Throughout my enquiry-driven academic and research career, I have focussed around two fundamental questions:
What is the Universe made of? I examine this through Natural Sciences (Mathematical, Physical, Chemical and Life Sciences)
What is Mind and Consciousness? I examine this through research in Consciousness Studies and Cognitive Science (Cognitive Neuroscience, Philosophy of Science, Philosophy of Mind, Cognitive Psychology, Mind-body Medicine, Artificial Intelligence and Neuroimaging)
For fundamental research, it is important to understand:
What is the evidence for 'X'?
What counts as credible evidence?
My research focus has been on how the brain extracts information from the environment, makes it a dream-like reality (that we see, perceive) and then we act upon that reality (action). In recent years, my projects explored a variety of topics such as neural correlates of consciousness, visual perception, attention, computational linguistics, brain dynamics of threat (fear and disgust), meditation and mindfulness, behavioural and neuro-economics, social perception, objectification and violent behaviour, psychology of eating, consumer behaviour and neuroscience in marketing and behavioural insights.
As we study a subjective phenomenon (human/animal minds are essentially that), it is important to get a multi-perspective grasp on the mind-body problem. To that end, I have used the causal (TMS/tES) and correlational (fMRI, M/EEG, EEG) measures, as well as first-person (subjective) methods like questionnaires.
Objectively, I also perform a careful deconstruction of behaviour (eye movements, hand movements, response times and accuracy), in addition to measuring 'brain activity' with millisecond resolution in the time domain using Electro-Encephalo-Graphy (EEG) and Magneto-Encephalo-Graphy (MEG), and millimeter resolution in the spatial/anatomical domain - using Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI). I also use non-invasive (magnetic and electrical) neurostimulation methods (TMS/tES).
In the applied context, I examine:
How social information is acted upon, under conditions of ambiguity/uncertainty and risk?
How people perceive (and mis-perceive) information and act in a group, and resulting implications for social, political and business environments?
Electromagnetic field changes as a proxy of brain activity
Applying electrical stimulation to the brain non-invasively
Location of activity in the brain
Applying electrical stimulation to the brain non-invasively