Mathew Summers

Professor Mathew Summers is a clinical neuropsychologist and Professor of Psychology at the University of the Sunshine Coast (USC), leading the Discipline of Psychology. He holds positions in the School of Health and focuses on Aging and Dementia research, addressing critical community needs on the Sunshine Coast. His work spans four key areas: improving dementia diagnosis, preventing age-related cognitive decline through evidence-based methods, developing non-pharmacological interventions for dementia/frailty, and clinical service innovation. As of 2019, his research has secured over $8.2M in funding and resulted in 60+ publications.

Education:

• PhD in Psychology from Monash University
• Master of Psychology (Clinical Neuropsychology) from La Trobe University
• Bachelor of Behavioural Science (Honours) from La Trobe University

Research & Funding:

• Led major projects like the Tasmanian Health Brain Project and My-AHA (ICT-based frailty intervention)
• Recipient of NHMRC grants and European Commission funding
• Focus areas include cognitive reserve, dementia prevention, and technology-driven healthcare solutions

Teaching & Service:

• Teaches physiological psychology and advanced assessment methods
• Professional memberships: Australian Psychological Society, International Neuropsychological Society
• Advises on clinical neuropsychology practices and ethics

Labs & Initiatives:

• My-AHA ICT platform for frailty detection and intervention
• Healthy Brain Project exploring later-life education's impact on cognition