Ruben Azevedo

Dr Ruben Azevedo is a Lecturer in Cognitive Neuroscience at the School of Psychology, University of Kent. He serves as a Research Participation Scheme Coordinator and Placement Degree Supervisor, actively mentoring students in areas related to interoception and body-brain interactions. His work bridges physiological signals from the body with social cognition and emotional processing.

Research Interests: Ruben investigates how afferent interoceptive signals (e.g., heartbeats) influence social perception, racial bias, self-awareness, and visual politics. His methodologies include psychophysiology, fMRI, and non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation.

Grants and Awards:

• BIAL Foundation Grant (2017-2018): €45,000 for studying vagus nerve stimulation and heart-brain interactions.
• FCT Independent PhD Studentship (2009-2013): Funded his early research in Portugal.
• BIAL Foundation Grant (2023-2025): €57,000 for interoceptive influences on visual awareness.

Supervision: Currently supervising PhD student Vasileios Kotsaris. His recent work explores empathy, facial transplantation, and the political implications of visual dehumanization.