Nikki-Anne Wilson

Dr Nikki-Anne Wilson is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at UNSW’s Australian Ageing Futures Institute, the ARC Centre of Excellence in Population Ageing Research, and the School of Psychology, with a conjoint appointment at Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA). She holds a PhD in Science from the University of Sydney’s Brain and Mind Centre, where she received the Graduate Medal for Research Excellence, and completed her Bachelors degrees at Macquarie University and Deakin University.

• Education:
  • PhD (Science), Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney
  • B Science - Psychology (Hons, First), Macquarie University
  • B Applied Science (Psychology) With Distinction, Deakin University

Her research focuses on improving dementia prevention, diagnosis, and management through studying social cognition, creativity, and humor. She combines neuropsychology, cognitive neuroscience, and population health approaches to address barriers to cognitive health and develop interventions for older adults.

Recent publications highlight her work on visual acuity as a predictor for cognitive decline, social perception in neurodegenerative disorders, and community barriers to dementia screening. Her paper in The Gerontologist was selected as Editor’s Choice for its impact on dementia prevention.

Scientific Awards:

• Science Meets Parliament Scholarship (2023)
• Teresa Anderson Carer’s Scholarship (2022)
• Graduate Medal for Research Excellence (2022)
• Postgraduate Research Prize for Leadership (2021)
• Brain and Mind Centre Award for Research Excellence and Impact (2020)

She co-supervised a UNSW Psychology Honours student and has taught in Monash University’s Graduate Diploma of Psychology. Wilson also engages in community speaking and media outreach, contributing to public understanding of dementia through platforms like The Conversation and ABC Radio.