Gnanathusharan Rajendran

Gnanathusharan Rajendran is a Professor in the Department of Psychology at Heriot-Watt University, School of Social Sciences. His research explores how digital technologies shape social, emotional, and cognitive development in both typical and atypical populations, with a focus on autism. He integrates developmental theories into cognitive and socially assistive robotics, particularly around trust in human-robot interaction and cognitive modeling for rehabilitation.

• Education: BSc & MSc in Psychology (University of Birmingham), PhD in Developmental Psychology (University of Nottingham)
• Current Affiliation: Leads the Developmental Psychology in Action Lab, collaborating with the Edinburgh Centre for Robotics and National Robotarium
• Research Themes: STEAM education, sport science, outdoor education, and reproducibility via the Open Science Framework
• Key Networks: Safe and Secure AI for Robotics, Human-Robot Interaction (HRI) themes, Digital Education partnerships

Rajendran’s recent publications focus on trust dynamics in robotics, mental health in autistic adults, and STEM outreach for children. His work aligns with UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) related to quality education and reduced inequalities. He serves on editorial boards and participates in invited talks globally.