My academic journey
I am currently a Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of Cambridge. My research sits at the intersection of cognitive and computational neuroscience. Driven by a long-standing desire to understand the root causes of human behavior and neuropsychiatric conditions, I use computational methods to uncover how the structural and functional complexities of the brain link to each other. Specifically, I apply tools from network science, causal inference, dynamical systems theory, and game theory to study the brain across multiple levels: its physical architecture, its communication landscape, and the behaviors it ultimately produces (or fails to do).
I completed my PhD in Computational Neuroscience at the University-Medical Centre Hamburg. During these five years, I drowned myself in learning and developing methodologies required to understand complex neural systems, exploring everything from graph theory to neuromorphic computing and explainable AI. My thesis focused on the very core of modern science, i.e., causality, by developing a game-theoretical framework for axiomatic causal inference, with applications in artificial neural networks and large-scale models of brain dynamics.
My pivot toward computational methods began during my MSc in Systems and Cognitive Neuroscience at the University of Oldenburg in Germany. While I was fascinated by behavioral ecology, neuroanatomy, and neuroimaging, I was searching for a framework that could seamlessly tie these disciplines together. During a semester abroad in Marseille, I was introduced to ✨computational neuroscience,✨ a turning point that provided the rigorous approach I had been looking for. I subsequently completed my Master's thesis at McGill University in Montreal (and yet don't know any French), where I studied how brain states align across individuals experiencing the same natural stimuli.
My academic journey started with a BSc in Clinical Psychology in Tehran, Iran (can't recommend). Spending four years studying psychiatric taxonomies and the nuances of differential diagnosis gave me a deep appreciation for the complexities of mind. However, it also highlighted the often subjective nature of clinical psychology, which ultimately drove me away and towards a more empirical, mechanistic realms of neuropsychology and computational neuroscience.
Outside of academic research, I am deeply invested in science communication, data visualization, and graphic design. I have served as a graphic designer and creative manager for various non-profit organizations, including the UN's World Food Programme. I am also a composer; I release music under "Anxious Monkey" (available on streaming services) and have created soundtracks for short films, exhibitions, and even an indie game.
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