Dame Glynis Marie Breakwell (born West Bromwich, 26 July 1952) is a British social psychologist, researcher and former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Bath. In January 2014 she was listed in the Science Council's list of '100 leading UK practising scientists'. Her tenure as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Bath was marred by controversy over her remuneration, culminating in her dismissal.
Breakwell has been a Fellow of the British Psychological Society since 1987 and an Honorary Fellow since 2006. She is a chartered health psychologist and in 2002 was elected an Academician of the Academy of Social Sciences.
Breakwell was appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 2012 New Year Honours for services to higher education. She is also a Deputy Lieutenant of the County of Somerset.
Breakwell was born on 26 July 1952 in West Bromwich, England. She graduated from the University of Leicester with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in 1973, the University of Strathclyde with a Master of Science (MSc) degree in 1974, the University of Bristol with a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in 1976. Her doctoral thesis was titled "The mechanisms of social identity". Later, in 1995, she was awarded a Doctor of Science (DSc) degree, a higher doctorate, by Nuffield College, Oxford.
In 2002, she lived in a five-bedroom house at Lansdown Crescent. After her dismissal from the Vice-Chancellorship, the house was then up for sale for £3,000,000.
1976–1978 Lecturer in social psychology, University of Bradford
1978–1982 Prize Fellow in social psychology, Nuffield College, Oxford
1978 BPS Young Social Psychologist Award
1995–1999 Member Social Psychology Section Committee (Chair 1997–1999)
1978 MA (by special resolution) University of Oxford
2006 Honorary Fellow of the British Psychological Society
2014 Science Council list of 100 leading UK practising Scientists
1981–1987 Lecturer in social psychology
1991–2001 Professor of Psychology
1990–1995 Head of Department of Psychology
1994–1995 Pro Vice-Chancellor (Staff Development and Continuing Education)
1995–2001 Head of School of Human Sciences
2001–2019 Vice-Chancellor, University of Bath