Cognitive Differences and Cognitive Enhancement in Neurotypical and Neurodiverse Populations
Supervisor :
15th June 2026
The studentship is funded by the by Queen Mary University of London's (QMUL) School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences. It will cover home tuition fees, and provide an annual tax-free maintenance allowance for 3-years (£22,618 in 2026/27).
To qualify for Home Fees, this typically means the candidate will be unrestricted in how long they can remain in the UK.
International students will need to cover the difference in fees between the home and overseas basic rate from external sources. Further details can be found on our PhD Tuition Fees page.
Funding and eligibility queries can be sent to the sbbs-pgadmissions@qmul.ac.uk
Project Overview
Applications are open for a 3-Year funded PhD Studentship in the School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences (SBBS) at Queen Mary University of London.
Working memory is a core cognitive ability that supports learning, reasoning, and everyday functioning, yet it is often under functioning in certain neurodiverse populations. Existing WM training programmes have shown limited long-term benefits, highlighting the need for alternative approaches. This project takes a novel translational approach by investigating whether adapting learning environments to better align with individuals’ cognitive capacities can improve WM performance and educational outcomes. The research will examine the effects of adjustments such as increased processing time, longer pauses between information, familiarity of content, attentional cueing, and motivational feedback on WM and learning performance in ADHD populations.
The PhD project combines experimental psychology, cognitive neuroscience, and digital learning approaches. The successful applicant will contribute to a programme of online behavioural experiments, development of new neuroscience experiments relevant to the project (e.g., how familiarity helps working memory performance), development of an adaptive learning platform, participant recruitment and coordination for behavioural and neuroscience experiments including EEG and fMRI studies, advanced data analysis, and dissemination of findings through publications and conferences.
Research Environment
QMUL’s Centre for Brain and Behaviour (CBB) is a diverse, interdisciplinary, scientific environment. Within the CBB, there is a growing research group bringing together multiple research teams who offer strong expertise in cognitive differences, transdiagnostic frameworks, research co-production, and statistical, cognitive neuroscience and neurodiverse populations relevant to the PhD project.
The supervisors are leading experts in the proposed topic and methodologies. They will provide mentorship and access to international collaborative networks, and diverse research training and career development opportunities, including but not limited to those available across QMUL and the ESRC LISS Doctoral Training Partnership. The PhD student will have the opportunity to explore their own research ideas within the broad scope of the project and under the guidance of PhD supervisors and collaborators, work on high-quality first-author and co-author publications in scientific journals, and present findings at scientific conferences.
Find out more about the School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences on our website.
Entry Requirements & Criteria
We are looking for candidates with or expecting to receive a first or upper-second class honours degree in an area relevant to the project, such as mental health, cognitive psychology, psychiatry, cognitive neuroscience or a relevant field. A Master’s degree in one of these areas is also desirable. Candidates must also have some prior research experience and data analysis skills.
Knowledge of mental health, cognitive differences, and neurodevelopmental conditions and skills in programming and advanced statistical approaches (e.g., mixed models) of behavioural data and brain data from EEG recordings or fMRI data, programming of online experiments, would be highly advantageous but are not essential.
Find out more about our entry requirements here.
Applicants from outside of the UK are required to provide evidence of their English language ability. Details can be found on our English Language requirements page.
How to Apply
Formal applications must be submitted through our online form by the stated deadline for consideration
A research proposal is not required, but candidates should include information about their prior research experience and how their research skills and interests fit with the proposed project in the Personal Statement.
Applicants are required to submit the following documents:
- Your CV
- Personal Statement
- References
- Copies of academic transcripts and degree certificates
Find out more about the Application process on our SBBS website.
Informal enquiries about the project can be sent to Dr Eda Mizrak at e.mizrak@qmul.ac.uk
Admissions-related queries can be sent to sbbs-pgadmissions@qmul.ac.uk.
The School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences is committed to promoting diversity in science; we have been awarded an Athena Swan Silver Award. We positively welcome applications from underrepresented groups.
References
Mızrak, E., Oberauer K. (2026). Does the Benefit of Time for Working Memory Arise at Encoding or Retrieval? Psychonomic Bulletin & Review. https://doi.org/10.3758/s13423-026-02926-3
Mızrak E., Souza, A., Oberauer K. (2025). Free time benefits working memory and long-term memory differently. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General. https://doi.org/10.1037/xge0001875
Mızrak, E., Oberauer, K. (2022). Working memory recruits long-term memory when it is beneficial: Evidence from the Hebb Effect. JEP:General. https://doi.org/10.1037/xge0000934
Mızrak, E., Oberauer, K. (2021). What is time good for in working memory? Psychological Science. https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797621996659.
See Also