I am a Ph.D. student within the CAIN Lab and my research is focused on addressing barriers to accessing mental health support for neurodivergent adults. This research will explore the mental health support service experiences of neurodivergent individuals to gain an understanding of their needs, preferences, and experiences within these settings to inform future research designs and measures. This knowledge will assist in leveraging technology to improve the accessibility of mental health support for this population.

I’m deeply passionate about exploring neurocognitive conditions in older adults in relation to cognition, emotion, behavior, and overall well-being. My interests encompass the intricate interplay between biological, psychological, and social factors influencing the neurocognitive health of older adults. I am particularly fascinated by the prediction, prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of neuropsychological conditions in older adults. Additionally, my passion extends to the realm of clinical psychiatric conditions. My Ph.D. research is dedicated to the development of a delirium rehabilitation program for older adults.

My research explores the potential of virtual reality (VR) to improve the lives of neurodiverse individuals. I am currently researching and developing co-designed prototypes of VR sensory rooms that could have the potential to provide autistic individuals with a portable, customizable, and person-centered solution to sensory processing challenges. Additionally, I am investigating the application of VR in training and learning within the care sector, focusing on the development and evaluation of VR-based de-escalation training programs to better prepare care professionals for challenging situations.

My passion for helping young minds reach their full potential, while cherishing their unique individuality, led me to pursue a Masters in Child and Adolescent Clinical Psychology. As a PhD student at CAIN lab, I am now dedicated to finding innovative and effective ways to use Virtual Reality (VR) to create immersive and engaging therapeutic environments for adolescents. By contributing to the growing body of evidence supporting the use of VR in therapy, we also hope to deliver much-needed mental health services to remote and regional areas.

Supervisors: Tobias Loetscher, Caroline Ellison, Ancret Szpak, Amanda Hutchinson, Gun Lee

Social cognition involves the ability to identify and recognise the emotional expression of others and to make judgements on their mental states such as their thoughts, feelings and intentions. Throughout my PhD I will be investigating age-related declines in social cognition within healthy populations.

Supervisors: A/Prof Hannah Keage & Dr Stephanie Wong

I am an occupational therapy lecturer with significant experience working as a clinician in neurological rehabilitation.

I am interested in researching visual perception and unilateral spatial neglect following stroke and improving functional outcomes for these individuals.  I am investigating the assessment of unilateral spatial neglect post stroke with the aim of developing a recommended assessment protocol for each subtype of neglect.

Supervisors: Tobias Loetscher, Susan Hillier, Jocelyn Kernot and Tracey Stuart.

I am currently a first-year PhD student within the CAIN Lab and my main research interest centres on how cerebrovascular functions change with ageing and how they relate to cognitive functioning. Specifically, my research will focus on the link between blood pressure variability and cerebrovascular function in order to better understand cognitive ageing.

Supervisors: A/Prof Hannah Keage, Dr Ash Smith and Dr Tobias Loetscher