Research Team

Matthew ThompsonMatthew investigates human perceptual expertise. He is a Senior Lecturer at Murdoch University following research fellowships at The University of California, The University of Queensland, and Harvard Medical School. He is working to reduce error in safety-critical decision making in forensics, medicine, and defence, and to better understand the nature and development of perceptual expertise. He has received over $1.4 million in research funding, and currently holds an ARC Linkage Grant and Department of Defence grant. He provides training to the WA Department of Fire and Emergency Services, WA Police Force, and WA Department of Health, and serves on the early-career brain science panel at the National Academy of Science.

Matthew Thompson

Matthew investigates human perceptual expertise. He is a Senior Lecturer at Murdoch University following research fellowships at The University of California, The University of Queensland, and Harvard Medical School. He is working to reduce error in safety-critical decision making in forensics, medicine, and defence, and to better understand the nature and development of perceptual expertise. He has received over $1.4 million in research funding, and currently holds an ARC Linkage Grant and Department of Defence grant. He provides training to the WA Department of Fire and Emergency Services, WA Police Force, and WA Department of Health, and serves on the early-career brain science panel at the National Academy of Science.

Varun GandhiVarun completed his BSc (Psychology) at Murdoch University in 2019 and completed his Honours under Dr Thompson in 2020, focusing on people’s ability to visually discriminate between marine species. Varun is currently completing his PhD under the supervision of Dr Thompson and Associate Professor Guillermo Campitelli. Broadly, Varun is interested in the biases and heuristics that we consciously and unconsciously use to make sense of the world. The world around us does not exist as we perceive it – studying and understanding this phenomenon can allow us to improve the decisions that we make. Eventually, Varun hopes to use this to improve decision making across industry and government.

Varun Gandhi

Varun completed his BSc (Psychology) at Murdoch University in 2019 and completed his Honours under Dr Thompson in 2020, focusing on people’s ability to visually discriminate between marine species. Varun commenced his PhD in 2021, under the supervision of Dr Thompson and Associate Professor Guillermo Campitelli. Varun's PhD focuses on the perception of time and the conditions under which time perception is distorted. Varun is particularly interested in investigating the impact of perceptual expertise on time perception - that is, do experts perceive time differently?
More broadly, Varun is interested in the biases and heuristics that we consciously and unconsciously use to make sense of the world.

Alexandra NaylerAlexandra is in her final semester of her BA in Psychology at Murdoch University and hopes to complete her honours in 2021.  Alexandra has a strong interest in cognitive and social psychology and how perception shapes the way we think and behave in the world.  Alexandra currently volunteers for The Samaritans Crisis Support line and strongly values compassion and kindness which has played a key role in why she has chosen to study psychology.

Alexandra Richardson-Newton

Alexandra completed her BA (Psychology) at Murdoch University in 2020 and completed her Honours under the supervision of Dr Matthew Thompson in 2021.  Since completing her Honours, Alexandra has been working as a Research Assistant in the Perceptual Expertise Advanced Research Lab to Dr Thompson. Alexandra has a strong interest in cognitive and social psychology and how perception shapes the way we think and behave in the world.  Alexandra currently volunteers for The Samaritans Crisis Support line and strongly values compassion and kindness which has played a key role in why she has chosen to study psychology.

PEARL Alumni

  • Kaitlyn Parcell - Psychological Research Placement

  • Kate Stynes - Psychology Honours, Psychological Research Placement

  • Kelly Tartano - Psychology Honours, Psychological Research Placement

  • Kortnee Evans - Psychological Research Placement

  • Larissa Moga - Psychological Research Placement

  • Laura Toose - Psychological Research Placement

  • Liam Hynes - Psychological Research Placement

  • Lisa Munday - Psychology Honours

  • Madeleine Graham - Research Assistant, Psychology Honours

  • Mark Smith - Graduate Diploma in Psychology

  • Makayla Billie - Graduate Diploma in Psychology

  • Mereline Yogusa - Graduate Diploma in Psychology

  • Michaela Neunborn - Psychological Research Placement

  • Molly Zalmstra - Psychological Research Placement

  • R Ganesh Ganesh - Psychology Honours

  • Rebecca Ware - Psychology Honours, Psychological Research Placement

  • Rosie Moss - Psychological Research Placement

  • Ryan Jones - Graduate Diploma in Psychology

  • Samuel Heys - Graduate Diploma in Psychology

  • Shalini Vijeyaendra - Psychology Honours, Psychological Research Placement

  • Sudaba Faroughi - Psychological Research Placement

  • Varun Gandhi - Psychology Honours, Psychological Research Placement

  • Alecia Wood - Psychological Research Placement

  • Alexandra Richardson-Newton - Psychology Honours, Psychological Research Placement

  • Andrew Frank - Graduate Diploma in Psychology

  • Annie Robins - Psychological Research Placement

  • Anthony Nguyen - Psychology Honours

  • Antonia Veleva - Psychology Honours

  • Ashleigh Helm - Graduate Diploma in Psychology

  • Ayo Fadahunsi - Graduate Diploma in Psychology

  • Beth Macdonald - Psychological Research Placement

  • Brantley-Marie Philpot - Psychology Honours

  • Brierly Matson - Psychology Honours, Psychological Research Placement

  • Carmen Cox - Graduate Diploma in Psychology

  • Chloe Smith - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

  • Connor Rehm - Psychological Research Placement

  • Clare Wallwork - Psychological Research Placement

  • Danika Douglas - Psychological Research Placement

  • David Jones - Psychology Honours

  • Dorothee Creuzot - Psychology Honours

  • Eileen Gillard - Psychology Honours

  • Elliot Cottrill - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

  • Emma Douglas - Psychological Research Placement

  • Heather Edmonds - Psychological Research Placement

  • Jared Knott - Psychological Research Placement

  • Jasmine Robinson - Psychological Research Placement

  • Jeanne Du Toit - Graduate Diploma in Psychology

  • Jenna Simkiss - Psychological Research Placement