Heidi
Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience
I was born in Liverpool and grew up in London and Birmingham. I’ve been connected with Teddy Hall for nearly 30 years, since arriving here as an undergraduate in 1994! Now, I’m a Senior Research Fellow at Teddy Hall and I direct a brain imaging research Centre at the University.
My research is focused on brain plasticity – how the brain changes with learning or recovery from damage. I’ve always been interested in understanding human behaviour, and originally studied Psychology and Philosophy, but over time became more interested in studying the neuroscience that underlies our behaviour. My field is inter-disciplinary, including areas of Neuroscience and Medicine as well as technology-focused areas related to brain imaging and data analysis. Some of these fields are quite male-dominated and it requires deliberate effort to ensure that women in the field aren’t overlooked. I’ve been lucky to have been surrounded by supportive male and female colleagues throughout my career and to have had inspirational female role models in my field.
Outside of work, I enjoy family walks with the dog, and football – I help coach my daughter’s youth team and occasionally play for the University staff team. Some of my lifelong friendships now are those I made as a student at the Hall. Some of my favourites memories there include the Hall Ball, chatting with Clive in the college bar, our student houses along the Cowley Road, logic tutorials with Stephen Blamey, and being part of a performance art piece that involved silently eating a chair made of cake during formal hall. ..
What do you think when you hear ‘Women of the Hall’? What does the Hall mean to you?
When I first arrived here as a woman from a state school in Birmingham, I did not feel at home at the Hall. However, I found my feet and ended up having a wonderful student experience, seeding a passion for neuroscience, and establishing lifelong friendships. The Hall has changed considerably in the last 25 years in many positive ways. The diversity of college life and members is welcomed and celebrated more visibly. I would like to think that someone like me arriving in 2022 would feel at home from day one.