Dr Petia Sice

Associate Professor

Department: Computer and Information Sciences

EE Peitasice Staffprofile 255 Petia holds a PhD in Systems and Complexity Thinking for Understanding Humans and Organisations. She is passionate about interpreting and applying insights from complexity theory for facilitating positive transformation in individuals and organisations. She is academic lead and facilitator of the Wellbeing, Complexity and Enterprise (WELCOME) interdisciplinary research group, Convenor of the UK EPSRC Systems Practice and Managing Complexity (SPMC) network, member of the advisory board of the Health for Humanity International Forum, and Senior Associate Editor of the International Journal of Systems and Society. Her research interests focus on exploring quintessential insights and synergies between quantum physics, systems and complexity sciences, interpersonal neurobiology and the arts, and how these may inform a new paradigm of thinking in wellbeing and lead to new applications of technology.

Petia Sice is a Reader in the Department of Computer and Information Sciences, specialising in Wellbeing Informatics. This is a term that she first proposed in an article for the international conference on the Challenges of Delivering Sustainable Development Goals and the role of Systems Thinking and Practice, Bristol, 2015.

The theories of informatics have evolved from the study of information as an abstract object (Shannon, 1963) to the recognition of the irreducibility of human experience, from the duality portrayed by the embodiment and the situatedness of the human agent in the theory of autopoiesis and interpersonal neurobiology; and to the acceptance of the concept of emergence and coherence from complexity sciences, as relevant to understanding information and communication (Maturana and Varela, 1980; Sice, 2004; Siegel, 2010; Mitchell, 2012).

At the same time research into human flourishing, mindfulness and mindsight, suggests that effective and sustainable information and communication environments are only possible when wellbeing: physical, mental, social, emotional and spiritual, is taken into consideration (Post, 2005; Seligman, 2005; Siegel, 2007; Williams 2012). There is a need for trans disciplinary research to study and understand information and communication from the perspective of wellbeing and to use our understanding in the design and evaluation of information and communication environments. We define this field of study Wellbeing Informatics (Sice, 2015, forthcoming).

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Key Publications

Please visit the Pure Research Information Portal for further information
Parallels between the Physical Vacuum and Concept of Qi in Medical Qigong: Comprehending Oneness, Zhu, W., Sice, P., Zhang, W., Krajewska, K., Zhao, Z. 17 Sep 2024, In: Kybernetes
A self-monitoring wellbeing screening methodology for keyworkers, ‘My Personal Wellbeing’, using an integrative wellbeing model, Elvin, G., Kurt, Z., Kennedy, A., Sice, P., Walton, L., Patel, P. 14 Mar 2023, In: BMC Health Services Research
A Pilot Study on the Impacts of Lung-Strengthening Qigong on Wellbeing, Kurt, Z., Sice, P., Krajewska, K., Elvin, G., Xie, H., Ogwu, S., Wang, P., Turgut, S. 1 Dec 2022, In: Complementary Therapies in Medicine
A Self-Monitoring Wellbeing Screening Methodology for Keyworkers, Elvin, G., Kurt, Z., Kennedy, A., Sice, P., Walton, L., Patel, P. 8 Feb 2022
Impact of Slow Rhythmic Movement on State of Coherence and Integrative Wellbeing, Sice, P., Rauch, L., Elvin, G., Riachy, C., Walton, L., Sice, M., Shang, Y. 30 Nov 2021, In: Systemist
Instruments for Exploring Trauma-Informed Care, Thirkle, S., Kennedy, A., Sice, P. 15 May 2021, In: Journal of Health and Human Services Administration
Reframing social work assessment: Connecting spaces and people, Heslop, P., McGladdery, S., Sice, P. 2021, In: Systemist
The impact of Lung-Strengthening Qigong on wellbeing: a case study, Kurt, Z., Sice, P., Krajewska, K., Elvin, G., Xie, H., Ogwu, S., Wang, P., Turgut, S. 29 Nov 2021
An Exploratory Study of the Application of Mindsight in Email Communication, Ogwu, S., Sice, P., Keogh, S., Goodlet, C. Jul 2020, In: Heliyon
Online Screening of X-System Music Playlists Using an Integrative Wellbeing Model Informed by the Theory of Autopoiesis, Sice, P., Elvin, G., Riachy, C., Shang, Y., Ogwu, S., Zink, C. 15 Oct 2020, In: IEEE Access

Professional Activity

Please visit the Pure Research Information Portal for further information
Participating in a conference, workshop, ...: Breathing Space 2023
Other: Developing online evaluation methods for wellbeing interventions 2020
Other: Wellbeing diary as an evaluation methodology for screening wellbeing for staff in integrated health services 2020

PGR Supervision

NGOC PHUNG Start Date: 12/03/2014
Steven Thirkle Monitoring the Implementation of Trauma-Informed Care Start Date: 01/12/2017 End Date: 26/10/2021
Kushwanth Koya An Autopoietic Perspective of Understanding and Developing Leadership Start Date: 10/09/2009 End Date: 20/02/2014
Paras Patel Development And Application Of An Integrative Framework For The Evaluation Of Wellbeing Start Date: 01/02/2015 End Date: 07/11/2018
Osemeke Mosindi Organisations as Social Networks: Understanding Proactive Information Behaviour Start Date: 24/09/2008 End Date: 18/07/2013
Karen George A Complexity Approach to the Design of Wellbeing Development in a Community Context Start Date: 10/01/2011 End Date: 13/06/2016
Suzannah Ogwu An Exploratory Study of the Application of Mindsight in Virtual Communication: The Case of Email Start Date: 13/10/2014 End Date: 24/10/2019
David Large Complexity and Communities: The Application of Complexity to Community Studies Start Date: 24/01/2011 End Date: 29/01/2015

Qualifications

Education PCAP July 15 2002
PhD June 30 1997
Computer Studies MSc July 15 1992
Information Science MSc July 15 1985
Engineering BEng July 25 1983
Fellow (FHEA) Higher Education Academy (HEA) 2015

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