Biography

Learning under uncertainty is a core daily demand. In an ever-changing world, we must learn to deal with its uncertain nature. How is learning under uncertainty represented in the developing brain? How does anxiety arise as a function of maladaptive uncertainty representations during development? What are important mitigating factors when uncertainty is unavoidable? My PhD research empirically investigates these questions using data-driven, computational modelling approaches. I grew up in a small harbour town in the marshlands of northern Germany – a steadfast childhood on the banks of the river Weser. When I moved to Hong Kong and started my MPhil in the wake of the 2019-2020 protests, I interviewed people for whom that same consistency was absent. My research focused on the cognitive processing of individuals who were affected by internalising psychopathology. Additionally, my broader psychological interests led me to co-found a research group investigating affective processing of art. In Cambridge, I am thrilled to join Prof. Rebecca Lawson’s Prediction and Learning Lab and address one of the world’s most prevalent mental disorders with actionable solutions.

Previous Education

University of Hong Kong Cog. Psychology / Neuroscience 2024
Universität Witten/Herdecke Psychology and Psychotherapy 2020
Universität Witten/Herdecke Management 2018