Rebecca Williams

Dr. Rebecca Williams is a Lecturer in the School of Science and Technology at the University of New England (UNE), Australia. She joined UNE in 2024, bringing extensive expertise in functional and structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and its applications in cognitive neuroscience and brain health. Her research investigates brain ageing, cognition, memory, anxiety, depression, and neurological disorders such as stroke and mild cognitive impairment.

• Ph.D. in Neuroscience – The University of Queensland
• Graduate Diploma in Magnetic Resonance Technology – The University of Queensland
• Bachelor of Psychological Science (Honours) – The University of Queensland

Dr. Williams' research is centered on advancing neuroimaging techniques, particularly fMRI, to understand both healthy and pathological brain ageing. Her work integrates physiological measurements, machine learning, and advanced MRI methodologies to improve the accuracy and clinical relevance of brain imaging. She explores how cerebrovascular function, respiratory effects, and neural oscillations contribute to brain health and disease progression.

Her recent publications highlight a strong focus on BOLD-fMRI signal interpretation, physiological confound correction, and the use of machine learning to extract meaningful data from neuroimaging. Themes across her work include neurovascular coupling, brain ageing, psychiatric disorders, and neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease. She also contributes to innovative applications of MRI in space medicine and pediatric populations.

Dr. Williams is a member of the following professional organizations:

• International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine
• Organization for Human Brain Mapping

She has previously held a Postdoctoral Research Fellowship at the University of Calgary, Canada, and served as a Lecturer in Psychology at Charles Darwin University. At UNE, she teaches in the areas of neurobiology of anxiety, research methods for neuroscience, and brain mapping with MRI. While no formal advisees are listed, her active research program suggests potential future supervision of graduate students. She does not currently hold any mentioned scientific awards or grants, though her publication record indicates ongoing collaborative and externally funded research.

Dr. Williams is involved in interdisciplinary research teams focused on neuroimaging innovation, particularly in the development and validation of MRI-based biomarkers for brain health. Her work often involves collaboration with experts in neurology, psychiatry, biomedical engineering, and data science, contributing to both clinical and space-based applications of brain imaging.