Curriculum Vitae

PERSONAL DETAILS
BIOGRAPHY

Dr. Perera is a cognitive neuroscientist and a senior lecturer of Psychology at Taylor's University. He is the Deputy Director of the Mental Health and Well-being Impact Lab (IL8) at Taylor's University. After completing his M.Sc. in cognitive neuroscience at Durham University in the UK, he joined Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) to complete his Ph.D in Psychology. He is interested in understanding the neurophysiological basis of executive functions by using non-invasive neuroimaging methods. He is also an active member of the British Neuroscience Association (BNA).

"My research falls into two related fields, one examining human behaviors, which stems from the field of psychology, and the other examining the underlying neurophysiological responses (of those behaviors) by using cognitive neuroscientific methods such as electroencephalography (also known as EEG). I have tested deficits suffered by individuals due to a multitude of psychopathological conditions (such as depression) in order to arrive at hypotheses about the manner in which differences in neuro-cortical responses in the brain are associated with differences in behavioral responses. To test those hypotheses, I use neuroimaging with clinical patients and healthy individuals".

"In the last project, I discovered differences in brain responses associated with event-related potentials (ERP) between those who are in poverty and those who are wealthy. Which means, I have demonstrated that monetary scarcity does influence our brains to respond differently. I have also found the role of subclinical depression play among those who are in the low-socioeconomic status".

Understanding neurobiological basis of human behaviors will have implications beyond basic psychological science and most importantly it can help to identify transdiagnostic biomarkers to develop individualized treatments.

ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Hiran-Perera-W-A

Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=kfXIVtQAAAAJ&hl=en


ADMINISTRATIVE DUTIES
(Role),(Level),(Duration)
  • Deputy Director, Mental Health and Well-being Impact Lab (IL8), Taylor's University, 19/04/2024 to present
ACADEMIC QUALIFICATION
(Qualification),(Institution)
  • Doctor Of Philosophy (Psychology), University Kebangsaan Malaysia, Malaysia
  • Master Of Science In Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Durham, United Kingdom
  • Bachelor Of Science, Upper Iowa University, United States
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIP
(Organisation),(Role),(Duration),(Level)
  • Regional Studies Association (RSA), Early Career Researcher, 2024 to present (International)
  • British Neuroscience Association (BNA), Annual Member, 2024 to present (International)
  • Federation of European Neuroscience Societies (FENS), Affilate Member, 2024 to present (International)
  • Society for Neuroscience (SFN), Graduate Member, 2019 to 2020 (International)
  • Cognitive Neuroscience Society, Graduate Member, 2018 to 2020 (International)
AREAS OF EXPERTISE
(Area)
  • Neurocognition (Cognition, Human Cognition, Memory, Attention)
  • Electroencephalography (EEG) (Event-related potentials (ERP), EEG Spectrum Bands, EEGLAB, ERPLAB)
  • Quantitative Methods and Data Science in Psychology (SPSS, MATLAB, R)
  • Abnormal Psychology (Depression, Subclinical Depression)
  • Cognitive Psychology (Cognition, Memory)
  • Cognitive Neuroscience (Brain Research, Brain Disorders, EEG)
RESEARCH INTEREST
(Research Area)
  • Neurocognition, Psychopathology, High density (dry and mobile) Electroencephalography (EEG)
TEACHING
(Course Title),(Level of Study),(Institution),(Month/Year)
  • Intermediate Research Methods and Statistics, Master Degree, Taylor's University (02/2024)
  • Cognitive Psychology, Bachelor Degree, Taylor's University (04/2024)
  • Quantitative Methods 1, Bachelor Degree, Taylor's University (04/2024)
  • Creative Intergration Research Project, Bachelor Degree, Taylor's University (04/2024)
  • Quantitative Methods I, Bachelor Degree, Taylor's University (08/2023)
  • Creative Integration Research Project, Bachelor Degree, Taylor's University (08/2023)
  • Cognitive Psychology, Bachelor Degree, Taylor's University (08/2023)
PUBLICATIONS
(Title of publication in APA style)
Article in Journals
2021
  • Perera-W.A. H., Salehuddin K., Schaefer A., Khairudin R., (2021). EEG sebagai Kaedah Berkesan untuk Memahami Aktiviti Neural Berkaitan Keupayan Golongan Miskin Membuat Keputusan. Akademika 91(1), 2021: 165-179. https://doi.org/10.17576/akad-2021-9101-14 (ISI-Indexed)
  • Perera-W.A. H, Salehuddin K, Khairudin R and Schaefer A (2021) The Relationship Between Socioeconomic Status and Scalp Event-Related Potentials: A Systematic Review. Front. Hum. Neurosci. 15:601489. doi: 10.3389/fnhum.2021.601489 (SCOPUS-Indexed)
Article in Proceeding
2020
  • Perera-W.A. H., Khairudin R., Salehuddin K., Schaefer A. (2020). Neural Responses To Reward Sensitivity In Low-SES. An ERP Study. POGRES 2020 e-Proceedings, 441-445
2018
  • Perera-W.A. H., Khairudin R., Salehuddin K., Scheafer A. (2018). Brain on poverty: How being poor can affect decision-making abilities. 2nd International Connect Malaysia (Connect’M) Conference 2018.
Technical Report
2022
  • Perera-W.A., H. (2022, February 15). A Brief Guide for Using Cognionics HD-72 Wireless EEG System: Noninvasive Method of Measuring the Brain’s Electric Fields in Psychophysiological Research. https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/vcyfb
Other Publications
2022
  • Perera-W.A. H., Kairuddin R., Salehuddin K. (2022). The Effects of Depression on The Neural Correlates of Reward Sensitivity in Poverty. bioRxiv. https://doi.org/10.1101/2022.07.28.501886 - Preprint
2019
  • Perera-W.A. H. (2019). Identifying the Spatial Frequency Specific Orientation Aftereffect in the Visual System. PeerJ Preprints. - Preprint
2016
  • Perera-WA, H. (2016). The effects of memory conformity and the cross-race effect in eyewitness testimony. Available at SSRN 2732189. - Preprint
SUPERVISION
(Title of Thesis),(Name of Candidates),(Academic Level),(Role)
ONGOING
  • Venessa Wong Ern Shin, Bachelor s degree  (Main Supervisor)
  • Zang Xiaofan, Bachelor s degree  (Main Supervisor)
  • Joan Isabelle Richard, Bachelor s degree  (Main Supervisor)
PRESENTATION
(Title),(Event),(Date Presented),(Organiser),(Level)
ORAL PRESENTER
  • Neural Responses To Reward Sensitivity In Low-SES. An ERP Study., Postgraduate Research Conference (POGRES), 15/08/2023 (National)
AWARDS AND STEWARDSHIP
(Name of Award/Stewardship),(Award Category),(Awarding Institution),(Year Awarded),(Type of Award)
  • 3-minute (3MT) PhD thesis competition, Competition, Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris, Perak, 2019 (Best Presentation)
  • 3-Minute (3MT) PhD Thesis Competition, Competition, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), 2019 (Best Presentation)
  • The Durham Award, Competition, Durham University, UK, 2016 (Best Presentation)
  • Dean's List Award, Education, Upper Iowa University, Fayette, Iowa, 2014 (CGPA 4.00)
ACADEMIC/TECHNICAL CONTRIBUTION
(Activity),(Organisation),(Duration),(Role)
  • Research Committee Member, British Neuroscience Association, 2024 to 2025 (Committee Member)
COURSE ATTENDED
(Course Title),(Course Mode),(Date/Duration),(Level)
  • Train The Trainer (TTT) by HRDF Malaysia, Non research, 16/12/2019 to 20/12/2019 (Private/Industrial Sector)