurrence, contributing to safer communities and healthier futures for at-risk youth.