I would describe myself as something like an empirical & computational philosopher. In the widest sense, I’m interested in understanding what our brain is doing and how it achieves its goals. I value precise theorizing, preferably in mathematical or computational terms, but use empirical research methods to constrain my philosophical thinking.

Currently, I’m a post-doc in the lab of Toemme Noesselt at the Otto-von-Guericke University in Magdeburg. In my research, I employ various techniques ranging from behavioral lab experiments to functional neuroimaging using magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and electroencephalograms (EEG). In my main project, I investigate how our reward system influences how we learn and memorize the meaning of new words.

Previously, I investigated how we make decisions in social context in the lab of Alan Sanfey at the Donders Institute in Nijmegen. More precisely, I investigated how we decide what is fair and unfair and subsequently choose to behave towards others and the associated neural processes.

Although I study humans in my direct line of work, I am also involved in animal research through various collaborations. These stem from my short stay in the lab of Magdalena Sauvage at the Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology in Magdeburg.