Timo Torsten Schmidt

Timo Torsten Schmidt is a Researcher at the Neurocomputation and Neuroimaging Unit, Department of Education and Psychology, Freie Universität Berlin, holding a permanent position since 2022. He is actively involved in teaching, thesis supervision, and academic governance, serving on examination and ethics boards. He coordinates the Master’s program in Cognitive Neuroscience and contributes to science communication and outreach.

Education:

• Dr. rer. nat. (summa cum laude), Psychology, Freie Universität Berlin (2018)
• MSc, Medical Neuroscience, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin (2011)
• BSc, Cognitive Science (with distinction), Universität Osnabrück (2009)

His research centers on the neural mechanisms of consciousness, working memory, mental imagery, and altered states of consciousness, using neuroimaging (fMRI, EEG), behavioral studies, and meta-analyses. He investigates how internally generated images are confused with sensory perception, particularly in hallucinatory states. His methodological expertise includes MVPA, PPI, DCM, and resting-state fMRI.

His recent publications reveal a strong focus on flicker light stimulation, psychedelics (LSD, psilocybin, Kambo), tactile working memory, and neural representation of mental content. Themes include dose-response relationships, thalamocortical connectivity, sensory expectation, and phenomenology of altered states.

Scientific Awards:

• Teaching Award of the Department of Education and Psychology, Freie Universität Berlin (2021)
• Teaching award of the Institute of Cognitive Science, Universität Osnabrück (2017)
• Teaching award of the Institute of Cognitive Science, Universität Osnabrück (2015)

Dr. Schmidt supervises Bachelor’s and Master’s theses on topics such as altered states, working memory, and mental imagery. He has coordinated the Altered States Database and contributes to academic service, including organizing the CCNB Seminar Series and supporting fMRI/EEG studies. He is certified in science management and higher education didactics.

Labs and Teams: He is part of the Neurocomputation and Neuroimaging Unit and the Center for Cognitive Neuroscience Berlin (CCNB), where he organizes seminars and supports experimental research with tactile and neuroimaging methods.