Congratulations to Professor Tim Dalgleish from the MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit on his appointment as the inaugural Dawson Professor of Young People’s Mental Health within the Department of Psychology.

The Dawson Professorship will be based in the Department of Psychology at the University of Cambridge including a Fellowship at St Catharine’s College. This significant role builds upon the Dawsons’ longstanding support for student mental health and wellbeing, representing a vital and transformative advancement in mental health research both at Cambridge and beyond.

The post has been made possible through a generous £4.5 million donation from Christina and Peter Dawson, US-based philanthropists and passionate advocates for mental health, who have supported the University for many years.

Current data indicates that one in five young people in England are living with a mental health condition, which is up from one in eight in 2017. As mental health issues among young people continue to rise worldwide, this professorship will help ensure Cambridge remains at the forefront of research into youth mental health, while also strengthening the evidence based support offered to its students.

Tim said: “I am absolutely delighted to be appointed as the inaugural Dawson Professor of Young People’s Mental Health and to a Fellowship at St Catharine’s College. It is a privilege to be involved in helping to improve the lives of young people and to work on developing new preventions and interventions for the pervasive mental health difficulties that many children and adolescents are struggling with.”

Prof. Dalgleish will officially begin his new role in January 2026.