Academic Oversight

Scientific Advisory Council

The Scientific Advisory Council guides the Institute on curriculum development, research alignment, and evolving best practices within behavioral science.

Areas of Contribution

Composition

Council members represent diverse backgrounds across psychology, behavioral analysis, communication science, and applied human behavior disciplines. Their role is advisory, ensuring that Institute programs remain aligned with current scientific understanding.

Council Members

The Scientific Advisory Council comprises scholars and practitioners with specialist expertise across the disciplines informing GIB certification standards. Members serve in an advisory capacity and contribute on a voluntary basis.

Dr. Robert T. Chen, PhD
Associate Professor of Cognitive Psychology
University of California, Davis — Center for Mind and Brain

Dr. Chen's research examines attention, working memory, and cognitive load in professional observation tasks. He has published widely on the limits of human perceptual accuracy in structured assessment contexts and advises on the cognitive foundations of GIB's behavioral observation competency frameworks.

Prof. Miriam Osei-Bonsu, PhD
Professor of Social Psychology
University of Leeds, School of Psychology

Professor Osei-Bonsu specialises in interpersonal perception, cultural variation in nonverbal communication, and the social psychology of trust formation. Her research informs GIB's approach to culturally equitable competency standards and her publications on cross-cultural behavioral indicators are cited in GIB curriculum development.

Dr. Anastasia Volkov, DPsych
Forensic Psychologist & Assessment Consultant
Independent Practice; formerly Clinical Lead, National Forensic Psychology Service

Dr. Volkov brings practitioner expertise in structured professional judgement, risk assessment methodology, and the ethical application of behavioral analysis in forensic and investigative settings. She advises the Institute on the validity and practical limitations of assessment frameworks used in high-stakes decision-making environments.

Dr. Samuel Fernandez, PhD
Associate Professor of Organizational Behavior
Carnegie Mellon University, Tepper School of Business

Dr. Fernandez researches how behavioural competencies translate into professional performance, with a focus on leadership assessment, interview validity, and training transfer. His empirical work on the relationship between structured behavioral training and measurable workplace outcomes directly informs the Institute's competency validation methodology.

Dr. Yuki Tanaka, PhD
Senior Research Fellow, Communication Science
Keio University, Faculty of Letters — Human Behavior Laboratory

Dr. Tanaka's research programme examines multimodal communication, nonverbal channel interaction, and the empirical basis of behavioral indicators across cultures and professional contexts. She contributes to the Institute's review of observational competency frameworks and advises on the scientific status of constructs included in GIB curricula.

Prof. Fiona MacAlister, PhD, CPsychol
Professor of Applied Psychology
University of Edinburgh, School of Health in Social Science

Professor MacAlister holds Chartered Psychologist status and has spent her career bridging academic research and applied professional training in clinical and occupational contexts. She advises GIB on curriculum quality, ethics of practice, and the responsible translation of psychological research into professional training standards.

Selection & Terms

Members are invited based on demonstrated expertise, peer recognition, and ongoing contribution to the field. Terms are defined to enable stable oversight while allowing new perspectives to be introduced over time.

Collaboration with the Board

The Scientific Advisory Council provides recommendations to the Board of Governors on academic matters, research priorities, and emerging themes within the behavioral sciences. Final decisions on policy and standards remain with the Board, informed by the Council's technical guidance.

Research & Standards Framework

The Council's advisory guidance informs the Institute's published competency frameworks and examination standards. The Research & Standards page provides an overview of the methodological principles, standards architecture, and documentation that underpin GIB certifications.

Review Research & Standards → Research Publications →