معرفی
Caitlin Dawson is a University Researcher and Grant-Aided Researcher in the Department of Educational Sciences at the University of Helsinki. She serves as the Brain, Music and Learning Supervisor in the Doctoral Programme Brain & Mind.
Dr. Dawson holds a PhD in Psychology from the University of Helsinki (2017) with her dissertation focusing on "Effects of Linguistic and musical expertise on early auditory processing: electrophysiological and behavioral evidence." She also earned an MSc in Psychology from Goldsmiths University of London (2012). Prior to her current position, she worked as a Postdoctoral Research Assistant at the University of Reading from March 2018 to February 2020.
Her research spans multiple interdisciplinary areas at the intersection of psychology, neuroscience, and education. Dr. Dawson investigates how linguistic and musical expertise influences early auditory processing, with particular focus on cross-linguistic studies involving Mandarin Chinese speakers. She also explores scientific thinking and decision-making in everyday contexts, curiosity's role in information processing, and emotion recognition in autism spectrum disorder. Her work frequently employs electrophysiological and behavioral methodologies to examine cognitive processes.
Dr. Dawson's recent publications show a progression from foundational work in music cognition (2017-2018) toward broader applications in scientific thinking (2022-2024) and inclusive education. Her research demonstrates consistent methodological rigor while expanding into new interdisciplinary territories connecting cognitive science with practical educational applications.
Dr. Dawson is currently leading the research project "Physically distant but digitally present: Brain-to-brain synchrony and social presence in digital collaborative learning" (2023-2026) funded by Suomen Kulttuurirahasto, and participates in the Academy of Finland's MMBB research unit "Musiikin, mielen, kehon ja aivojen tutkimuksen huippuyksikkö" (2024-2026). She has been active in organizing and presenting at public talks on inclusive education and evidence-based scientific thinking.
